Week 12: The Return

After a long time away from the blogs and this project in general, I'm back. I had been spending so much time on other assignments as well as general life distractions that I couldn't find the time to update things here but we're here now.

I've completed my research project for 3D animation nowwhere I was focusing on normal maps, uv unwrapping and simple texturing for low poly models. The goal was to come out of it with some efficient workflows for creating models for next semester and I think I have done that though there is still room for improvement.

I've been drawn a lot to retro aesthetics recently and went down a bunch of rabbit holes which helped with this project for sure but also was definitely an excuse to play a bunch of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro. By doing that though I saw how corners were cut and how designers were using simple models and shapes to convey ideas with less detail which I have found is easier said than done as I had to keep stopping myself from adding unnecessary detail to my models.

One thing I found really cool was how skyboxes in Spyro games were made. The entire game has such a distinct style and was a pioneer in 3D games at the time. Rather than static images like you'd expect from a skybox of the time, the ones in Spyro are handpainted 3D models that surround the level which gives it the look it has.

On to what I've been doing though I will share my findings from my presentation below and leave some notes on things.

Project Outline:
- Optimizing UV mapping and texturing for low-poly models: specifically looking at optimizing workflow and asset sizes through different researched techniques.
- Tied the research project into the development of my thesis game, which will use low poly models and lightweight assets.
- Develop techniques as well as a style and art direction that allows me to do more with less and get the most milage from simple but intentional decisions on the style.

Refined Character Design

• Simple and Readable
• Easy to Mark Seams and Unwrap
• A big part of the learning process here was how to best unwrap models so that you can lay them out cleany for a basic texture map while also not overlapping so that you can work with the Normal Maps

Basic texture map

• With flat colors as seen in A Short Hike
• This looks haphazard but everything is laid out under that color map in an 8x8 grid that I have a map of so I know where each part of the model it.
• This method gives a bunch of freedom to tweak colors quickly and also saves a tonne of time texturing to begin with by spending a little extra time unwrapping carefully.

Normal Maps

On to the Normal Maps then my process started with baking them to an image in Blender that I could then manipulate in order to get texture and detail on the model without having to spend the polygons on it or plot it out in the main texture map.

Created various test Normal Maps in different styles to different levels of success.

These gave some cool effects with minimal effort by applying photoshop filters to the baked Normal Maps.

At the end of the day though they aren't really what I was looking for and unfortunately if you want something done right you have to do it yourself. So I then went with the handpainting method.

While it definitely took longer than applying a filter, it wasn't too long of a process and the results were much better.

Final Workflow

- Create Low Poly Model
- Mark Seams for Unwrap and texturing
- Arrange UV Map with no overlaps based on 8x8 grid
- Paint Texture Map in Photoshop
- Bake Normal Map in Blender
- Paint over Normal Map
- Apply Texture and Normal Maps

Takeaways
- Quick and consistent workflow
- Learned about how Normal Maps work and how they can effect how a model looks
- Learned efficient ways of texturing
- Improved understanding of how to mark seams and unwrap UV's

Here's some sample renders of what I came up with by the end along with some side to side with and without painted normal maps.