Month: June 2023

Group

Week 4/5 – Matchmove and setting up Maya Scene

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 29th June 2023
No Comments on Week 4/5 – Matchmove and setting up Maya Scene

After receiving feedback on the Matchmove from last week, I decided to retrack the footage (frames after 450). However, I encountered difficulties when trying to track the missing frames due to the lack of distinguishable points. To address this, I tracked more floor points instead of corner points on the right, which were confusing the software. I also added more points on the floor and stairs to improve accuracy. To address the issues with the flat line in Deviation Browser, I had to re-track the points from the right wall in the first frames. I noticed an improvement as the horizon moved closer to the floor. I then adjusted the horizon line further using the move point origin, align points to the three-axis and manually rotated the tracked scene in 3DEquilizer. I exported and tested the scene in Maya to ensure alignment with the Z axis. This made it easier to create block ou and import models, as I only needed to make slight rotations to the assets (the floor plane was completely straight now).

Adding multiple points at the bottom to stabilise the shot.

Full Matchmove

I started creating a new Maya project because the old one was no longer accurate after the tracking was updated. To create the actual Steampunk scene, I began by replacing the walls on the right to avoid a cut-off effect in the final frames. For cinematic lighting, I placed the primary light source (‘Sun’) behind the window and tried adjusting reference lighting from the previous block out. A large window on the right, wrapping around the corner, was added to enhance the art deco/steampunk aesthetic. I included a curved wall to maintain soft lines and create an interesting composition. To add more broken light sources, Dom suggested adding window frames and steam or dust particles.

Trying to create my own HDRI with the original footage.

We continued working on the Asset Padlet Board, which helped me adjust the block out to the designs created by the Look Dev Artists. Since Roos took over as CG Lead, she has been assisting me with artistic choices and creating block-out references. I also explored the IES Library to recreate light from the footage, but I was unable to find a light type that would work in our Maya Scene. As a result, I used standard Area Lights instead.

During the project meeting, we presented our current group work in progress, including the WIPs of our first models and the draft layout of the scene. To help with adjusting asset sizes, I created a naming convention and scale references based on the test scene. Roos created a folder in Elements for everyone to upload their models, which will help me manage the project since I am working on it in the Elements folder due to its large size. Following Gonzalo’s advice, group members were instructed to upload ABC files. However, we later changed this to a MEL file and a source texture folder since ABC doesn’t support textured models.

FTrack feedback:

Steampunk Project:

Looks great! Looking forward to see the next version:)
Please remember to do the full lenght .

Group

Week 3 – Matchmove for the Steampunk Project

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 29th June 2023
No Comments on Week 3 – Matchmove for the Steampunk Project

Matchmove

In the third week of my project, I was assigned to work on the group matchmove task. Dom explained that this task falls under the CG Generalist role, as I will be using a tracked scene in Maya to place all the models in the project. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the tracking is detailed and accurate. I plan to use my track for the project, and I am determined to avoid any major mistakes.

To simplify the process of marking the corners, I tracked the back wall points backwards. For the rest of the points, I tracked them using the green reduction and grey image interchangeably, depending on whether I was tracking taped points or distinguishable points (black and white). I focused on tracking the borders of the room, important objects, and architectural details such as stairs, door frames, and framing to achieve the most accurate 3D measurements.

The floor had a distinguishable pattern with crevices/cracks between the tiles, which helped me to lay out a more accurate plane and establish the main dimensions. However, due to poor resolution, I was unable to detail the back of the floor as much as the front. Therefore, I primarily focused on the wall/floor linking and corners in these areas. I also marked any areas that would help establish objects in perspective such as the TV, stairs, and railing.

Information for the tracking (3DEquilizer):

Start frame: 0
End frame: 450

Distortion: 0.0760 (recalculate separately)
Quartic Distortion: -0.04 (recalculate separately)
3D Equilizer: Original Footage.
Maya: Undistorted footage.
Nuke: Redistorted footage

In the end: Add cards and geometry to the scene, and place tracking cones on each tracker.

