Lothar Zhou's Advice Lecture - Part 1

 

 

• You have to make your model a more organic shape using different tools. The models have to have more character and features in it. No more straight angles and lines as this is boring and too perfect. Random shapes and lines make character. You're not an architect so you need to show character in everything you make whether that's a garbage can or a building.

• Concept art is not about digital painting -  pen, pencil, paint, these are all good tasks and skills to have for 2D. In concept artwork, it is essential to have a scale indicator - for the viewer (especially the modeler) to be able to effectively translate your ideas. Think about the character and the scale and how the character would interact with your models/levels/props. Think about the colour scheme and the lighting to enable a cohesive style.

• Lionhead Studios - Dinosaur Hunting
  Their work shows the general feel and key colour for each of the environments/levels.
  Pencil and paper are often used in the initial sketches - these show shape and form in an interesting, natural way.
  Their sense of space and shaping is boring. Different directions and shapes make interesting 3D models.

• Level design is a very vast and thorough design process including gameplay and analysis of elements in the game. Profiling is a large range of tools which is specific to that individual company. Without pre-rendering, you can jump into the game in real time. Real time also has a lot of restrictions. Level designers also calculate how many models, light, particles etc can be held within a level and a decent Frame Rate still be achieved.  

• Lothar showed us some concept sketches from Lionhead and Ubisoft (Open Season - the game) and showed the stylistic differences and the differences in design based on the target audience. When designing assets and props for levels it is always good to show its context within the game, and the game-market as a whole.

• Think about your UV unwrapping before you duplicate anything. Unwrap the UV's  before you unwrap them so you don't have to repeat your unwrapping methods several times. When modeling an object you know you will have to repeat, always UV unwrap it first and then continue to model so that your work is still in order etc.

• Think about how your model will be used across the game and try to build a library of 'tileable' models for things such as walls, pathways etc.

• Colour keys are extremely important for you model/level.

• Think about your target audience for you game when picking colour schemes. Think of the placement and form of your work so that it tells a story. All kinds of reference - and a combination of these is always excellent for your modeling.

• If you can it is always good to visit places not just search for 3rd party references to use for your concept artwork.

• Consider cut scenes and their role within your game and the context of said cutscenes in relation to your work produced.

• If your game is first person it is important to have a figure in the fore-ground in order to give the correct  perspective.