Tuesday, 28 April 2015
Sunday, 26 April 2015
Importing meshes and textures to Unreal 4 and creating the Materials
The last work I had to do was to import the textures and create the materials for the different 3d models that I did. The following process was:
- Import all textures (in the correct folder, Content-Props-Text).
- Create a new material and name it correctly (that way would be easier the work for designers for find the models and their materials). On the material window I was linking the different textures in the correct gaps (Base color, Metallic, Specular, etc).
- Open the 3d model actor, paste the material and add the collision.
In some materials I needed to add some variables, like lerps, multiply material, and so on. That's tools help to change the brightness, color, or other specification directly on the game engine.
For some props, like stalls or tents I had to create instances from the original material. I mean, I created a copy (instance) with all the information about the master material, but changing the other diffuses (colors). I had to create a parameter (Diffuse parameter) in the original material, and then on the instance I could change the diffuse map from the second or third color version. On that way make easier the work for designers, for adding the different colors on the same props or assets without having to recompile the entire material (less information on memory).
I had to create all the materials for my props or assets and J Kay's pieces too. Some examples of importing textures and creating materials.
- Import all textures (in the correct folder, Content-Props-Text).
- Create a new material and name it correctly (that way would be easier the work for designers for find the models and their materials). On the material window I was linking the different textures in the correct gaps (Base color, Metallic, Specular, etc).
- Open the 3d model actor, paste the material and add the collision.
In some materials I needed to add some variables, like lerps, multiply material, and so on. That's tools help to change the brightness, color, or other specification directly on the game engine.
For some props, like stalls or tents I had to create instances from the original material. I mean, I created a copy (instance) with all the information about the master material, but changing the other diffuses (colors). I had to create a parameter (Diffuse parameter) in the original material, and then on the instance I could change the diffuse map from the second or third color version. On that way make easier the work for designers, for adding the different colors on the same props or assets without having to recompile the entire material (less information on memory).
I had to create all the materials for my props or assets and J Kay's pieces too. Some examples of importing textures and creating materials.
 |
| Creating the instance materials (right) from master material (left) |
 |
| Testing the props on the game |
Texturing the Zeppelin
The following asset for texturing was he Zeppelin. I did it with the same way like the Midget Clown. I used Zbrush for adding some details on the head and balloon, and I textured them on Zbrush using the Polypaint tool as well.
So, I did the projection for the Normal and Diffuse Maps (head and balloon) and I textured the rest of the things on Photoshop and using pictures as a texture details. Some of the Zeppelin's pictures.
Texturing the Fountain
I textured the Fountain's mesh that Oscar provided me. He did the mesh, Normal and Ambient Occlusion Maps, so I've just had to do the Diffuse Map. I added some water stains on the marble texture to give it a more reallistic touch. Some pictures of the fountain.
 |
| The Normal Map (right one) was made it by Oscar |
Remodelling the Stalls and Bin and texture finished
Stalls
I've started working on the Stalls. I used the model that J. Kay did, but the mesh weren't good enough and there were poligons that they weren't quads or tris. So, I had to remodelling the entire mesh and give them a better shape that fits on the game.
Changes on the Stalls' meshes
- The polygons with more than 3 or 4 vertex were deleted or put them loops to make them quads.
- The thickness for the polygons that would be cloth were deleted. I used just a plane for the cloth (after that the texture would be 2-sided to see it correctly on the game engine).
- The box shape was replaced with a kind of clothing-tent shape. I curved a bit the planes to give the meshes a more reallistic shape, like it was a tent made it with cloth and iron bars.
- Hided polygons were deleted
- The polycount was reduced considerably, from 1500 and 2000 tris in the previous meshes to 330 and 352 in the finish models
- Added some ropes on the corner of the Stall to seem them that they are nailed in to the ground.
- Recalculated the smoothing groups to not have problems with the lights on the game engine.
Texturing the Stalls
With the meshes already done I worked on the textures. I did 3 different colors on the Diffuse Map for every Stalls and an Opacity Map to make cuts and cloth ripped on the texture. Some pìctures of the Stalls finished.