Lighting

I conducted a test to track the scene and then created a basic block of the corridor. Next, I added basic spotlights to emulate the lighting from the original footage. Initially, I placed spotlights on the floor and the ceiling to create hard and soft shadows in the room. I faced some problems with the imported tracking points from 3DEquilizer. The angles were not accurate, so I had to manually adjust and rotate each wall to match the correct dimensions. However, if I am unable to fix the scene entirely, I can always retrack it in 3DEquilizer and update the camera and plate separately to ensure it is updated in both Nuke and Maya.

After receiving feedback on Wednesday, I addressed the issue of the shaking image in Nuke by adding more points in the corner, especially on the right side behind the table. To achieve more artistic lighting, Dom suggested that direct sunlight is tricky to capture on camera, and I should aim for an artistic or concept art-like look instead. Therefore, I need to pay attention to basic penumbra cast shadows, mid-tones, and specular highlights. Ambient shadows can help with reflected light, as drawing light requires creating shadows first. Additionally, I will communicate with the Look Dev artists about their textures or adjust them myself after importing them into the scene, as the way light reflects depends on the materials.

Test block-out: I created models to place the around the scene.

To better understand the scale, we took a photograph of a person standing in the corridor and recreated the scene in Maya.

FTrack feedback:

Matchmove:

Looking really good. Please can you do the full range shoot until the edn(last frame).
Slip at the end, please add more points at the end.

Steampunk Project:

Please can you improve the light matching the original light from the plate, specially the spot light on the walls.
Shadows need more work matching the plate, too hard.
Please next version can we have a full video QT with a layout where the assets will be, position and size.
You can use boxes in the mean time while you get assets.

Group

Week 2 – Matchmove

To start our group project, we need to do the matchmove for the scene. In the Matchmove lecture, we had opportunity to use 3D Equaliser to track the camera movement and lens distortion of a scene. We also learned how to export the scene to Maya and Nuke.

In film production, camera tracking is used to replicate the camera’s movements and lens distortions from a previously shot scene. With this technique, we can seamlessly add computer-generated elements to the footage. Compared to Maya, 3D Equilizer is a more precise tool that creates fewer complications and allows for more precise placement of points within the scene. Additionally, it allows us to accurately simulate different camera and lens settings.

Working with the 3D Equilizer:

Import the footage.
Adjust lighting, gamma and contrast.
Contrasty area corners are always good to track.
Track the points.
Calculate All From Scratch (Alt+C).

Our next step is to clean up by eliminating any faulty tracking points and adding more if necessary. This involves flattening the curve in the Deviation Browser and ensuring that all tracking points are within the shot. Additionally, we need to include specific camera lens details, such as distortion, and recalculate the points. Once this is complete, we can generate meshes in 3D Equilizer and export the scene to both Maya and Nuke.

Difficult points – larger tracking field

More instructions:

Distortion grid:

Shoot it with you plate.
Use same lens and settings.

LensDistortion – analyses the source, calculates it using the grid/straight line information and tries to undistort the shot.

Redistort (LensDistortion>Mode) – back to original source (distorted view).

STMap (LensDistortion>Mode) – Exporting information using UV Maps. It’ll make a new layer, useful in 3D work in Nuke.

Whenever we’re doing matchmove/working in the 3D, the source image/video has to come undistorted and then we distort it back.

Edit>Preferences>Viewer Handles – It can change 3D navigation to Maya.

Precomp: Denoise>Save the shot (Export the denoised shot.)>The shot can be used again later.
Matchmove: CameraTracker Node.
Roto out any extra moving elements (could be even a water puddle on the street) and connect it to CameraTracker with mask.
After tracking:

Select 1 tracker>Right Mouse Button>Ground Plane>Set Origin.

