D_Rogue Game Art Project

Back when I was in Junior school (Elementary school for any Americans reading), I vividly remember having a morning assembly all about the Bermuda Triangle. I have no idea now why the head teacher dedicated a whole half hour on the subject. Why he projected his voice about the topic across the hall in the wee early hours (way too early for us to process anything) is beyond me. Whether it was towards a special class project or to just bore everyone I don't know. However, unlike my friends and most of the year group around me, a spark of interest into this enigma, off the west Atlantic Ocean, captivated and fascinated me right to the core.  It would take many years later for me to work out (ironically) what this thing I was so struck and influenced by growing up as a kid was. Mysteries. Perhaps the aim of the assembly was simply to inspire young minds. Yet, that one assembly irreversibly helped channel my interests into unsolv...

Red sky at night, sailor's delight.  Red sky  in the morning, sailor's warning. I love the idea of this foreboding premonition sign as a narrative tool and using  the latter half of this classic saying fit perfectly. The phrase comes from millennia of weather forecasting and is a well-known meteorological prediction by judging the glow of evening or morning clouds relating to nearby storms; the changing of weather systems flowing from west to  east . This foreboding event will be the very beginning of the storyline...the calm before the storm. All seems well, but hell is unknowingly on the horizon.                                                                                                     ...

After creating   the first set of  character designs and enjoying the line art process,  I set about making the next sheet for the deckhand crew of the F/V Scully.                                                                                                                                           Jason Bartlett © This sheet, of three  deckhand   members, completes the crew of six (see here for previous post). Here we have the Engineer (Left), Deckhand #1 (Middle) and Deckhand #2 (Right). In each character, I hope to convey their roles; while describing what sort of personality they have. For example, ...

S ome early character concept designs I've been working on.  This is the first stage of the character design process for the project. Here I've thrown down drafts for shape, form and unique characteristics of three of the six crew members of the F/V Scully .                                                                                                                                         Jason Bartlett © This first set of concepts are of the Captain (Left), First Mate (Middle) and Greenhorn (Right). Each member of the crew will have a backstory, of which I hope to capture in their  appearances. I've tried to make key f...

Part of my aim in this project is to push through my f ears  when it comes to the many stages of 3D modelling. The problem I often face is when I don't know the best method to finalise something.  I have always struggled to piece together the 'correct' procedure towards making a model game-engine ready.  Beyond the creation of a model, in the software Maya, I have always felt unsure on the best approach to UV unwrapping and the last steps of completing a texture for a model. In addition, the use of different software in my workflow (of which  some I  am  more experienced at using then others), would lead to  my biggest weakness... procrastination.  I  frequently find myself working way to long on a particular model or design and realise I'm prolonging finishing the model as I don't know how to fully complete it. Again, and  again .  Unfortunately, this is fuelled with the fact I regularly choose n...

Right from the start of my vision, I knew I had to create a 3D model of a boat. Whether that was towards paint-over concepts, illustrations, renders, or for a first-person on-board  experience , I knew a fishing boat would be at the heart of the video game. Below is a side view of the  Scully 's hull in its early stages;  within the 3D modelling software Maya.  Behind the highlighted model, is the image of my m odel sheet ( see here ) which I used like a blue print to work and build up from. One of the greatest challenges while modelling the vessel for me, was not having any clear reference other than my model sheet and a few photographs to work from. This was okay to an extent but several features below  the water line, for this type of fishing boat, are not well documented. This was a real test and I spent a great deal of time trying to interpret 2D images into a 3D space to the best of my ability. Another thing I struggled wit...

An important element in the conceptual stage is to not look at a problem from one perspective. It's always best to get multiple views to achieve a greater outcome. To reach an end goal is one thing. The journey to that end goal is something else entirely. One of my favourite quotes by Carl Friedrich Gauss states "It is not knowledge, but the act of learning, not possession but the act of getting there, which grants the greatest enjoyment". I totally agree with this and it applies to game development. Creating something big or small brings its challenges and the act to reach the finish line is where the magic happens. I hope to experiment in several styles, as would any other artist working early on in game development; focusing on diversity and demonstrating imagination. Jason Bartlett © I created the above image, of a  bow mast, using the toon shader in the render settings of Arnold for Maya. I really enjoyed creating the style, was simple to se...

T his is the orthographic design I made for the fore (bow) of the fishing vessel  Scully.  I had difficulty presenting it with a cut-out effect from this perspective, as the  boat bow  shape became un recognisable.  I fixed this by not splitting the outer hull in half completely; retaining the bow curve in this view. Jason Bartlett © Like in my previous aft design (see last post) I've presented each deck by reducing the transparency of the others. Jason Bartlett © Here we have the forecastle level which is raised high to accommodate more room, and at the same time, protect the boat from oncoming waves. Jason Bartlett © Next is the forepeak deck. I really enjoyed working on smaller details such as the open door and ladder down to the bottom deck hold. Jason Bartlett © Again, like last time, I focused on working out possible player navigation and effective routes for gameplay which I have highlighted in red. ...

B elow are some early designs for the deck layouts on-board the (F/V) Scully . I used the model sheet I made (see previous post) and worked from it like a blueprint plan to begin building a simple 3D model in  the Autodesk software Maya . Jason Bartlett © I created the orthographic angle (3D perspective in a 2D view) by editing the camera setting within Maya.  I chose this aft (rear) area to begin with, as this is where core gameplay would take place, it was key to develop it for the most optimum layout first. Jason Bartlett © I then took a basic render from Maya into Photoshop and painted over the elements; using layers within groups for each deck. To better distinguish them, I have highlighted every one by fading the opacity. Jason Bartlett © I removed one side of the boats' hull for a cut-out effect. I achieved this in Maya by splitting the model in half and using horizontal planes to roughly shape the floor and vertical f...