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1.9.2023 - 20.10.2023 (Week 1 - Week 8)
Loh Qiao Yin / 0348923
Game Art/ Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Exercise
[World Creation]
INSTRUCTIONS
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TASK
Initial character sketches
I started off wanting to have a diverse race of characters such as creatures, robots and humans. After that, I started listing out what their attack moves could be as it's easier for me to think of a character's identity/personality based on their attacks. The sketches were not well-explored as I was too fixated on needing the design to be in a "Brawl Stars" style and I oversimplified it right off the bat. However, after Mr Kanaan's explanation, I re-directed myself in the right direction for the next progress.
Initial character sketches
I started off wanting to have a diverse race of characters such as creatures, robots and humans. After that, I started listing out what their attack moves could be as it's easier for me to think of a character's identity/personality based on their attacks. The sketches were not well-explored as I was too fixated on needing the design to be in a "Brawl Stars" style and I oversimplified it right off the bat. However, after Mr Kanaan's explanation, I re-directed myself in the right direction for the next progress.
Fig 1.1 Initial character sketches, 20 October 2023
Character Sketches Exploration
I picked the top 3 characters whose designs I hope to elaborate more. We were asked to explore our character design by giving each of them 3 different body types. It was also a way for us to determine their archetype based on their size, be it a tank, assassin, etc. I also tried to elaborate their backstories more to ensure they are supported by a persona and a life. Despite so, after a feedback session, I only realised I could work better in implementing the traits into the character's body gesture as it wasn't showcased well. I got too carried away with just designing a variety of forms and shapes for the characters.
Character movement sketches
It wasn't easy at all completing this task but I knew I had to find a way to work as fast as I could while still portraying the character's movement clearly. It was just sketches with silhouettes but I tried to convey more information through the use of arrows and action lines. It was fun being able to imagine how my characters would move if they were to be in a working game.
Fig 1.3 Penelope's movement sketches, 20 October 2023
Fig 1.4 HellFang's movement sketches, 20 October 2023
Fig 1.5 Zapsty's movement sketches, 20 October 2023
Vision exploration
After having a coloured version of my final chosen character, I photoshopped it into Brawl Star's interface and I really feel the urge to just call it a day because it looks cute and I love my character already.
It's the typical monkey see monkey do process. I managed to
learn about insetting faces and extruding them. This was
really useful too when it comes to blocking out in 3D for my
environment design.
Fig 1.7 Chest modelling in Blender, 20 October 2023
Revising my character sketch was a never-ending process.
Due to my small visual library, I had trouble maintaining a
cute feeling while exploring more anatomical features of my
characters. This is because my definition of cute was a
tiny, plump, and simplified look. However, I was glad I got
suggested to find references in Kung Fu Panda and managed to
stumble upon master boar, which is exactly the body type I'd
like my character to have.
Retopology
In class, it was mentioned that retopology and UV wrapping are a big topic on their own and would require specific lessons dedicated to learning them. It still felt like a blurry path in my mind when retopology and UV wrapping were mentioned, thus I decided to watch quite a few videos on them to understand the pipeline and its importance. Even in the end, the topics were still quite complex to be understood but at least I have a better glimpse of them. I also managed to find out why there were times when I sculpted on a mesh, the lines are sometimes still rough despite I tried subdividing it many times before sculpting, and it is because of the direction of the topology that is going against my sculpt direction, therefore having a good topology will prevent this from happening.
Fig 2.1 Intro to topology, 20 October 2023
Final Submission
I picked the top 3 characters whose designs I hope to elaborate more. We were asked to explore our character design by giving each of them 3 different body types. It was also a way for us to determine their archetype based on their size, be it a tank, assassin, etc. I also tried to elaborate their backstories more to ensure they are supported by a persona and a life. Despite so, after a feedback session, I only realised I could work better in implementing the traits into the character's body gesture as it wasn't showcased well. I got too carried away with just designing a variety of forms and shapes for the characters.
