devtrackers.gg
Vod | TL;DW 480 - Making of Archaeology
Concept Art
General
We were excited about the skill, because it involves a lot of lore. We researched what was already created so we could give a new unique flavor to everything. Lore can make projects more difficult because you can create ideas that end up going against the lore. Thankfully we have someone who knows a lot about the lore which is very useful.
Some samples of how we wanted to dress up the characters/outfits of the player.
First iteration of the relic/monolith but it was changed due to its purpose and how it comes from the main dig site.
These were some earlier ideas about a dig site that wasn't created in the end. It was about these ancient constructs that preserve memories in these "time bubbles".
An example of proximity triggers in the agility spots, since the skill was focused around exploration, we wanted them to do something when you reached them.
Logos
We tried different approaches to a logo for Archaeology. We had some stuff from a long time ago and wanted to recreate an Indiana Jones style.
Demo
Initially we didn't know much about the skill but we wanted to give a generic idea what the skill was about to help give it a green-light. It looked like a quarry more than a dig site but we wanted to keep the verticality. We also looked at how we wanted to create tombs and their different layers. The lore wasn't involved at this stage.
Kharid-et
In the first sketches, we were able to work from the shape language and architecture that was made in the past in order to give the dig site a unique flavor. We also tried to keep the color pallets different between each of the dig sites.
We had some 3D visualizations to help us show how to merge the rocks and buildings of the caves and find a solution in the end.
For the prism, we had a very generic brief, so we came up with various ideas like a magical seal, or a gooey material coming from the prism keeping the demon inside. Or a silly idea where these cages pierce a body keeping it from detaching from the soul and when there's no more blood they are thrown into a grinder.
Everlight
We didn't know the first spot for the dig site. At first it was a giant mountain or a sunken tower in the middle of the ocean. These were early ideas. Various concept art to show the look, mood, and various elements of the dig site.
Infernal Source
We were discussing various moods to display, such as ice and cold towards the top and hot on the bottom. The skybox shown here displays the epicness of the area.
The dragon heads (Loarnab) on the bottom platform took some time to get right as from one perspective in may be good but from others it wouldn't.
Stormguard
At first we didn't know what this dig site was about. We blended elements from existing aviansie architecture and other sources to provide more flavor. Such as tesla coils to make everything more electrified.
Displayed how the islands were split around the core as well as displaying how they could be destroyed in different ways while also keeping some form of a path on how you traverse it.
Not everything made the final cut, it depends on the amount of iterations and production purposes/costs.
Warforge!
First sketches to help blend the spikes and metal into the environment. Also to help blend natural elements (mushrooms, water) into the environment.
We provided a description and rough 3D block ups of the arena to show how players can interact with stuff. These are primarily a guide for the 3D artists.
Made an over paint to explain the dress-up the environment to know where to mushrooms/spikes are located to help provide progress to the environment.
We designed different skulls to be provided in each different dig sites.
We needed new Dwarven architecture as the the ones in game are really old.
Environment & Texturing
General
Most of the stuff was made in whitebox/block out stage before or during the concept art stage. Creating an environment is a different process, it starts with a rough block out and then there's back and forth with every team to make sure it looks/feels good and meets all requirements for the skill. This includes even simple things such as making sure every angle sort of works so you aren't constantly rotating your camera.
When looking at concept art you need to determine what you can actually achieve with the engine under all the restraints we have, especially since each dig site was unique and we could share assets.
Metals are shiny which isn't something we had before. Every metal asset had to end being re-textured to accomplish this. Since they were already mapped you could immediately see a difference within the dig sites. But it required a bit of testing to make sure it fit in correctly to each area.
- All the assets used cover 3 map squares when laid out.
Dig sites
Guild already exists but had to go through different stage before it is as it is now. It's a lot of simple things such as what sort of paths we use, what sort of stones we use to make it readable, do we need to move trees/rocks to make sure pathing goes nicely.
Stormguard is a good example of how each dig site can have their own issues. For stormguard you can fly around, but how do we do that. The area is mapped down with invisible height maps where you are basically walking with a flying animation.
- Stormguard and Warforge were created later, closer to the release of the skill.
Golem Hand
Once you got a concept sometimes you need to discuss how everything functions so it can be made in 3D so it appears functionally (doesn't need to be). Rough block out in Maya, then put into Z-Brush and broke it up in different parts. Where possible we try to re-use assets, for example the cogs in the were also used in Everlight.
Basically make a high detail version (16 million polygons) and then make it a lower poly version (4,000 polygons). From there project the high detailed version onto a mesh so it can be textured and painted over.
There are different forms of textures to determine roughness and metalness.
Character Process
Movario
Concept
Receive a concept art and turn-around of the character and a side/front view of the face as a basis of what to work from. Even if the art is stylized, it has to informed by realism such as how do the muscles work in face.
Model
Block out the face and clean it up to form expressions while keeping in mind how animations work compared to other models in the game. Then do the same with the clothing.
We create a high poly'd model and then project it to a low poly'd model (Baking). All the information helps with texturing and later steps in the process. Keeping the model cleaner, less lines, prevents it from being 'noisy'. In addition, mirror clothing helps with texture space.
Focus on cleaning up the model silhouette so when you see it from far away it stands out and gives identity. Then touch it up so it works with animations as they often re-used existing animations sets. Finally texture it.
Animation
Flying Animation
Block out Animation | Smooth Animation | Ingame
Before we start we do some research for reference depending on the animation. For this one we looked a bird animations and how their wings worked.
For the block out stage we get the key frames and then give it to the devs to put it in game so they can provide feedback. In addition it lets us line up how far it moves around within the game so it lines up with everything.
Environment Animations
Stormguard | Infernal Source | Tree Animation | Tunnel Collapse | Stone animation
Because Archaeology is very environment heavy we wanted to work on it as well and give it a lot of life and then carry on to the future. To tell stories with the environment. In Stormguard such as the trees blowing in the wind and the electricity sparking everywhere.
These animations can be reused or done again in the future, such as the trees being toned down.
We had a chance to do RND on some new processes. We've been working in Maya, and it has a really powerful physics simulation, so we tried getting it into the game with the tree which uses a "hair particle" system. We can add gravity, wind speeds, and using them to find the right look. The challenge was getting all that data from Maya to our own rig so we could use this animations. Basically we copy our own rig onto Maya and then it copies the rotations/movement/motion and then we bake that down into animation frames.
Archie Animation
External link →We were looking to make a cute pet but at the same time make a rig that would work for all the children characters so the animation rig can be re-used. This started from Violet, which was very limited. From there made a base mesh to control eyebrows, cheeks, mouth, lips, etc. This allows them to create different expressions.
Since Archie we came to a conclusion extra bits of geometry with his bandages for his attacks which added a lot of complexity.