Select multiple trackers>RMB>Ground Plane>Set to selected

Export>Scene+>Link output

3DEqualizer4 [basic] – 2D Tracking: Part 1 by 3DEquilizer (2020)

3DEqualizer4 [advanced] – 2D Tracking: Part 2 by 3DEquilizer (2020)

Steampunk Project

Assets Moodboard: https://artslondon.padlet.org/rstolk0320221/assets-qlprzti9fol022nl

This week, the Look Dev Artists began dividing assets and selecting a specific design. To assist them with textures, overall mood, and consistency throughout the scene, I created colour palettes. I chose colours commonly associated with steampunk, such as brown and gold, and included a special colour, red, which was chosen by the group in our group chat. The red colour adds vibrancy to the scene and helps to connect the models more closely.

Bibliography:

3DEquilizer (2020) 3DEqualizer4 [basic] – 2D Tracking: Part 1. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bMpEa9cyU8 (Accessed: 17 April 2023).

3DEquilizer (2020) 3DEqualizer4 [advanced] – 2D Tracking: Part 2. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ8ysGX6lVo&t=1101s (Accessed: 17 April 2023).

Group

Week 1 – Sci-Fi Production Based Project

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 29th June 2023
No Comments on Week 1 – Sci-Fi Production Based Project

Project Overview

Padlet Board: https://artslondon.padlet.org/csfetsios2/sci-fi-production-fpjqi8urh4fj73bo

Moodboard (Steampunk): https://artslondon.padlet.org/rstolk0320221/moodboard-steampunk-xdzegqc9h6haeove

The purpose of this project is to loosely mimic the workings of a production studio. Our task is work with the footage of a corridor filmed inside LCC and to make it look like the inside of a sci-fi spaceship.

When choosing which group to join between Low-fi, Cyberpunk, and Steampunk, I opted for Steampunk because it aligns with my preferred style of intricate designs and moody lighting. My objective is to secure a CG Generalist role, with a focus on improving my lighting skills and acquiring new ones throughout the project. Handling various assets in Maya presents an exciting challenge, and I am committed to creating the best possible composition for the scene.

One of the groups was eliminated and the members were divided between two other groups due to the lack of interest in Cyberpunk style. Although this provides us with more Look Dev Artists, it may cause challenges for me when adding more models to the scene later on. I am especially worried about the render time and quality. However, I am hopeful that it will be manageable, and I am prepared to make adjustments to the project as necessary.

After finalizing our group members, we created a moodboard to clarify the style we wanted to achieve for our Steampunk project. There are two main styles in Steampunk: one with an industrial focus and the other with an Art Deco influence. Since most of us were interested in creating highly detailed models, we decided to go for a polished look. I included references from Dishonored 2 in the moodboard because it features exceptional industrial style and various unique concepts. Additionally, the game’s lighting is soft but cinematic.

References for Lighting:

David Alvarez (2015). Assassin’s Creed Syndicate /// Assassination wall. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/JEDXv (Accessed: 24 April 2023).

Joan Piqué Llorens (2015). Steampunk Restaurant. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/wPx59 (Accessed: 24 April 2023).

Karim Abou Shousha (2016). The history of world. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/EJ32q (Accessed: 24 April 2023).

Kevin Gnutzmans (2022). Classroom. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/QnGXkr (Accessed: 24 April 2023).

Leopoldo D’Angelo (2022). Leap of Faith. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/JEDXv (Accessed: 24 April 2023).

Leopoldo D’Angelo (2021). Peaceground. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/nY6O9o (Accessed: 24 April 2023).

Leopoldo D’Angelo (2023). The Big Glass Eye. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/ZeKG48 (Accessed: 24 April 2023).

Stefania Hernandez (2021). Hitman 3 : Dartmoor Lighting. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Aq4G8V (Accessed: 24 April 2023).

