Game Art / Exercise & Projects
22 Apr 2025 - 1 Aug 2025 (Week1-15)
Kaho Yamaya / 0364278
Game Art / Creative Media / Taylor’s University
Exercises & Projects
JUMP LINK
INSTRUCTIONS
Fig 1.1 Instructions for this module, PDF
EXERCISES
In this exercise, students choose unique world or theme (can refer to an existing game) and build a consistent visual universe with following chosen theme.
Shape language studies (from primitive to complex)
Form explorations for modular props
Texture & material rendering (wood, metal, glass, etc.)
Ideation sketches (weapon heads, containers, architecture bits)
Technical test (3D Modeling, Texturing, Optimization, Porting, Game Engine Test)
Fig 2.1-2 World setting sketches, Week3 (6/5/2025)
I choose "Fossil fighters" as my main theme and explore the world starting from desert area. The reason why I choose desert as main area is because I want to make rural village for human that has characteristic of dinosaurs.
Fig 2.3-5 Building design and map, Week4 (13/5/2025)
I made a map for whole village before making/choosing main assets. After making rough concept of village, I choose my main asset as a tent in market place.
Fig 2.6-7 Building design and map, Week5 (20/5/2025)
After decided map, I made thumbnail sketches of landscape. From lecturer's advice, these sketches are too far. I made more close-up design after this.
Fig 2.8-9 Tent design progress, Week6 (27/5/2025)
I try to focus on the tent itself from the sketches. Fig 2.8 is too modern for the timeline, so I start progressing with Fig 2.9.
Fig 2.10-11 Tent design progress, Week6 (29/6/2025)
The base of tent design is decided at here. I want to make feel of unique ethnicity. I mainly referred Egyptian and Turkey culture to get knowledge of carpet pattern design and tent design.
Fig 2.12 Foundational Design Studies, Week10 (27/6/2025), PDF
PROJECT1
In this project, students required to design hero prop for the game world. It has to have solid function and silhouette strength to present.
3–5 concept thumbnails
Detailed orthographic views
Material and function callouts
Final painted render or clean line + grayscale render
Fig 3.1-3 Character design, Week5 (19/5/2025)
I made characters for fit to "Fossil fighters" world. There are race in Fossil fighters called "Dinaurians", which has characteristic of dinosaurs in their appearance. They are coming from other planet, however, I designed these characters as Dinaurians that evolved at earth and having different lifestyle from original Dinaurians.
Fig 3.4-5 Market place sketches, Week6 (27/5/2025)
Fig 3.6-7 Market place sketches, Week6 (27/5/2025)
These are the market place that I trying to make as an asset. I put characters to measure and see how the environment works in the world.
Fig 3.8 Market place sketches coloured, Week6 (28/5/2025)
I roughly put colours to the sketches. I didn't decide main colour at this point, so it looks so random in terms of colour balance.
Fig 3.9-10 Tent design progress, Week8 (11/6/2025)
From ideation process in exercise, I decided main asset as store in the market place. This world has mine to excavate fossils, and this store sells lantern for people.
Fig 3.11-13 Tent design progress, Week8 (15/6/2025)
From lecturer's advice, I added some stuff to make the world setting more solid and unique. NPC for this store is a craftsman, and repairs lantern in here.
Fig 3.14-15 Detailed orthographic view, Week9 (16/6/2025)
These are the orthographic view of tent design. I forgot to add more specific texture for them and it makes me hard to use it as material in 3D part.
Fig 3.16 Material and Function callouts, Week9 (16/6/2025)
I roughly divide functions of this tent. The ground is sand, so I put some carpet on it.
Fig 3.17 Material and Function callouts, Week9 (16/6/2025)
I decide texture of each part of design. I want to use natural materials rather than mechanical stuff, so I mostly choose natural textures.
Fig 3.18 Final tent design, Week9 (16/6/2025)
I could make unique design for my main theme, "rural village in desert". I wish if I could add more characteristic of dinosaur in details, however, overall outcome is satisfied me.
Fig 3.19 Project1: Prop/Asset Design, Week9 (16/6/2025)
PROJECT2
In this project, students required to make mini asset library for our world that includes 4-6 cohesive objects.
