Students will learn how to observe multiple references and break it up into repeated textures and assets. They will then begin with a basic block out of their scene creating and using modular pieces to fill it up. Throughout this process it will be important to think about breaking up the textures into main textures, secondary, and decals. We will also look at the tools that make for the best use of modular workflows Students will learn how to observe multiple references and break it up into repeated textures and assets. They will then begin with a basic block out of their scene creating and using modular pieces to fill it up. Throughout this process it will be important to think about breaking up the textures into main textures, secondary, and decals. We will also look at the tools that make for the best use of modular workflows.

Students will begin importing their initial blockout meshes into Unreal Engine. We will cover basic Unreal tools, grid snapping, and using our modular meshes inside of Unreal to build our scene. Students will also begin to flesh out their visual narrative aspects of the scene. Students will begin importing their initial blockout meshes into Unreal Engine. We will cover basic Unreal tools, grid snapping, and using our modular meshes inside of Unreal to build our scene. Students will also begin to flesh out their visual narrative aspects of the scene.

Students will take the plans they made in weeks 1 and 2 to start to break up their models and their respective textures into two lists: ones that they would like to tackle as tileables and the others as uniques. Students will learn optimization and performance issues and concerns when it comes to constructing scenes in Unreal Engine.Students will take the plans they made in weeks 1 and 2 to start to break up their models and their respective textures into two lists: ones that they would like to tackle as tileables and the others as uniques. Students will learn optimization and performance issues and concerns when it comes to constructing scenes in Unreal Engine.

Students will learn how to create repeatable textures using Maya and Photoshop. With emphasis on ensuring repeatability without making it obvious across large surfaces. We will first establish our normal, metalness, and ambient occlusion we will be using for the final textures. Students will learn how to create repeatable textures using Maya and Photoshop. With emphasis on ensuring repeatability without making it obvious across large surfaces. We will first establish our normal, metalness, and ambient occlusion we will be using for the final textures.

Students will learn how to create textures using Substance Painter for both tiling and unique texture sets. We will add interesting “story” elements to textures (such as wear, decay, scratches, dust, etc. that tell the story of the texture): albedo, roughness, specular, metallic, normal maps. Students will also learn about managing PBR texture values.

Students will apply their new modular skills and learn the importance of modular modeling and re-use within assets and architecture. This process will also cover applying our tiling textures to the models(UV mapping) while we are finalizing our models and creating simple Unreal shaders for our models in the engine.

How to create more advanced shaders that can be used for color variation, and exposing parameters in material instances. We will also look at creating a master material to control the majority of the assets within the scene. These features will help us to make our modular pieces look more unique and less “tiling” inside of the engine.

How to add secondary details to your scene, such as wires/cables,signs, small props, and storytelling: Students will also spend time focusing on development of the visual story elements within the scene. Lastly, we will be creating some additional modular models that can be used as secondary details “on top” of our large modular pieces for variation and asymmetry within our scene.

Students will begin adding lights to their Unreal scene. We will see how to break up the repetitiveness of the scene with different lighting environments and how shadows can work to our advantage. At this point we can also begin looking at composition for our final renders within the scene.

In week 10 we will use everything we have learned to add any additional details, decals, props, and lighting to “finalize the scene.” We will also learn how to take the highest quality screenshots within the Unreal Engine and see how “post process” volumes can add a great deal of interest to our scenes. We will also cover simple post process tweaks of our screenshots inside of photoshop. Students will have between 5=10 final images of the scene they have created at this point, as well as a handful of textures/reusable assets for future scenes.