CG Generalist/Lighter: The job role is to collect and import all the assets from the rest of the modelling crew, organize it and assemble it into the scene. I will need it to light it and create renders, trying to match the plate. I will also need to update assets in the scene after every iteration comes in. e.g: I am given an updated model.
https://www.careersinscreen.ie/role/cg-generalist/

Role Overview

CG Generalist

The Generalist is expected to be a strong all rounder with broad knowledge of the entire VFX pipeline though they will have varying levels of knowledge in certain areas. They often have in depth knowledge of the CG assets creation pipeline (Modelling, Texturing and Lighting). They are experienced artists who can learn on the job while delivering to a high standard. They are usually not technical specialists and are generally not concerned with more specialised technical requirements such as scalability, reusability, and pipeline efficiency.

Will have in-depth knowledge of how to create clean and efficient models, UV, texture and Light scenes.
Can work efficiently and to a high standard across multiple CG tasks. Will often be responsible for an entire shot or even sequence of shots from conception to delivery.
Not considered a specialist but can learn effectively on job and will turn their hand to most CG tasks.
Works with the CG Supervisor and VFX Supervisor to ensure that all artistic and technical requirements are satisfied.
Will optimise, refine and correct shots to satisfy the artistic requirements of the Supervisor(s)/Client.
Will have expertise in software across the VFX pipeline and good knowledge of most CG disciplines, though this may vary in some areas.
Will use multiple software, be adaptable and willing to learn new programs.

Show reel and production experience are very important for this role.

Role overview:

Inside ILM | To be a Generalist by Industrial Light & Magic (2022)

CG Generalist Requirements:

Organize asset in a single folder.
Use name convention.
Reduce the number of faces in the model to make it easier to render.
All textures should be placed in a single folder, with names that correspond to the textures they represent (such as bump maps, etc.).
Make sure to work with proper UV’s.

Lighting process:

Shot overview: examining the plate and lighting.
Create an IBL from the footage.
Line up the IBL with the footage.
Add AOV’s for VFX.
First test render with just the IBL.
Create a ground projection light.
Set up camera projection based light.
Test render with ground mesh light (projection light).
Create a light group for separating lights.
Test render with 3 lights in the scene.
Create an aim controller for a light.
Compare all the renders.

VFX Lighting Basics: Blocking Out Set Lighting Step By Step Tutorial by VFX Tutors (2021)

Bibliography:

Industrial Light & Magic (2022) Inside ILM | To be a Generalist. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNZgG8htns0 (Accessed: 26 April 2023).

VFX Tutors (2021) VFX Lighting Basics: Blocking Out Set Lighting Step By Step Tutorial. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpL3dTXzU90 (Accessed: 28 April 2023).

Personal

Week 11/12 – Ultra Dynamic Weather and Rendering

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 29th June 2023
No Comments on Week 11/12 – Ultra Dynamic Weather and Rendering

Niagara system for particles

Preparing for implementing Niagara Systems into the scene:

Adjusting SkyLight.
Adjusting SkyAtmosphere with Rayleigh Scattering Scale and Mie Scattering Scale, Nie Absorption Scale.
Keeping project organised with folder layers. The first system was too intense so I opted for standard sprite rendered and adjusted these options instead.
I opted for the flare material to keep the soft dreamy vibe.

I utilized Unreal Engine’s Niagara visual effects system to generate and view particle effects in real-time. Since it is the key tool for visual effects (VFX) in Unreal Engine 5, I opted to use it for the Emitter System.

In my opinion, the initial simulation was too fast for the small landscape and created too much noise, which didn’t fit the dreamy scenery. Therefore, I chose to discard it and use a simpler but more appropriate Sprite Renderer system.

Let’s build this Unreal Niagara particle sim within 6 minutes by Sem Schreuder (2020). I had to adjust this tutorial to the Unreal Engine 5.0.3 version.

Sprite Renderer System (with the flare material).

After finishing the particle system, I turned my attention to the weather system. I was able to create a basic rain sequence, but unfortunately, it would have required adjusting all of the textures throughout the scene to properly animate. Given that I only had less than a week left and the file contained too many items with different textures, I ultimately did not have time to make those adjustments.

