Evaluation

In conclusion of Unit 68, I think that I have carried the task out well created a good looking and unique environment of a forest terrain. First of all, I would like to state that I intended for my environment to use and consist of a simple, blocky, low poly and simple textured design because I think that it looks really effective and suitable for a forest environment. For my environment, I used various examples of different types of forests within the real world and video games and I decided to go with a low poly style because of the benefits such as: Not making blender lag and/or crash, Inspirations from blocky games such as Minecraft and Unturned and I just generally like the style and believe it is visually appealing.

Within the task, I believe that I could of spent much more time on actually improving the environment by creating more assets, using and creating customised textures and learning new techniques for the program itself. If I were to repeat this Unit again, I believe that I would be potential of creating a much better and more appealing piece of work for people to view using new types of techniques and more assets since I believe that the environment I have created is quite bland and there's not actually much to it which I am quite disappointed in.

Presentation

Finished Rendered images of the final environment

As you can see, I have provided a range of high quality image renders of my environment with the camera being located in a different area in each one. I have done this so that the viewer can easily see the specific areas of my environment in sections where the image itself is larger and easier to view rather than only showing the rendered version of the whole environment. I liked to make different types of sections which I rendered throughout my environment and I think that I did quite a good job using the render settings and lighting.

Fly-Through Video

A video displaying the final environment

Here is a fly-thorough video which scans across my environment which displays different areas in a video format. As you can see, the camera smoothly moves across the environment closely inspecting specific areas which I thought looked the most appealing in my opinion. Sadly, I was limited to what was shown since the hardware I was using was quite limited in terms of specifications meaning I couldn't use my usual settings since each frame took 5 minutes to render.

Environment Build

To start off my environment, I decided to create the base terrain where I will end up placing all of my assets. I created this by creating a simple cube, extruding in different directions and also using the loop cuts in order to get more precise terrain. I wanted the terrain to be quite different in all of the areas so that the environment itself didn't look too repetitive or boring. Since I wasn't animating in this environment or going into immense detail, I decided to add simple blocky colours to make the terrain stand out and stay within the low poly theme I was aiming for.

Next, I created a small shrine-like structure which I wanted within my environment because of an event that occurs within the Ilex Forest of Pokemon Gold & Silver. I really like the design I've created because it's nice, simple, low poly and blocky colours and I believe that the theme also fits nicely with my environment.

After, I've used multiple tree assets I've created with an autumn leave style and I rotated some of the trees to make the trees seem different in shape and it has had a nice effect on my environment as I think that it looks very effect visually and it fits in well in the area I've put them in around the shrine.

Here, I've implemented my rock assets simply around the trees to add more effect into the area so that it didn't look so plain with only tree's and flat grass. I think that this gives the design more impact and it nicely fits in with the terrain really well and I think the contrast of the colours are quite diverse.

I started to add my simple 'grass-spike' asset to make it so that my terrain didn't seem as plain on the flat green ground and I think that this definitely helps with making the environment seem more appealing and less boring to look at. I randomly scattered these across the terrain so it didn't seem overly symmetrical as I think it wouldn't suit my terrain.

I further expanded the grassy patches around my environment for extra effect and detail.

I started to add in my assets of the second tree that I've created. I randomly scattered these tree's across the rest of the hill which I really like because they are easily visible and give's the viewer a surrounded feeling from the high ground the trees have secured. It also makes my environment seem as if more is going on and the space isn't as empty as it once was.

I began to add more trees around to fill in the blank areas and I think they fit in nicely around the terrain and give a nice effect.

Finally, I added some finishing touches using the rock assets around my river to make the area  seem less plain and it's a nice and natural effect that makes my environment look appealing with a great polished finish.

Legal and Ethical

problems avoided - copyright, PG13 environment no gore, blood, sex, nudity, violence etc.

because i used my own assets, i won't be sued because i haven't stolen from others/ asset store.

3D Asset Creation

Screenshot Process of the creation of the assets that I will use for my forest environment

Tree #1

This is the first asset that I have created for my environment and I am quite pleased with the outcome of the visuals and the colour scheme present. I wanted to go for an autumn type of theme originally so I used very warm colours to enhance the calm atmosphere. I did change the other assets that I used quite a bit though but I still think that these type of trees will be just as effective within my environment with the other assets supporting it. The main Modifiers I used were the skinning modifier for the wooden trunk area as it gave it boldness and allowed me to easily control the thickness and shape much more freely and gave the whole design and much more natural look. For the leaves area, I have used a similar technique where I sculpted the mesh to create nicely shaped leave patches.

