2009 Gameloft Low Poly Art Test

This was a low poly art test for Gameloft. The main fun and challenge of this test came from the considerable restrictions. The max triangle count was set at 3,500 for the whole scene, and texture sizes were not to exceed 512x512. I came in at 3,462 triangles and 4.85MB of total texture size. Lighting was also limited to vertex lighting only. The rain FX and 3Ds Max's Particle Flow system was also an added joy. They were suggested (but not required) to be implemented to help adhere with the atmosphere presented with the reference image.

Programs used: 3Ds Max, Photoshop

Project Time: 2 Weeks, 40 hours

Reference: 1 Render

Triangle budget: 3,500
Triangles used: 3,462
Total texture size: 4.85MB

2009 Working Library Art Test

This art test for Working Library was for modeling and texturing. I was given five photo references to use for my direction. This was by far the shortest art test I've ever taken. I only had about 2 1/2 days to complete it. Overall it was a fun test and I enjoyed working on it quite a bit.

Programs used: 3Ds Max, Maya, Photoshop

Project Time: 2 1/2 days, 40 hours

Reference: 5 Photographs











------------Reference Images------------

2009 KizToys Art Test

This art test was just modeling only. Polygon limit was 20,000. The buildings in the concept drawing had no straight edges to them, the whole town had a lot of funk to it which was fun to model rather than just boring rigid perfectly straight buildings. The directions for the art test stated not to model anything that could not be seen in the sketch, so no other views are available.

Programs used: 3Ds Max

Project Time: 2 weeks, 50 hours

Reference: 1 black and white sketch

2008 Galactic Bowling, Perpetual FX Creative

This was my first credited game title. It was launched for the PC on the Steam platform. I was a freelance contract Environment Artist. My main project was the Ice Planet for the game. I was responsible for creating all the in game assets aside from the green plant monsters, however the flowers that they come out of are my own creation. Texture generation was both hand painting and photo based, some were purely hand painted. All lighting had to be baked down into the textures as well. Ground steam visual effects were also my own creation.

While a vast majority of my work for this title was done just on this level, I also contributed on other levels for things such as texture fixes, model optimization, collision fixes, skyboxes, some level select planets, various visual effects, character shader implementation, and many many hours of play testing, bug reporting and fixes.

The first set of pictures are in the editor, the skybox does not show in the editor, but it allows me to give views that can't be seen in game. The second set are taken directly from gameplay.

Programs used: 3Ds Max, Maya, Zbrush, Photoshop, Vicious Engine, Tortoise SVN. Textures are diffuse only with occasional alphas

Project Time: 3 months, approximately 350+ hours (does not include other duties, only time spent on my own level)

Reference: 4 Color Sketches, 3D file with Ramps/lane position only

--------IN EDITOR--------


Looking down the ramp on Player 1's side


Player 2's Side


Inside the Iceberg


Out the back of the iceberg


Pinhouse and vines


Pinhouse Closeup

--------IN GAME--------


Before Player Spawn


Inside Iceberg


Heading towards pins


Pinhouse


Pin Approach

2008 High Voltage Art Test 2

This was a second art test for High Voltage Studios. Polygon limit was 2000, Texture limit was 1 set of 256x256 Diffuse, Specular, and Normal maps along with 2 Sets of 64x64 Diffuse, Specular, and Normal Maps. This presented a fun challenge to use such low resolution textures. Normal maps were generated using both projections and NVidia's normal map filter.

Programs used: 3Ds Max, Photoshop, Zbrush

Project Time: 2 weeks, approximately 130 hours

Reference: 1 Color Sketch

2008 High Voltage Art Test 1

This piece was created for an art test for High Voltage Studios. Polygon limit was 10,000 and texture limit was 2mb total texture size for the room. All textures in this room are diffuse, specular, and normal mapped with an occasional glow map or opacity map. Normal maps were generated using a combination of either projections in 3Ds Max or using the NVidia filter in photoshop.

Programs used: 3Ds Max, Photoshop

Project Time: 2 weeks, approximately 160 hours

Reference: 1 Color Photograph

2008 Tremor At Sunndown, Raven Mod, RoboBlitz

This project was done under the supervision of a few members of Raven Software in Madison, WI. This was a group project consisting of 10 people, all local college students. My role in this project was Project Lead. While I did generate a few assets, my main focus was management and all in editor work. The mini-scenario for this game was that the player had to fuel up a hot air balloon with pieces of coal before the rampant earthquakes tore the town apart.

My contributions and responsibilities include:

Management/Preproducion-
Game Design, Level Design, Directing Meetings, Schedule Creation, Task Delegation, Problem Solving/Troubleshooting, Milestone Deadlines, Asset Review

Art/Technical-
World Building, Lighting, Animation, Shader Creation, Programming (Kismet), Visual FX (Cascade), Camera shake effects and sound

Programs used: 3Ds Max, Maya, Zbrush, Photoshop, RoboBlitz Editor. Almost all assets use diffuse, specular and normal maps

Project Time: 8 weeks, approximately 500+ hours


Player Spawn Location


Old Western/Steampunk Buildings


Steam Rising from Rooftops


Reverse View of Main Road


Backside of a few Buildings


Debris Pile


Side of Blacksmith Shop


Lower side of Town


Misty Mine in the Distance


Entering the Mine


Old Mine Cart Path


Finding a piece of Coal


Bringing it Through the Town


Fueling up the Balloon


Cascade Particle System for the Steam


Sample Shader


Kismet Programming