Deliverables:
Exploratory thumbnails for set design.
Final presentation sheet (with size reference and color)
3D blockout or isometric sketch (for scale logic)
Fig 4.1-2 Blender 3D progress, Week9 (17/6/2025)
Fig 4.3-4 Blender 3D progress, Week9 (17/6/2025)
From exercise and project1, we proceed to 3D model to make game asset sets. I put my final design in Blender and see how can I build models.
Fig 4.5-6 Texture failure, Week11 (1/7/2025)
Through this project, I was really struggle with the materials and textures. This is not what I was expected to shown in here, however, I have no idea with how to fix it and took whole week to change the settings. The reason why my materials crashed was the "mirror" modifier was working.
Fig 4.7-8 Cloth test, Week11 (8/7/2025)
I watched some Youtube tutorials for get realistic cloth shape. After I get ideal shape, I remesh the shape to decrease polygon numbers.
Fig 4.9 Asset progress, Week11 (8/7/2025)
I watched some Youtube tutorials for get realistic cloth shape. After I get ideal shape, I remesh the shape to decrease polygon numbers.
Fig 4.10-11 Cloth and wind simulation, Week11 (8/7/2025)
For the top frag model, I use "power" simulation and get a shape of cloth that blown by wind.
Fig 4.12-13 Asset progress, Week11 (8/7/2025)
This is the main model for tent. I changed models several times because I couldn't feel canvas shape is enough. It took a lot of time to fix the shape.
Fig 4.14-16 Asset progress, Week13 (17/7/2025)
I made overall shapes, however, I couldn't make some items that placed around the main asset. The ground is also flat and have no texture on it yet.
Fig 4.17-20 Asset progress, Week13 (17/7/2025)
I put the base of materials on my models. But it looks so flat in the final outcome, and I want to fix it in the final project.
Fig 4.21 Project2: Asset Pack for Game World, Week13 (17/7/2025)
FINAL PROJECT
In this project, students tasked to design hero environment scene using our previously designed props and asset.
Deliverables:
Thumbnail exploration (camera, mood, composition)
Asset placement plan / blockout sketch
Final rendered concept art (HD format)
Environment breakdown sheet (materials, mood, lighting pass)
I have never try glass textures, so I made a model for test and see how it works in the Blender.
Fig 5.3 Rope test, Week13 (17/7/2025)
I watched Youtube tutorials to make a bundle of rope. However, it takes a lot of polygon and I don't want to use resources to here, so I made more simple model after this.
Fig 5.4 Solution for material setting, Week14 (22/7/2025)
I found shading panel to control materials. I am really stressed for the angles of materials, however, it can be changed by texture coordinate>vector rotate.
Fig 5.5 Box and rod, Week14 (22/7/2025)
I made box and rod for my assets series. I focused to make them with low poly because game asset should have low poly as it can. I also use this model for the table in front of main tent.
Fig 5.6 Lantern shape progress, Week14 (22/7/2025)
I watched some tutorials for making lantern and it is really useful for me. Use "Solidify" and you can make your shape more thick.
Fig 5.7-8 Lantern and oil can, Week14 (22/7/2025)
I made lantern and oil can separately from my main hero asset. It is because my working file is got really slow and I need to divide sub assets and main asset for save my PC.
Fig 5.9-11 Whole assets progress, Week14 (22/7/2025)
After I made some items, I try to get advice from lecturer. He said my canvas still squarish and they need more cloth-like shape. I also not satisfied with that part and some f my items, and I fix it in the latest part.
Fig 5.12 Magical stuff model progress, Week15 (2/8/2025)
I was really really struggle with boolean and took a lot of time with it. This is my pain point as materials of 3D. I want to make same shape as round, however, it is really hard to adjust the details.
Fig 5.13-14 Light bulb and magical stuff, Week15 (3/8/2025)
I use almost same shape for bottom part of light bulb and middle part of magical stuff. These parts really tough for me in this whole project.
Fig 5.15 Light bulb and magical stuff, Week15 (3/8/2025)
Since I got advice from lecturer, I use knife tool to make cloth shape. Instead of using cloth simulations, it is much more faster and it can be lower polygons.