Instead of using the default weather effects, I decided to use the Ultra Dynamic Sky plug-in. This required me to adjust the lighting of the scene, resulting in multiple renders with different lighting conditions. However, simply adding weather effects was a simple and clear process. Given more time, I would have customized the effects further, but due to the complexity of the task, I decided to stick to the basic options.

I observed that the fog and dust simulations were malfunctioning, making it impossible to use them. They were either not visible at all or would cause the screen to crash. I believe this issue is also affecting the Niagara System, as they share the same base. Although the small landscape plane has helped in organizing the scene, it is not sufficient for the particle system to function correctly. Hence, I will test the settings in another scene with more space.

Afterwards, I placed three cameras in specific locations and used Film Dimensions to maintain a consistent look across all three renders. I adjusted the render settings and created a level sequence and movie render queue. Finally, I rendered 120 frames for each location.

I needed to color-correct the files in Nuke before finalizing everything. Though I wished to add more post-production effects, I lacked the time. However, I plan to rerender the scene with adjusted lighting and incorporate more effects.

Personal

Week 9/10 – Lighting in the Unreal Engine 5

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 29th June 2023
No Comments on Week 9/10 – Lighting in the Unreal Engine 5

After watching multiple tutorials, I decided to avoid baked lighting and chose to use raytracing instead. This method works well with Unreal Engine 5. At first, the lighting seemed lacking, but I was able to enhance it by incorporating Global Illumination and authentic Ambient Occlusion.

In addition, I made sure that all the Project Settings are fine (DirectX 12 is on, Dynamic Global Illumination Method is set to Lumen, Ray Lighting Mode is set to Surface Cache, Software Ray Tracing Method is on Detail Tracing, Shadow Map Method is using Virtual Shadow Maps, Support Hardware Ray Tracing is on and Use Hardware Ray Tracing is enabled).

Next, I worked on the textures to make sure that the materials aren’t too dark and that they reflect enough light. Additionally, I converted all assets that could be converted to Nanite, as they perform better in that format with Lumen.

To improve the quality of my visuals, I made some adjustments in the settings of the Post Process Volume. Firstly, I set the infinite extent to unbound and disable auto exposure by changing the Metering Mode to Manual and turning off Apply Physical Camera Exposure. Then, I manually adjusted the exposure compensation through the Post Process Volume. Finally, I worked on enhancing the Volumetric Fog and Volumetric Scattering Intensity.

One of my primary concerns was how to achieve soft shadows by paying attention to shadow penumbra. I learned that larger light sources create softer shadows, so I created a large sun and diffused the light through clouds. To enhance the cinematic effect, I added Godrays and adjusted the scattering distribution in the volumetric fog, giving me more control over the scene’s art direction.

Godrays and Bloom effect in the scene add unreal aesthetic to it.

Using Lumen with automatic bounce lights made my work easier. Dynamic Lighting allowed me to work with what I saw on the screen, which was a reflection of rendered light, and it was straightforward to use. Additionally, I created four lighting spheres to check the lighting.

After revisiting the scene, I adjusted the lighting in more detail by modifying each individual component and then testing them all together.

Adjusting the Colour Temperature in the PostProcessVolume (Colour Grading), Chromatic aberration, and Vignette.
Changing Fog Density and the Extinction scale.
Generate Mesh Distance Fields set on in the Project Settings.

To improve the overall aesthetic of the scene, I considered using colour lights to create a more cinematic look through enhanced colour bleeding. However, I ultimately decided to keep things simple for now. Instead, I focused on creating soft, indirect shadows and adding depth to the scene through the use of out-of-focus foreground and midground elements.

Adjust the sky color with Directional Light to achieve a more stylised/cinematic look.

I installed Rect Light fixtures around the mansion to produce a gentle, diffused light. By casting Ray Traced shadows and adjusting the indirect lighting intensity, I was able to create the desired effect. Additionally, I modified the Volumetric Scattering Intensity to produce a subtle haze.

Rect Lights helping with the indirect lighting.