Fig 1.2 Character sketches exploration, 20 October
2023
It wasn't easy at all completing this task but I knew I had to find a way to work as fast as I could while still portraying the character's movement clearly. It was just sketches with silhouettes but I tried to convey more information through the use of arrows and action lines. It was fun being able to imagine how my characters would move if they were to be in a working game.
Fig 1.3 Penelope's movement sketches, 20 October 2023
Fig 1.4 HellFang's movement sketches, 20 October 2023
Fig 1.5 Zapsty's movement sketches, 20 October 2023
After having a coloured version of my final chosen character, I photoshopped it into Brawl Star's interface and I really feel the urge to just call it a day because it looks cute and I love my character already.
Fig 1.6 HellFangs in Brawl Stars interface, 20
October 2023
Fig 1.7 Chest modelling in Blender, 20 October 2023
Fig 1.8 Revised character design, 20 October
2023
In class, it was mentioned that retopology and UV wrapping are a big topic on their own and would require specific lessons dedicated to learning them. It still felt like a blurry path in my mind when retopology and UV wrapping were mentioned, thus I decided to watch quite a few videos on them to understand the pipeline and its importance. Even in the end, the topics were still quite complex to be understood but at least I have a better glimpse of them. I also managed to find out why there were times when I sculpted on a mesh, the lines are sometimes still rough despite I tried subdividing it many times before sculpting, and it is because of the direction of the topology that is going against my sculpt direction, therefore having a good topology will prevent this from happening.
Fig 2.1 Intro to topology, 20 October 2023
I also managed to understand why polygroups have to
be in this specific pattern when it comes to doing
topology for human heads. Besides, Zmodeler or masking
with lasso tool can be used when making polygroups for
creating UVs and it is advisable to clone the subtool
before proceeding with anything related to the UVs.
Creating UV seams with Zmodeler could be helpful from
what I understand in the last video too.
Fig 2.2 Topology with polygroup, 20 October 2023
Fig 2.2 Topology with polygroup, 20 October 2023
Fig 2.3 UV with polygroup, 20 October 2023
Fig 2.4 UV unwrap and cutting seams, 20 October 2023
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Fig 3.1 Final submission of Exercise, 20 October 2023
FEEDBACK
Week 6
- The reference collected for the wolf is good, but the body gesture can be more exaggerated to showcase the personality more
- Take reference from Zootopia/ wolf from Kungfu Panda/ Torchlight 2 for arena
Week 3
- Moodboard should be further developed (show art style ref, body gesture ref etc. for the 3 characters)
Week 2
- Can propose own art style to fit the character idea in brawl stars
Week 6
- The reference collected for the wolf is good, but the body gesture can be more exaggerated to showcase the personality more
- Take reference from Zootopia/ wolf from Kungfu Panda/ Torchlight 2 for arena
- Have 2 to 3 varieties for one type of asset, for exp: bushes 1
square, 1 rectangle
- Think of how Hellfang's surrounding would be: like bones, torches,
sharp stones, horns, (search indigenous/ barbarian surroundings, mine,
dungeon, isometric ruin, stylized 3D asset__)
- Moodboard should be further developed (show art style ref, body gesture ref etc. for the 3 characters)
Week 2
- Can propose own art style to fit the character idea in brawl stars
- Exaggerate body proportions and weapons, make it fun and big,
expand the design
- Try more varieties such as asymmetrical traits
- Draw 3/4 view instead of flat front view
- When thinking of skins, figure out the purpose, does it give more
defence? to a certain element? more damage? what makes it more
valuable than the others?
REFLECTION
I was exposed to a new aspect of designing characters according to their powers based on Brawl Stars as a guide. Previously, I've only created stories of a character's background but this time I have to relate the appearance to its function as well. I am excited to further explore the 3D character as I've never sculpted a creature before and it is a good learning opportunity to study the anatomy of a wolf as well as ways of exaggerating certain body parts to make it look cute and stylized.
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