Vertical Slice - Enviroment Assets

I began modelling environment assets with the wooden platforms that the players would see dotted about the level to help them get to higher places.I started off by making the docks, including a high poly version to sculpt the wood in Mudbox with. I decided against this early on, and concentrated on the model itself. I then also decided to make it modular, rather than having separate models for the docks, the basic wooden platforms and the platforms with supports. I then made a separate support, wooden platform piece and dock support (which was also able to be used for multiple other pieces around the level). I was able to texture them with the wooden planks texture that we were able to get from Ash, occasionally having to paint in areas myself to fill gaps or do areas he was unable to do.

One of the primary things that needed modelling was the hut near to where the character would start out. This had gone through a couple of variations in the concepts alone before it came time to model. Max had mocked up a design for it at first, which I didn't feel fit the style of the game, with the chunkier wood and cartoon style. I decided to do my own mock up and then create the hut itself. I textured it using the same base wooden planks texture from Ash, cut up and moved around to fit over the UVs, and added my own sections for the cloth. I also added an alpha map on the front too to stop the player going inside and getting stuck in what was a rather small space in the level.

There were a couple of other test objects mocked up, that never really got much further than the model itself, through either not being needed any more of other things taking over such as a lilypad and a tree stump for two examples.

I was then given the task or modelling some ruins platforms, as well as a stone archway. This would serve as the finish point for the level, with a portal effect in the middle. I modeled the main body, and although having a some trouble with getting the rocks correct, I managed to get it done to a pretty good standard. I then decided to add a small frog head made of stone, attached to the middle top of the arch, in reference to the destination where the portal would have sent the player. I did have some trouble with the smoothing groups however on the archway, not as much on the ruin platforms.

I then also did some work on smaller pieces, like signs and some debris, as well as a texture to use on a grass plane for a small bush or shrub.