Mobile Device Project

Software

Blender 2.93

Adobe Photoshop 2021

1.1 Concept

The short brief of the 1st Group Game Project was to create a game targeting eleven to fifteen years old schoolchildren with the intention to draw attention to environmental issues. Our groups initial idea was to create a low-poly 3D survival and adventure game. My role mainly evolved around creating the 3D environment and assets for the project. Because the group have not had any members from the CAD pathway the level design, layout and asset scaling also became my responsibility.

1.2 Research & Inspiration

The aspiration for the tropical themed island comes from my own travel experience around South-East Asia. The Japanese stimulus originates from an image I found online.(1.2.1) I thought the unique colour palette would create a special atmosphere. Throughout the project I mainly focused on environment, asset and material research.(1.2.2)

1.2.1 image sourced from Reddit 2020.

1.2.2

1.3 Level Design & Sketches

I drew a sketch of the level design on a graphic tablet (1.3.1) early and only minor adjustments were made later when collaborating with my team members. For most of the assets I created pencil drawn illustrations.(1.3.2, 1.3.3)

1.3.1

1.4.1

1.4.2

1.4 Modelling Trees

I incorporated and learned a great number of techniques while modelling assets for this project. One such instance is a skin modifier used to produce tree-trunks and branches. (1.4.1) First I created a cube, merged it's vertices to the centre then, extruding the remaining one vert I outlined the rough shape of the tree. The Skin modifier adds a squareish low-poly look that can be costumised with ease by rotating and scaling. (1.4.2)

1.4.1

1.4.2

1.5 Outline Tracing

One of the basic techniques I often use when modelling is outline tracing. Even complex forms for instance characters can be broken down into manageable proportions and manufactured this way. I set the view point to front or profile to start. After I import reference images of a given asset from various angles into blender by the Shift + A hotkey. Once the images lined up to their required position and have been scaled I begin tracing the shilouette by adding a plane and extruding it's edges and vertices. (1.5.1)

1.5.1

1.6 The Island

All in all three variants of the Island were constructed. The first version turned out to be too low poly.(642 Verts, 1280 faces) I extruded and moved vertices of a flattened icosphere but I later discarded this model seeing as a rather basic representation what I soughted to achieve.(1.6.1) I run into some hardware difficulties while recreating the island the second time. I chose an alternate modelling technique. Instead of extrusion I attempted sculpting however this method exponentially increased the number of faces to over six million and required far greater computing power than what my aging laptop could handle. Consequently the third and final configuration was fabricated in the same way as the first but with numerous subdivions setting the poly count to a manageable 64K. (1.6.2)

1.6.1

1.6.2

1.7 Conclusion

Since the Game Group Project was my first 3D assignment it represented a steep software learning curve. Blender is the most complex program I ever had to learn. The journey may not be the easiest yet I welcome the opportunity to challenge myself and enjoy creating new worlds such as Trash Island.