3D Environments & Hero Prop

Hello everyone! This entry shows my latest months of work, which includes two complete environments and a  prop that I created during my time at Voxel School. I have learned how to be more efficient with my workflow and improved on my skills. I am really happy with the final result of both projects and hope they serve as an entry to the game industry.

Now, let's take a look to them!

MOMBASA MARKET

After coming across Sergey Snegirev´s concept art, I was immediately drawn to its distinctive style and the various elements I could explore during its development. I had a strong passion for creating realistic game art, and this desert market perfectly fit that vision. Each step presented its own challenges and taught me a great deal about crafting a 3D environment. 

BREAKDOW

Working in this environment has been challenging for many reasons, one of which is the multitude of building pieces I had to model. My main goal was to make different sets to build the two main buildings and, from there, be able to build more if needed. 

All of the following elements were personally created by me using 3Ds Max and employed various texturing techniques. For example, I used trim sheets for some of the models. Sculpting a trim sheet was something new for me, but I managed to get a good result with it.

One of my biggest objectives was to create a good quality illumination since the everinment is set in a desert. I tried to give it a warm look using different light sources and techniques. Also, the texturing part helps a lot to achieve that goal.

TIMELAPSE

This time-lapse video showcases the process of the environment over the past few months. Starting from the initial blockout created in Unreal Engine, the first models using 3Ds Max, and its final implementation in Unreal Engine again. It had several significant changes in terms of composition, scale of various elements, and even style. In the beginning, I used simple forms such as boxes or cylinders. I also decided to add color to the composition. As I mentioned before, one of the goals was to give it a good lighting and color look. After that, I started modeling the first pieces as blockouts. Once I had it all, it was time to start texturing, always keeping it simple in case I had to change the colors.

THE SPRINGTIDE

The other project I worked on during my time at Voxel School was a realistic hero prop based on a concept by Adam Törn. Among several options, I chose this particular prop because it is a mix of organic and hard surfaces, which provided an opportunity to learn various techniques. The inclusion of tree bark pieces, an ivory structure, mosh and brunches, a rock base, etc. intrigued me and influenced my decision.

My main goal was to approach as much as I could in terms of texturing and lighting.

BREAKDOWN

The modeling for this project was done using 3Ds Max for the first shape approach and then I used ZBrush to give the organic look. The blockout was something fast and easy to get. But I have not much experience modeling using ZBrush, so I tried different brushes and options that could fit my needs. Finally, I managed to get something similar to the concept.

In this particular model, I had two main problems. The first one was the amount of tree bark it has. It was tought to follow the concept on that part, so I had to figure out how to model them. The other one was the little grass and mosh it has on the surface. For that, I used the object paint option that has 3Ds Max.

Finally, the texturing part that also was a challenge because of the amount of materials that this model has. The most difficult area was the main body. It has several paints and damages, and it took me a long time to get a good result.

TEXTURES

Due to the amount of tree bark, I had to use two texture sets for this model. The process used for them was very similar. First, I apply the base color to every piece and then start making the big damages and color variations. In this particular case, I did not need to make a difference between metallic and non-metallic since this model has no metal parts.

After making all the big areas, I focused on the small details and imperfections, always trying not to make noise on the textures that added to many elements.

MONK TEMPLE

This is a personal environment that I created during 2023, along with my time at Voxel School. I include it here since I implemented many of the things I was learning at that time. 

In this case, almost all the models were individual and could not be used to build the environment, so I had to decide which ones I was going to model. The foliage and a couple of models were used from the Unreal Marketplace.

BREAKDOWN

For the models, I followed the same working method I learned. Starting with simple blocks and forms using Unreal Engine, modeling the pieces in 3Ds Max, texturing in Substance and the coming back to Unreal.

But in this environment, I made the decision of changing from Unreal to Marmoset in the middle of the building process. Like that, I managed to achieve a greater final shot.

I worked on the lighting on the final stages of the project, which made the whole scene improve a lot. The lighting was something simple and easy to work since it only had one light source.

After all the work, I added some images and light beams using Photoshop in order to push up the final result.

CONCLUSION

Although I had previous experience with 3D work and had even created an environment in Unreal Engine, I have since refined my working method. The significant effort and dedication I put into these projects, combined with the invaluable knowledge I gained in 3D concepts and techniques, made my time at Voxel School an exceptional learning experience in terms of quality. I am genuinely delighted and proud of my work, and I eagerly anticipate taking my first step into the industry. Until then, let's keep learning!