Fig 5.16 Flag for store, Week15 (3/8/2025)
I use same method as the Fig 5.15 to make cloth shape. It is still bit squarish, but I think it's enough for sub assets.
Fig 5.17-18 Flag for store, Week15 (3/8/2025)
From Fig 5.3, I made more low-poly model for the rope. Fig 5.17 is before decimate and Fig 5.18 is after decimate. I think the one with decimate still works on the screen, so I choose that for rope model.
Fig 5.19-22 Assets from 4 angles, Week15 (3/8/2025)
These are the shot from 4 angles with flat textures. After deleting the backgrounds, it can be see more clearly.
Fig 5.23-26 Final Assets, Week15 (3/8/2025)
I tried to add point light to make it more visible, however, I couldn't add any lights expecting sun lights. However, the base light and shadow is working in here, so it is not a big problem.
Fig 5.27-28 Game Engine Test, Week15 (3/8/2025)
I exported my working file into Unreal Engine to test how it works in game engine. The overall is good, however, the material is not properly linked to the original file and it crashed after the model imported to here. It is the next task for me to fix the 3D model for game engine.
Fig 5.29 Final Project: Environment Concept Build from Assets, Week15 (6/8/2025)
FEEDBACK
Week1 (22/4/2025)
General Feedback: You need to get an idea from existing game (it must be 3D) and later
you need to develop 2D to 3D. The religion stuff is too sensitive, so try to avoid it.
Week2 (29/4/2025)
General Feedback: You are allowed to not make original characters, however, you should
combined with new theme with your reference game.
Specific Feedback: You can use Zelda for your reference if you refine the original art style.
You shouldn't go with low-poly model first.
Week3 (6/5/2025)
General Feedback: Starting from 1.inspiration and 2.breakdown by colour, stroke, reference
style, and finally 3.simplified style.
Week4 (13/5/2025)
General Feedback: Character and props can't be stand alone. If the door is looks like textures
on the wall, it is not working. You need to recognise how you design have depth in that area.
Specific Feedback: If objects placed randomly instead of place them in line, it will make more
live and active feel in the screen.
Week5 (20/5/2025)
General Feedback: Interactive area with character should be detailed. You don't need make
whole setup of assets, but it has to be solid.
Specific Feedback: The anatomy of your character is broken. You should start from blockout
first. Big thumbnail to small asset design.
Week6 (27/5/2025)
General Feedback: Asset can't be too simple. Add crack on model and make rhythm.
Specific Feedback: Your breakdown should be more solid. 2D progress should have numbers on each design.
Week7 (3/6/2025)
Specific Feedback: The layout of your progress is difficult to see. Make it more neat. Add character
to your design to compare the height.
Week8 (10/6/2025)
Specific Feedback: Project1 should have world setting. Complementary colour work fine. Your design should have more "living" details.
Week9 (17/6/2025)
General Feedback: Third person perspective game characters are seen from back, so back character design should have attractive part to get player's attention.
Specific Feedback: Still having a lot of segments. Floor texture is still rough.
Week10 (24/6/2025)
General Feedback: You can make complex shape from simple shape.
Week11 (1/7/2025)
Specific Feedback: Sharpen edges of your model. Textures should added at the first part.
Week12 (8/7/2025)
Specific Feedback: The design is still rough. The canvas needs shape of cloth. Wood parts are sill rough, so it should add smooth.
Week14 (22/7/2025)
Specific Feedback: The whole design needs textures. The cloth can't be recognised as cloth.
REFLECTIONS
I could achieve two things through this module. First, I could overcome the fear for 3D model. I really don't have any confident for 3D from past modules, however, I could do the realistic material and got many knowledge for how to make complex shape. Lecturer said the complex shape always can be made from simple shapes. I try to make shape from low-poly because it is much easier for the latest stage of modeling.
Second, I got an experience of how to make attractive world design for game world. In terms of ideation and design building, lecturer suggested us to make our design unique and make it with living-feel. If items placed randomly instead of place them in a straight line, it will be make viewers more free imagination. "What type of person living in here?" "How do they walking around the city?" If I am a player, I will choose design that make us more space for think about their world setting.
I could get really good experience, and it will be work in the Major Project.
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