Towards the end of the project, I realized that I wouldn’t be able to fully achieve my vision. As a result, instead of making custom prop lights, I decided to go for a simple sphere with a flare material that I had previously used for the Niagara system. I also incorporated the same type of foliage that was used outside, and inside the mansion, and this helped to unify all three environments.

To create a more cinematic/animated look, I followed some general rules such as rendering in 24fps and using the shooting from shadow theory. I also added directional light colour. I chose not to use fill lights and rim lights to keep the scene simple, but upon reflection, I believe that the interior scene may benefit from additional lighting. In particular, I should have placed lighting actors behind the statue in Sequence 3 and inside the Modular Palace. Without these lights, the scene appears a bit flat, but I think that adding fog settings and post-production in Nuke could help improve the overall look. Additionally, I set up the Bloom (PostProcessVolume) method to convolution, which adds a nice glow effect, but it doesn’t show up on the render as strongly as I would like. My ultimate goal is to create a dream-like scenery, but I am concerned that without compositing, I won’t be able to render the scene as seen in Unreal Engine.

Light Spheres to check lighting conditions.

Personal

Week 8 – Foliage

Based on the results of last week’s tests, I decided to avoid using water bodies and instead incorporated foliage into the scene to produce captivating shadows. To create a smooth blend of textures and give the impression of a meadow area, I utilized RVT and virtual textures to make modifications to the blueprints.

General Settings:

Enable virtual textures support: Editor Preferences>Procedural Foliage.

To set up the landscape, I used rock formations and landscape assets.

I used Foliage Mode in Unreal Engine to create the foliage and painted the Quixel assets over the map. While sculpting the landscape, I realized that there were multiple interesting looking areas. As a result, I decided to expand my renders to three to showcase an additional outside area with less foliage and a simpler composition. To decide which foliage to use, I tested plants that matched my moodboards at the Test Level. Then, I grouped them depending on which ones looked good together and planted them around the scene. It is worth noting that I had Random Yaw turned on in the individual foliage settings.

Structure:

Open plains: Bushy Starwort, Common everlasting, Green herb, Mustard Yellow flower.
Forest: Cotton grass, Wood sorrel, Sea thrift, Common Coleus, Purple shamrock, Wood sorrel, Yellow archangel.
Rocks: Lingonberry, Sea Campion.

I arranged foliage and trees to make the scene visually appealing, then experimented with the wind by adjusting the texture of the plant’s material. However, I am uncertain about the outcome because it looks too artificial. Despite tweaking the settings, even a slight breeze creates noticeable changes. This could be because the Niagara settings are too large for the small landscape, requiring significant adjustments.

Testing foliage based on the surrounding area, including density, colour palette, and overall look.

Adding trees to the scene (trying not to overpopulate it).

Selecting the texture for the base landscape.

Ninety Days

General Inspiration: To improve my understanding of Unreal Engine Scenes, I chose to conduct further research. I was facing some difficulty with the environment and thus, I selected ‘Ninety Days’ as my primary source of inspiration.

Ninety Days in Unreal Engine 5 by Quixel (2022)

Why ‘Ninety Days’ in Unreal Engine 5 as an inspiration?

The project overview covers how Megascans artists tackle lighting in the scenes, work with new modelling tools without creating assets from scratch in Maya, and add interest with sequence animations.

The Ninety Days in Unreal Engine 5 project kicked off with just three core artists and a simple concept: make something beautiful and inspiring, keep it real-time, and if possible, build each environment in just three days.
Quixel (2022)

I found all the artwork inspiring in terms of lighting and composition. None of it was made using concept art but rather creating the scene as you go in the Engine. I was surprised by how easy using UE5 in this way was. The small team of artists was able to create multiple various environments in just three days. Each one of 42 distinctively different sceneries was created by a different artist.

