Asset Creation Collection

In the fall of 2016, I took time to dive into content creation for use in Unreal Engine 4. Modeling and texturing have always been interesting to me, and I wanted to know exactly how professionals create static meshes for video games.

My classes at Bradley University focus on content creation for 3D animation, using Cinema 4D. Cinema, however, does not allow for the amount of control over mesh creation (specifically UV mapping and smoothing groups) that I needed in order to create good content. When I was younger, I worked exclusively in Blender 3D because of the community. Blender also lacks a smooth pipeline for static mesh import into UE4. After reading much documentation, forums, and discussion boards, I decided to teach myself this process using a combination Maya, 3Ds Max, Mudbox, xNormal, and Photoshop.

For a while, every step I took forward led to another learning curve, software application, and hardware. Determined for more control over what I was creating, I purchased a custom-built PC and the Quixel Suite (texturing plugin for photoshop). By getting involved in the Polycount community--asking questions and receiving feedback--I was able to be liberated from the technical process, and focus on the artistic quality of my work. Modding current games on the market like "Dying Light" and "Rocket League" helped me to understand how 3D assets are created and placed in-engine.

The following personal work, created in the summer of 2016, showcases my growth as a 3D artist. These projects (which lack cohesion and completeness) explore original problems such as working on a grid, creating functional UV maps, LODs, UE4 material nodes, custom normal maps, and more. The solutions I came to are indispensable to my current work at Bradley University, and led me to become texture lead for a VR game "MOVR" created by students in the Bradley University game design program.

This shed was modeled in Maya. I separated materials and textured in Quixel. I specifically recreated this shed from reference in google maps.

Working in Unreal Engine 4 with custom foliage and assets. This is one of my first attempts of creating a landscape with completely original models in UE4.

Taken from the same project as the scene above.

This road, created on a flat plane, was essentially a test of the Quixel texturing suite. I created the basis for the road in Maya as a flat plane (1 face). I sized and exported the model to Quixel and hand-painted different materials (left top) on the model. I applied an alpha mask to create some cracks. Quixel controlled the normals (left bottom) created by each material, edited by me. I exported for use in UE4, and included a roughness and metalness map in order to create some small puddles. The result (on right) is live in UE4.

Fence creation for an environment in Unreal 4. (used in the above scenes)

With these pipes, I was testing my use of the grid in Maya as it relates to UE4's grid. By making a multitude of pieces, I can now use these assets to create many different formations of pipes within the game engine.

Working with large wall pieces exported from Maya to UE4. I focused on creating good UV maps to be used for texture and lightmaps.

Working on an old desert gas pump. Thought it would be an interesting texture to try to create. Working in 4k texture maps. Renders output from Quixel. Still finishing up modeling the nozzle and screen. Here I am trying out mixing Blender's cycle render with Quixel. Materials are difficult to set up this way right now. Added the gas nozzle.

Close up of an "oil spill" texture for the gas pump. Screenshot from Quixel 3DO.

Work on a dumpster model. Working with baked normals for more detail with less polygons. Render screenshot in UE4. Modeled in Maya, textured in Quixel and Photoshop.