From Concept to 3D - Props in Dragonkin

[p]Hey Dragon Hunters,[/p][p]We’re back with another Dev Blog, and this time, we want to take you on a little journey through the creation of two of our favorite quest props.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We hope you’ll appreciate the exploration of the process and get a better understanding of everything that goes into bringing the world of Dragonkin: The Banished to life.[/p][p][/p][h3]From Concept to 2D[/h3][p][/p][p]Let’s take a look at 2 of Pierre Huot’s favorite 3D models: The Automatic Bridge & The Platform[/p][p][/p][p]The Automatic Bridge Concept[/p][p][/p][p]We knew this bridge had to feel like a war siege piece, something heavy, yet transportable and built for the battlefield. But beyond that, we needed to figure out how we wanted to make it look and work.[/p][p][/p][p]In the scenario made by our Level Designer, Léo Brover, the player’s mission is to defend a position, holding back waves of dragonkin while the Alliance slowly deploys the bridge. Because of this, it wouldn’t make sense for the bridge to deploy instantly, if it did, we would lose that intention of “buying time”.[/p][p]Another factor is that a simple wooden bridge would never survive the wild lands of Erde-nòr. It would have to be made not only from solid materials but also be fireproof.[/p][p][/p][p]We imagined the Automatic Bridge as something specifically developed to overcome the volcanic region’s treacherous terrain, designed to span chasms and rivers of lava.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]With all of that in mind, Pierre began sketching the first concepts of how that piece of engineering should work in-game, also earning a code name: The Automatic Bridge.[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]After several design sessions and a few iterations, Pierre and Léo finally got the Automatic Bridge to fire large arrows attached to ropes, which would lodge themselves on the opposite side. Then, steel planks would stack one by one, gradually forming the path.[/p][p]This approach solved the first challenge of “buying time,” as the bridge would deploy itself at a rather slow pace.[/p][p][/p][p]From there, Pierre began the 2D art of the Automatic Bridge.[/p][p]
[/p][p]The Platform Concept[/p][p][/p][p]Léo Brover envisioned a challenge linked to a quest in which the player must remain on a platform until a chest is unlocked. The runes on the platform would light up, dealing damage to the player standing on the lit runes.[/p][p][/p][p]This concept then served as the basis for the 2D work, where Pierre began drawing the platform, its runes, and its color.[/p][p]
[/p][h3]Taking Shape in 3D[/h3][p][/p][p]Then Pierre worked to translate the shapes, materials, and style into a fully-realized model that fits within the game’s world and technical limits.[/p][p][/p][p]That’s what we call the modelling process and mapping process![/p][p][/p][p]This means thinking about everything from how big the Automatic Bridge & The Platform should be, to the kind of textures and polygons we’ll use.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]
Once everything is set, the artist begins a process known as “baking,” which records details like the mesh’s edges and occlusion. After that, the texture is applied.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Bringing the Automatic Bridge & The Platform to Life[/h3][p][/p][p]Once the 3D models were complete, it was time to bring it to life![/p][p]During the process, Léo faced a particular technical challenge and he had to separate the steel planks from the structure in a separate animation sequence so they could stack one by one along the wires.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]And that’s it for today[/h3][p]We hope you’ve enjoyed having a closer look behind the scenes of Dragonkin: The Banished.[/p][p]See you soon![/p][p][/p]