‘Ninety Days’ also tested the Lumen engine and the flexibility of UE5 which was helpful for me since I am not creating a game or full-scale project in Unreal. Lumen, UE5’s fully dynamic global illumination system, provided an incredible amount of freedom to visualize scenes where indirect lighting adapts on the fly, naturally lightening your landscape and creating incredible realism. Artists using it also focused on short cinematic scenes and tips and tricks to use in UE5 which can be very helpful in future projects. By using the Nanite setting of high-quality assets from the Megascans library artists (and me) were able to focus on creating the best asset possible, without worrying about polygons count.

Bibliography:

Game Dev Academy (2022) QUICK TRICK to Realistically BLEND ASSETS with LANDSCAPE. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATfzfvtvfIo (Accessed: 31 May 2023).

Quixel (2022) Ninety Days in Unreal Engine 5. Available at: https://quixel.com/blog/2022/5/12/ninety-days-in-unreal-engine-5 (Accessed: 12 May 2023).

Unreal Engine (2023) Procedural Foliage Tool. Available at: https://docs.unrealengine.com/5.2/en-US/procedural-foliage-tool-in-unreal-engine/ (Accessed: 31 May 2023).

Personal

Week 7 – Creating a scene in Unreal Engine 5.0.3

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 29th June 2023
No Comments on Week 7 – Creating a scene in Unreal Engine 5.0.3

Since my Personal Project is expected to be quite extensive, I will be utilising Unreal Engine 5.0.3, which is compatible with the university’s PCs.

I made the project easier to use by setting it up in the Game mode and using Blueprints for custom effects. To maintain organisation, I created a main Level and a separate side Level (in another project too) for testing assets and effects without increasing the final project size. I am aware that deleting asset folders from the content browser does not remove all related information from the project file, which could lead to issues later on. Next, I followed the standard procedure of setting up important lighting elements such as Landscape, Directional Light, SkyLight, SkyAtmosphere, ExponentialHeightFog, and PostProcessVolume.

First, I began working on the landscape by adjusting the size of the plane and using sculpting tools. However, the strong modelling effects were not to my liking, so I opted for soft brushes with low strength. I also wanted to experiment with water reflections in the scene, so I tried creating an ocean and river. Unfortunately, the available plug-ins caused the scene to crash and distorted the landscape. Furthermore, the wave effect and the colour of the water did not match the moodboards I had curated. To have more control over the scene’s art direction, I decided to focus on the foliage and ground texture and eliminate the water sources. To reduce the file size, I resized the landscape because I only needed a smaller map for the close-up shots.

I have selected the Megascans Modular Palace Interior Collection for the interior of my project. It is inspired by the Bożków Palace in Poland and offers a variety of textures, including wood panels, glass doors, stairs, architectural details, ceiling panels, and tapestries. This will enable me to experiment with how light interacts with different surfaces. I believe that the dark wood panels will help me create a cinematic dimmed scene, even with bright light outside. To save time, I have decided to combine the interior lighting scene and the outside lighting scene into one Level. Although I would prefer to create separate levels or projects for each scene, I do not think I will have enough time to do so. However, I acknowledge that this would provide me with greater control over the lighting in the project, and I may revisit this decision after submission and divide it into multiple levels.

Behind the Scans: Bożków Palace, Poland by Quixel (2020)

I had a lot of fun setting up the interior. My main focus was on combining different textures and creating interesting shapes by breaking walls with columns and adding architectural details. For the lighting, I decided to use only three main sources – an open door, a window, and a ceiling window – to achieve a cinematic effect. I need enough indirect light to be able to see the render clearly, but if it is too much. I may adjust it in the future.

Once the project was set up, I proceeded to test various settings, assets, and landscapes.

Testing asset placements on the right and left side to compare them together in the scene.

The ocean plug-in was not working even after enabling edit layers for the landscape because the landscape field was too small.

Testing out ocean settings. The waves look too big for the size of the landscape.

The river setup was deforming the landscape even after adjustments. Additionally, the water’s color did not align with the moodboards I created earlier.

References:

Quixel (2020) Behind the Scans: Bożków Palace, Poland. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaDculpnVl8 (Accessed: 26 May 2023).