Tree # 2

Here is the second tree asset that I have created for my environment. I gather a lot of inspiration from the "Spruce Tree" from minecraft in terms of colour scheme and style. I really like the design that I have made because it is very simple and I think that it would work very well with my environment because it's very different to my other type of tree that I have created. I also think that this would look very effective when multiple trees are put together rather than it being by itself and I think that I could use these around a large amount of my environment.

Rock

Here is a Rock-like asset that I have created for my environment. As you can see, I haven't used many materials or materials to actually produce this as I wanted the simplistic look anyway. I used an original mesh for a very jagged like shape and sculpted it into shape which was quite an easy process for me to complete.

Grass

Creating this asset of a little shard of grass was actually quite fiddly as I found myself wanting to get the texture perfectly symmetrical using precise angle degrees to rotate part of the mesh. I used a cube for the original base and then I merged the top 4 edges together making a pyramid-like shape, extruding the bottom and rotating the shape slightly outwards. I then duplicated these and rotated them to created this shape where there are initially 3 blades of grass and I am quite pleased with this asset because it took quite a while to create and I tried to use different shades of colours to make the lighting have a better effect overall.

Shrine

This is a shrine-like structure I have created by simply extruding a cubes surface in different directions. This was highly inspired from the Pokemon series in the Ilex Forest. I really like the design of it as it's rather simple but I really like the simplicity because it fits in well with my design of the environment and would merge in nicely with the rest of the assets that I have created.

Surface

Here is the surface that I have created for all of my assets to be placed on nicely in the different areas that I have provided. I did this by extruding a cube and using the loop cut tool to make the terrain more precise such as where the terrain changes such as hilly areas and rivers/paths. I used quite a colourful colour scheme because it stands out nicely and looks very appealing.

Research

Research

I have chosen to create a Forest like environment since I think that I could maintain and create a forest to a pretty good standard. I know quite a lot of things about forest such as objects and animals from the top of my head but I also know places that I could get inspiration from various different video games and movies.

Different types of Forest

There are different types of forests and biomes within the real world that I could use for inspiration for the environment that I am going to create. 

As you can see, these photos are taken within a rather tropical type of forest such as a Rainforest, filled with many different species of animals that I could include within my forest using these images as inspiration. I think that these Jungle-like animals would be effective within a brighter type of forest due to the colourful tones that the animals themselves already have.

This forest is quite peculiar, as it seems that the trees are long, thin and very straight which leaves a rather intimidating effect on the person who is below them looking up. I think that this type of forest would be very successful within video game genres such as adventure or horror as it seems like such an easy place to get lost and there also seems to not actually be that much within the forest itself.

This is an image of Aokigahara Forest, which is a famous forest within Japan also known as the "Suicide Forest". I think that this image could be rather effective for my environment as I think that the large amount of moss covering the ground and the trees is very impactful and makes it seem as if the forest is completely deserted.

Here are some more forests that are covered with snow, which I believe leaves a really nice wintery effect. I love how the snow hangs off of the branches of the tress and it makes the whole surroundings seem very bright and white which I think looks really effective.

Trees

Since I am creating this environment using 3D software (Blender), I have the freedom to use multiple types of trees using the power of imagination and creativity.

Here is a big fat type of tree which I think would work very well in an environment as a center like object as it could act as like the king tree of the forest that all of the animals gather around.

This scene looks really effective for something such as the environment that I am going to create because I think that the cabin in the snowy woods effect looks great and everything within the image fits the theme very nicely.

In my environment, I could make it so that it seems like the trees are making a archway over a path which leaves a quite nice and cozy effect behind but it also could seem that you are trapped or protected.

Here is a common type of forest and as you can see, the tress are fairly simple as well. I think that these type of tress look better when there are more of them put together rather than them being by themselves as seeing multiple trees just makes the whole process seem more natural and look more visually appealing.

These type of trees look rather spooky as they are very thin and jagged towards random areas. I like this kind of environment because I think it gives a spooky type of atmosphere with a hint of mystery developing the environment itself.

Features

Here is a list of other features that I may want to add into my environment for extra effect and tension.

• River
• Bridge
• Rocks
• Vines
• Caves

Forests within Video Games

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

This is a mission that I have always remembered from MW2, since it was one of the first ever stealth type of missions that I had ever proceeded with. I think that the forest works very well within this type of game and genre because the characters can easily blend into the forest which makes up for a great stealth type of effect where you can be taking people down and also be using the trees within the environment for additional cover. I also really like the snowy type of effect used on the terrain and trees themselves.

Sketch

This is a Birds eye Map that I have created prior to the creation of my environment. This is to get an idea of how I want my environment to look in the end product such as where my assets are places and how everything will be spaced out in the end.