(Project OverView)
The goal of this project is to create a hero prop for an upcoming environment project set in an alternative 80s kids tree house. The idea for this guy was to create an alternative gaming control with futuristic VR capabilities that match the aesthetics of the technology at the time.
(Final Renders)
(Gathering Reference And BrainStorming)
The main inspiration for this project was the Fetch Robotic assistant. However, I wanted to create something that would look and feel like an alternative 1980s retro VR projector game console. My plan is to use this model as a hero prop for my next environment project. Which will be set in an alternative retro 1980s treehouse.
So to get that feeling I know I needed to get some CRT monitors as the reference along with some old projectors.
(HighPoly Blockout Attempt 01)
This was my first attempt at the high poly block out of this model made using smooth mesh preview in Maya. However, I was not too happy with the projector arm and the lower base section. The big characteristics i am trying to really nail down would be the soft edge blocky plastic look that early game controls were made from. Something similar to consoles like the Supper Nintendo.
(HighPoly Blockout Attempt 02)
After the second pass through, I was a lot more happy with how the overall design read. After showing it to some peers I got the feedback that I was looking for, in that it read more like an old gaming console.
The next step was the push the design and complexity further focusing on more secondary shapes such as vents, paneling, and screws. I find it a really helpful to imagine how the shapes would have been manufactured when placing the screws, as well as how the panels would separate and where you might want to add grooves for screwdrivers wedges.
(Texturing Base Setup)
The majority of this project was textured in Substance painter. I find it easier to startout creating the master materials and organizing them into layers before starting with the smaller detail like scratches, dirt, glowing objects, and grooves.
For my base material I started by using this SciFi PVC plasticfound in the standard material folder in Substance painter. I ended up changing multiple elements however, things like the diffuse, and roughness. Then later I would come back and add dirt variations.
I found this Wood American Cherry on Substance Share, then added a clear coating and removed the damage variations in order to get that plastic vinal wood feel.
For the black materiel, I created this basic material in substance painter. It is just a black basic fill layer with some roughness, then I added a extra layer of height by plugging in a perlin noise generator.
(Texturing Project Setup)
To maintain the level of polish and complexity i wanted for this hero prop, I choose to divide the model into 3 texture sets. This requires you export your model from your 3d program (in my case Maya) as one object with multiple materials. This helps substance painter understand that you want each mateial to be its own texture UV set. More on this topic can be found here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NFXuFQYjvo
(Texturing UVSets Setup)
 |
| UVSet 02 - Base Body |
 |
| UVSet 03 - Arm |
 |
| UVSet 01 - LowerBody |
Breaking the model up like this can, really make it easier to focus on each section
 |
| The final texture model in Substance Painter. |
(Final Model Marmoset Render)
(Zbrush High-poly)
(Final Model UE4 Render)