Megascans Assets:

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=community&category=roman-city-ruins

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=community&category=shoreline-remains

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=tutorial&category=abandoned-apartment

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=historic&category=castle-ruins

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=historic&category=modular-palace-interior

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=historic&category=modular-saloon-interior

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=historic&category=roman-empire

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=industrial&category=mine

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=broadleaf-forest

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=burnt-forest

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=hartland-quay-shore

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=iceland

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=nordic-coastal-cliffs

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=nordic-forest

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=ocean

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=tundra

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=valley

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=wasteland

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=natural&category=wetland

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=urban&category=neo-baroque-modular-building

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=urban&category=neoclassical-modular-building

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=urban&category=neoclassical-modular-building-vol-4

https://quixel.com/megascans/collections?category=environment&category=urban&category=renaissance-revival-modular-building

Personal

Week 5/6 – Exploring different software programs and techniques

Post author By Martyna Kowalska
Post date 29th June 2023
No Comments on Week 5/6 – Exploring different software programs and techniques

As I work on my Personal Project’s Lighting Study, I am also eager to expand my knowledge and skills by exploring various techniques that combine 2D and 3D. To achieve this, I took on two side tasks. In the first one, I created simple metallic models in Maya and photo-bashed them in Photoshop into an editorial photo. Although the design process was enjoyable, the result wasn’t what we had hoped for. The lighting did not match the rough style of photography and made it look too computer-generated. I believe one of the mistakes was not replicating the lighting created in Maya and instead simply incorporating the asset in the photo with minor changes to the background.

To see the initial ideas in the context of the original files, I tried photobashing. Photographer provided me with rough instructions and later guided me towards an aesthetic based on these sample images.

Furthermore, I am still unsure about the rendering process, and as a result, the file was not optimised for render time. This caused issues in the timeline, especially since I was collaborating with Fashion Photography Students who requested multiple samples of the final product. Unfortunately, the long render time (over 3 hours per frame) made it very time-consuming to provide the pieces. As a result, we had to rush the photobashing part of the project. Looking back, I regret focusing on the render quality and wish I had spent more time seamlessly incorporating the 3D assets into the photos. It would have been easier and faster and created a more visually appealing project. Additionally, the torus lacked the roughness and imperfections needed for a more realistic look when using the chrome material. However, I am pleased with the use of the mesh light for the lighting of the surroundings, which created a desired cyberpunk style and was easy to use. I plan to use it in the group project as well, as it can add interesting-looking light props to the scene.

First render tests. I included a model from the Maya library to demonstrate how the lighting would interact with the person in the original photo.

Final renders: I was asked to re-render with lighter textures, but the final asset still lacks roughness to create the necessary believability.

Adjusting the renders to fit with the original file:

For my second side project, I wanted to learn about using Houdini in combination with Unreal Engine. Dom suggested the Endless Flower Blossoming Tutorial by Entagma, which was easy to follow. However, using more custom settings based on programming language was confusing. Despite this, I found the basics of creating simulations to be interesting and tried to customise the effect for the Personal Project. Unfortunately, my Houdini project crashed when simulating falling petals, and I was unable to find the error after reviewing the tutorial multiple times. I suspect that I may have set up the project incorrectly. As this was not a critical part of my lighting study, I decided to leave it for now and return to it later if I have time. Nonetheless, I still want to explore more ways to use Houdini and am considering using it for my Final Major Project.

Endless Flower Blossoming by Entagma (2020)

My attempt at the Endless Flower Blossoming (gif).

2023-06-14-17-03-02-4-1024×576.gif Download

The issues start in the simulation part of the process.

Going forward, to enhance the outcome of the project, I would like to incorporate Unreal Engine plugins such as UnrealReader or SpeedTree and examine how they can be used to visually enhance the project.

References:

Entagma (2020) Guest Tutorial: Endless Flower Blossoming. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2rDQtsTwzo (Accessed: 05 May 2023).

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Categories