INTRODUCING THE ART PIPELINE

AT STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY@ STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY

David Edwards

Introduction • We have a strong 3d Art background here at Staffordshire University

• We have always had a core Game Art route through our flagship,

BSc(Hons) Computer Games Design award.

• This is now supported with our BA(Hons) Games Art award.

Our AlumniMichael Knowland

Sr Character Artist - Avalanche Studios

Nick Elliot

Environment Artist - Playground Games

Ben Wilson

Environment Artist – Massive Entertainment

Liam Tart

Environment Artist - Creative Assembly

Madina Chionidi

Character Artist – DICE

2015 Ones to Watch:

Philip Gilbert

2015 Ones to Watch:

Mark Circus

2015 Ones to Watch:

Alex Zemskov

Games Art @ StaffsGames Art is a key aspect Games Design/Technology

Program Area

Foundation

Introduction to Modelling and

Rendering

1st Year

Introduction to 3d Modelling for

Games

1st Year

Fundamental Art Skills for Games

2nd Year

3d Character Modelling for

Games

2nd Year

Games Shadersand Texturing

2nd Year

3d Hard Surface Modelling

3rd Year

Advanced 3d Modelling

3rd Year

Individual Games Project

3rd Year

Individual Games Portfolio

Masters

Advanced Character

Prototyping

Masters

Advanced Games Environment

Design & Research

Masters

Advanced Vehicle and Weapon Prototyping

Foundation

Photoshop for Games

Development

The ModuleFor the majority of our students this is their main Introduction to

world of 3d Game Art at Staffordshire University.

It’s a 30 credit module taken from September to May. 1st Year

Introduction to 3d Modelling for Games

3 Hour Teaching slot

IntroductionShort Theory

LecturePractical

ApplicationShort Theory

LecturePractical

ApplicationExercise Round Up

The Goal This year students undertook a portfolio consisting of 2 components:

Semester 1:

Low Poly Mobile Environment, with diffuse only textures, 1500 tri limit per-asset.

1st Year

Introduction to 3d Modelling for Games

The Goal This year students undertook 2 components of portfolio:

Semester 2:

Unreal Engine 4 table top diorama of 3 elements. Complete PBR workflow.

1st Year

Introduction to 3d Modelling for Games

A New Challenger has entered the Game

However, the module is still remains one of our greatest challenges….

To take students from this… To this…

Who are these n00bs?!

60% of our students come to Staffordshire University from

B-Tec college courses, with the remainder entering from A-

Levels, or as mature students through access courses.

However!

How “Games related” the college course is questionable,

and there is currently no set standard.

Who are these n00bs?!

So we have students who may have:

• Completed 2 years trying out all aspects of game

development.

• Completed only a 1 or 2 modules around 3d Art or Game

development

• No experience of games development at all

However, these students have the UCAS points to enter

straight onto the undergraduate course.

What do they need to know?

Is that all?

3d Modelling Tools

3ds Max/Maya UI

Sub-D modelling

Triple Edge LoopingNormal Mapping technology

xNormal

Normal Mapping methodologyUV Mapping

Creating Tiling Textures

Creating Tiling Textures

UV unwrapping

Double Turbosmooth

Shape

Form

Proportion

Silhouette

Lighting3-point Lighting

Presentation

Optimization

Smoothing Groups

Colour Theory

Fundamentals of Environment Design

Photoshop

Good Taste

Camera Terminology

Composition

Materials

Exporting to Unreal

Game Engine Limitations

Texturing process

A basic design process

Unreal Challenges Unreal presents students with a great opportunity to work

with a AAA Game Engine…

…However it also presents us with challenges which need to

be overcome when introducing students to the art pipeline.

Academic Challenges

The module is designed to measure the students against 5 Learning

Outcomes

Learning Outcome

1) Apply appropriate techniques to create, and modify, 3d game assets by evaluating and applying a variety of industry production techniques.

Application

Enquiry

2) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of 3d modelling techniques, texturing methods, material and shader generation in game asset production.

Problem Solving

3) Effectively communicate the design process, use of current industry technologies, and workflows used in the production of the game assets.

Communication

4) Reflect upon suitability of the game assets for the chosen game engine through comparison with professional works, and critically evaluate the piece and determine improvements.

Reflection

Challenges for Introductory Students

• Choosing the right project

• Understanding the Basics of Asset Development

• Knowing the basic pipeline

• Knowing how to tweak that pipeline for a specific solution

• Implementing a suitably complex solution

• Time

Choosing the Right Project

Students view The module leader

One of the biggest problems student face

is knowing the scope of a project from the

start.

Considerations include:

• Complex geometry

• Specific UV unwrapping methods

• Unconventional normal map baking

processes,

• Elaborate material set ups

• Precise lighting settings

It can take considerable experience to be

able to choose a project at the right level.

Understanding the basics

“If you can dodge a wrench,

you can dodge a ball”

Basics of 3d

Modelling

High Poly Modelling

Normal Mapping Techniques

Game MeshUnwrapping

Smoothing

groups

Bakeoptimization

Texturing methods

Export to Unreal

Hope it worked*

*Success modifier is applied for the more practice

you have of undertaking this process.Understand what you’re trying to do

A Clean pipeline To keep things simple, we try to encourage students to adhere to a

clean production pipeline when working through their projects.

Presentation of final assets

Lighting Cameras Scene Composition

Texturing

Bake Normals Bake Projection Maps Create Textures Set up materials Test Metallic/Roughness

Low Poly

Suitably Optimised Appropriate smoothing groups Chamfered edges Normal map considerations

High Poly

Sub-D/DTS Mesh Floating Geometry Necessary Detail Normal Map considerations

Design Process

Block out Mood Board Colour/Value Designs Silhouette

Constant review for quality in Unreal

Specific SolutionsOne of the main issues students face is knowing when they

should deviate from the techniques they think they know, to

something more unconventional.

