Evaluation

Introduction

In this evaluation, I am going to be reflecting on the major elements of my work and my experience working as a group. I am also going to be reflecting on how I coped with working from home during this pandemic. I plan to give a general summary of all of my work on this project and how well I reached my goals that I had initially set for myself.

Did I achieve my goals?

In the beginning of this project, I planned to create concept art of three assets that I could model and texture and add to my group’s work. Due to the pandemic and working from home, there was a two week period where I struggled to access the software I needed to start modelling and texturing. However, after a few complications and various attempts to get Maya working, I was finally accepted and validated to have the software on my home PC. This meant that I had less time to catch up on some modelling.

I would model a little more each day, chipping away at my work. Initially, I had no idea how to start. I tried to model my first asset and it didn’t work. This was really discouraging for me as I was starting to worry and stress about really falling behind. However, the next day I tried again with a different asset and it started off well. This allowed me to get into the flow of modelling again. I hadn’t used Maya for a short while at this point, so I was starting to forget how to use certain features like the insert edge loop tool or the multi-tool. After a little searching around and referencing my previous blogs I was able to find it. Throughout my modelling process for this project I was able to reference my past blogs a lot for help, this I was grateful for. Anything I couldn’t find in my blog work, I was able to ask my group or some friends for help.

So – I knew my goals from the beginning were going to be a challenge. My concept art far proceeded my modelling skills and this set up a high standard for me. Despite how detailed and accurate my concept art was in comparison to my modelling, it didn’t surprise me. I have far more experience with drawing over modelling and it’s just an example of what time and practice can do. However, this was still a valid reason to practice modelling and trying to get better at it, as well as enjoying the project as I go.

In the end, with time and government restrictions due to COVID-19, I was able to complete two assets with modelling, UV mapping and texturing. Originally, I created three concepts for three assets. However, my motivation to work and my time really cut short towards the end with the final asset and after starting it, I quickly realised that I couldn’t make it look as good as I’d like and I would just end up wasting my time with something I’m not satisfied with. I started with modelling my Allosaurus concept art, I think overall I put the most energy into this model as it was the first one I had created and I had the drive to do it. Some elements of the modelling process, such as the depth and detail with the robotic metal plating were really tedious. However, I enjoyed modelling the curvature of the wiring. That’s something that stands out to me the most. I remember thinking, “there’s no way I can model the wires with a curve, sort of like how I did with Gareth”. Then I decided to find the video link Gareth recorded for the online lesson and go through it until I found the tools I need. I re-watched his recording to help me recall how to add the curvature I needed to a straight cylindrical shape.

I think for the most part I achieved my goals. Of course I didn’t expect my models to be immaculate with insanely professional design and texturing. I’m nowhere near that stage yet. But as for my first group project in game design I think it went alright. I was able to fully model, UV map and texturing two assets. I began on my third one near the end but didn’t want to leave a sour taste in my mouth for this project. I think the blog work for this project was also relatively easy. Sometimes it was hard to ask Gareth or Lee for help as we are learning from home and I wouldn’t get an instant answer compared to if I was in college.

What did I enjoy the most?

Throughout this whole project, I think I enjoyed the concept art and then the UV mapping and texturing the most. The modelling stage was a little tedious due to my design. UV mapping my models was relaxing…

I was able to take my time with it, I didn’t come across many huge issues with it. Just using the cut/split features and the planar mapping was pretty straight forward. Then I would have to scale down and fit in my UVs towards the end. Additionally, the texturing part of the project was refreshing from the hours of modelling and UV mapping. Even though I had forgotten a lot how to use Substance Painter and the features it has, the basics still stuck with me and I was able to experiment a little and have some more creativity in my design with Substance Painter.

The concept art stage of this project was my favourite though. It was a welcomed challenge to think of the best ideas and most suitable designs for my group. My ideas varied a lot through the beginning to the end of the concept art process and I was able to explain my ideas briefly through annotations.

My idea for this concept art was initially to have the bodies of tradition Japanese animals be falling apart and clinging together by some red ribbons. As much as I liked the look of this, it would be hard and out of my skill range to model this sort of thing in Maya. So I transitioned onto modelling something simpler, like a metal robotic creature with simple hard-edged shapes.

What did I dislike the most?

Personally, my least favourite part of this project was partially the modelling and the ID mapping. The modelling would get really boring or stressful at times. Things wouldn’t work or move the way I wanted them to. If I had a problem and I tried to fix it, I’d look at the mass of different buttons and features and get quickly discouraged. This would lead to me just moving on and hoping it doesn’t pose as a problem later on. Another thing I disliked was the ID mapping, and to be honest I don’t think it even worked. I decided to ID map my Allosaurus model near the end as I tested it in Substance Painter and thought the texturing process would be a lot smoother with an ID map, so that I could select certain parts of the model to texture at once. So I spent around two hours ID mapping the Allosaurus. The extruded faces all along every face of the model made selecting areas for my ID map a nightmare. There was probably a more efficient way to do this, but it didn’t occur to me.

How well did we work as a group?

At the start of the project, after getting our group members – we decided to create a discord server with organised channels to help enhance our work and planning as a group. We all began very engaged, we would have various ideas for our asset pack and we were eager to begin. We found plenty of concept art images to fuel our creativity and provide us with inspiration. However, as time passed and COVID restrictions came into place, people began to talk less to each other and we didn’t use the discord as much as we originally had.

We each had our own roles in the group. Bayley was dedicated to modelling the characters or NPCs, and then he moved on to creating an environment for our asset pack. Kai was modelling weapons and tools that would suit into the asset pack. Aaron was modelling the architecture and a few buildings and structures with an ancient-Japan theme, and I was modelling the other half of the genre – post apocalyptic. It was my job to model the reason why our asset pack and our backstory was post apocalyptic and in a dystopian situation. I had to model the robotic machines that destroyed civilisation.

The people in my group were good at what they had to do. Some went beyond what they initially wanted to do as well. They would often report problems to each other and in response we would try and help one another. I am uncertain how many group assets we have all made together as there are many.

What was my specialist role?

My role was to model the robots for our asset pack and backstory. However, I ended up doing better in my concept art. I wasn’t really the group’s ‘dedicated concept artist’, but I feel like if I were given that role, I would be able to create concept art for everyone in my group and give them a good visual idea of what to model. I enjoyed the concept art process a lot actually, I was good at it and I felt proud of what I was able to create. I think if I were to take this course further in my life and try and find a job in the game design and development industry, I would excel the most at concept art. I just love the initial sense of total creative freedom and finding countless sources of inspiration, the excitement I get when I can think of something unique or interesting.

Time management

I think, despite being held up by technical difficulties near the beginning, I was able to get a fair amount of work done for my asset pack. I also had to keep up with my blog work as well as I made more and more progress. I think in the future, if I had to improve on this project again I would give myself more time to model my concept art. If I had more time to model I would’ve been able to put more detail into them. I also struggled to import my Substance Painter textures into Unreal Engine. I had forgotten how to do this and it was harder asking for help and guidance as we were all busy with our own work and the online limitations got in the way.

Conclusion

To summarise, I think myself and my group did a pretty good job at the this project. For our first group project in this course, and for some, a first group project in a long time, we were able to negotiate our ideas at the beginning, have a positive perspective on the project and organise our roles and work between ourselves. In comparison to others, I think I created less assets but with more detail than some. I enjoyed the process and being able to work as a group took the stress and weight off of an individual’s shoulders and distributed it evenly throughout all of us. I was also able to work with people I wouldn’t usually work with.