Bin
For the Bin mesh I used a on of the previous meshes, theorically made it for the Ticket Booth. But the shape reminded me more like a bin, so I remodelled to fitted it as a bin. I did a Diffuse and Normal Maps, to give it some detail like scratches on the metal and reliefs. Some pictures.
I've started working on the Stalls. I used the model that J. Kay did, but the mesh weren't good enough and there were poligons that they weren't quads or tris. So, I had to remodelling the entire mesh and give them a better shape that fits on the game.
 |
| Previous Stalls Meshes |
 |
| A polygon with 15 vertex!! Unusable |
 |
| Redesign for the Stall 1 |
 |
| Redesign for the Stalls 2 |
- The polygons with more than 3 or 4 vertex were deleted or put them loops to make them quads.
- The thickness for the polygons that would be cloth were deleted. I used just a plane for the cloth (after that the texture would be 2-sided to see it correctly on the game engine).
- The box shape was replaced with a kind of clothing-tent shape. I curved a bit the planes to give the meshes a more reallistic shape, like it was a tent made it with cloth and iron bars.
- Hided polygons were deleted
- The polycount was reduced considerably, from 1500 and 2000 tris in the previous meshes to 330 and 352 in the finish models
- Added some ropes on the corner of the Stall to seem them that they are nailed in to the ground.
- Recalculated the smoothing groups to not have problems with the lights on the game engine.
Texturing the Stalls
With the meshes already done I worked on the textures. I did 3 different colors on the Diffuse Map for every Stalls and an Opacity Map to make cuts and cloth ripped on the texture. Some pìctures of the Stalls finished.
Bin
For the Bin mesh I used a on of the previous meshes, theorically made it for the Ticket Booth. But the shape reminded me more like a bin, so I remodelled to fitted it as a bin. I did a Diffuse and Normal Maps, to give it some detail like scratches on the metal and reliefs. Some pictures.
 |
| Original Ticket Booth on the left, Bin on the right |
Changes on the Game Design
Due to a several problems on the project and some part of the work was delayed in excessive, The team needed to think a huge change on the Game Design. Using the material that it was done until the middle of April we thought that we couldn't reach the goal to create an entire level for a Platform-Puzzle game, so we decided to change it into a Arena game, where the player has to kill hordes of enemies that try to catch you, using different weapons and power-ups.
Unfortunately, we had to discard 3 from 5 characters planned to use, and they 3 were with the entire concept and mesh done, ready for texturing them. The problem was that the animations were delayed too much and it was impossible to make them on time for every characters, so we decided to use the Main character (Trixie), and one enemy (Midget Clown). The characters discarded are: Dr. Stromboli, Magician and Strongman.
Because of the rest of the artist needed help for finish all the meshes for the environment added on the list, we planned the work for the 4 artists (Javi, Deming, J. Kay and me) and also Oscar to divide up all pieces. So I started working on props and assets for the level. I was asigned to do: the Stalls, Zeppelin's textures, the Bin and the Fountain's textures.
Unfortunately, we had to discard 3 from 5 characters planned to use, and they 3 were with the entire concept and mesh done, ready for texturing them. The problem was that the animations were delayed too much and it was impossible to make them on time for every characters, so we decided to use the Main character (Trixie), and one enemy (Midget Clown). The characters discarded are: Dr. Stromboli, Magician and Strongman.
Because of the rest of the artist needed help for finish all the meshes for the environment added on the list, we planned the work for the 4 artists (Javi, Deming, J. Kay and me) and also Oscar to divide up all pieces. So I started working on props and assets for the level. I was asigned to do: the Stalls, Zeppelin's textures, the Bin and the Fountain's textures.
Modelling the Zeppelin
For the Zeppelin 3d model I've used the concept art by my teammate, Deming. The head was easier to did it on Zbrush, and on that way I'll have a base for putting details for the Normal Map later. The Low poly mesh was done with 7.067 Tris, and thinking that it's a huge mesh (several times the main character size) it's a good polycount for it. Some picture of the Zeppelin.
 |
| Concept Art by Deming |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)