“Should I cut that shape in, or use floating geometry?”

“Is that going to normal map, or should I low poly it?”

“Is that curve going to project ok, or does it need to be

rounder?”

“How should I modify the cage to avoid this skewing?”

“Should I chamfer that edge to get a better bake?”

“Should I use overlapping UVs on this?”

“How do make this bit translucent, but that bit reflective?”

So if I do all that, it’ll

work?

Not to mention… All of this is before you consider some of the more Intermediate,

or Advanced topics which may help solve these problems.

• Light Maps

• IES Lighting profiles

• Camera settings

• Matinee

• Master Materials/Material Instances

• Layered Materials

• Post processing

• Physics simulations for Cloth assets

• Set dressing (Particles, Volumes, backgrounds)

• Cinematography considerations

How the students used UE4…

UnrealEngine’s Marketplace, example content, and

content browser helps students to understand the size

and scope of projects.

Example content, like Alumni Liam Tart’s Sci-Fi Bunk,

enables students to inspect meshes, textures, and

materials up close.

Academic Challenges

Students use the example

content as part of their

research into limitations,

production methods, and

comparable assets from the

industry.

They document this through

asynchronous discussion

forums, mood boards,

references and blockouts.

How the students used UE4…

The .FBX pipeline into Unreal

Engine 4 really helps students

to see their project come

together.

Students are encouraged to

constantly export their

meshes and normal maps to

Unreal to check for errors.

How the students used UE4…

Materials and Materials

Instances helps students

quickly create a more visually

interesting diorama.

How the students used UE4…Unreal Engine 4 helped the students produce some of the

best pieces of work we’ve ever seen from the 1st year

Building on Success

Whilst we have achieved a good level of success

this year there is more that we can do:

• Motivation and Engagement

• An introductory language

• Snapshot video tutorials

• Concise and accessible documentation

• Student Expectations

Motivation and Engagement

Motivating and engaging students on such a large

module (169 people) can be tricky. Not everyone loves

games art after all.

External talks from industry artists give students direct

access to new, and alternative information.

In some cases a big wake up call.

Inspiration and Design - Ollie Clarke, Modern Dream

The Art Pipeline, and Getting into the Industry – Scott Homer

An Introductory Language

Its very easy for us experienced artists and lecturers to forget just

what it’s like not knowing anything.

Finding a way to communicate effectively with students is key.

Normal MapsA normal map is usually used to fake high-res geometry detail on what is actually a low-res mesh. Each pixel of a normal map is used to transfer the normal

that's on the high-res mesh onto the surface of the low-res mesh. The red, green, and blue channels of the texture are used to control the direction of each

pixel's normal. The pixels in the normal map basically control what direction each of the pixels on the low-poly model will be facing, controlling how

much lighting each pixel will receive, and thus creating the illusion of more surface detail or better curvature. The process of transferring normals from the

high-res model to the in-game model is often called baking. (TechArtists.org2010)

Or

A normal map uses colour values to modify how a mesh receives light,

thus giving the impression of more detail.

Snapshot Video Tutorials

One solution to help engage struggling students is to create a library

of snapshot videos tutorials. Students could dip in and out, to access

specific information

At only a couple of minutes in length, the videos would cover only the

necessary steps to complete an action, e.g. This is the swift loop tool.

Links would still be provided to externally hosted tutorial content.

These are typically longer, or part of a series.

Concise and Accessible Documentation

One of the great things about Unreal Engine 4 is the

large volume of clear and accessible documentation.

Students can be easily directed to this to get an

overview of the whole pipeline, and explore new

areas.

Student Expectations

One of the biggest issues we do face is managing the

expectations of the students.

What we expect of them, and what they expect from us.

Staff expectations Student expectations

300 hours of work. ~12.5 hours per week.

Industry Standard Software

Practicing of techniques and methods taught

Professional level lectures and tutorials

Reading of methods, pipelines and techniques by artists

Clear Assessment Criteria

An enthusiasm for creating good game art

Example assignments

Access to support and help when needed

Access to PCs outside of class time

Future Challenges

Scope; We only have a year to get across all the basics, but still

have students who can make content by the time they enter the

second year.

Updates; UE4 is really flexible we need to ensure we’re keeping

up with all the latest technological improvements.

Limitations and getting it wrong; This may be the first game art

module a student has taken. They need to know they can, and

will make mistakes, but that’s ok.

Thank you

• D.J.Edwards@staffs.ac.uk

• @Daaaaavve

• @staffsgamestech

Contact

Any Questions?

Introducing the UE4 Art Pipeline to students• Introduction

• Who are the students• Typical student profile

• What’s their background – 60% of students from a B-Tec courses (content ranges from 2 years in a range game-dev modules, to 1 module in 3d/Photoshop)

• What do they already know? – 40% students potentially know very little, if anything. Grades to enter the main undergraduate course• Pro-active response/action to their skillset

• Elephant in the room – Interviews

• Introducing Game Asset development to students• What do they need to know?

• 3d Modelling in Max/Maya, Unwrapping, texturing/Photoshop, lighting/presenting work,

• Art techniques – shape/form, proportion, likeness, design process, colour, lighting, silhouette, design principles,

• UE4 Challenges?• Time?

• Understanding the basics?

• A Clean pipeline?

• All the other stuff – light maps, lighting, cameras, set dressing, cinematography,

• Academic Challenges• Are they on the right course/award

• Does it meet their expectations

• Motivation and engagement

• Possible solutions• Snapshot video tutorials

• An introductory language

• Concise and accessible documentation

• Have Interviews