3D Game Art (online learning) - BA (Hons)

Bucks New University

A key task of any 3D game is to build a game environment. This module covers the processes involved in building a one suitable for use in a games engine such as Unreal Engine. You'll study how to design & build a set of assets and from these create a 3D game level. You will be able to import additional resources to ensure your level feels complete.

You'll discover how to use digital sculpting software to create models that look and feel organic, with a focus on character modelling. You may choose to create a hard surface model of suitable complexity for your level. You are not expected to produce character concept work themselves but can do so with agreement from their lecturer.

You'll explore the simulation processes used in creating animated destruction, looking closely at how particles and rigid/dynamic bodies behave & interact with each other. You'll study key techniques like simulating dust, debris and how to shatter & collapse objects. Destruction is often accompanied by other simulations such as particles & smoke.

This unit provides you with an opportunity to work on a small project, ideally in a small team but individual projects are possible where appropriate. You may also work with people studying other disciplines. Projects are the basis of much creative work and typically involve pre-production, production and postproduction phases, as well as teamwork.

You'll learn about Games Engines and how they are used to construct game levels from 3D assets. You'll also look at other types of asset commonly found in games and how to set them up to achieve the full user experience. You'll study how basic interactivity is achieved through the application of customisable scripts to level assets.

You'll study 2 aspects of Character FX work: groom and clothing. You'll look at how to set up, render and style clothes and digital hair on a humanoid character, as well as how to make a basic test simulation. You'll then render outputs into a short animated sequence and write a 2000 word evaluative learning journal of your character FX project.

You'll complete an industry style brief, fulfilling one or more roles (modeler, animator, compositor, groom artist and others) in an appropriate pipeline. The brief will be set and approved by the lecturers in conjunction with industry advice.

In this module you will complete a piece of work for use in your portfolio. This unit is an opportunity to produce a piece of work at the standard of a junior professional. You will be expected to maintain an annotated learning journal which will demonstrate how you have reflected on your work, leading to improvements and refinements.

Complete your showreel & develop a work-oriented online presence. You'll research similar showreels to help determine how to make your own stand out then evaluate your existing work and choose a piece which can be significantly improved to bring it up to the standard of a junior industry professional. You'll make minor improvements to other pieces.

You'll attempt a cutting-edge project, focusing on using up-to-date technologies & techniques in animation, film & game art production, or related content. You'll research your topic and use this to contribute to a project proposal/pitch. You'll receive feedback on the pitch and then be expected to implement it using your own judgement as a guide.

This module follows on from Creative Project: Preproduction which is a pre-requisite. You will produce the project that you have planned using the assets that have been created and gathered for this purpose. You'll need to adjust your plan as it encounters reality and apply appropriate postproduction techniques.