Game Scene

Week 1: Concept and Blocking Out
In this project, we get to team up with other students to model out a game scenario.  Each member is to create a structure, a building to populate the final scene.  There are requirements for UVing, modeling poly count, and so on.  Of the specified game world options, our group decided on Red Dead Redemption, each of us taking on a structure with the wild west theme.

For my personal section, I am working on the saloon.  Instead of taking on the whole reference, I am working on an altered, as in smaller and more compact design to ease the process.  Hopefully it will work out in the overall scene.  As a backup, I also have the option of adding on other smaller shops if need be.

Original Reference

For week one, it's back to the beginning with blocking out and conceptualization of what we are to make.  I took the usual path of starting with the larger more monotonous and consistent parts, then moving into smaller, more intricate pieces.  Things like supports, doors, and railing were easy to block out and visualize despite the further modeling necessary later on.  Scaling and dimensions were the priority to sort out.

Original Block-out

Week 2: Modeling and UV Prep
For this week, the focus was on further modeling.  The goal was to get more and more objects referenced and into the scene, and start molding the specific details on the blocked out pieces.  Further goals for the week include the beginning of UVing and texturing if possible.  At the very least, concepts for UVs.  Also, continuing to gather references and textures to use.

Further Modeling

For my progress, a lot was put into making sure all objects were accurate and represented in the scene.  I did work on modeling the supports and wood framing around the building.  The windows, doors, and railing were also given a bit of work.  I will need to figure out how to go about giving them personality in the final result, as in texture my modeling or by UV and bump map.  In addition, as an update of last week, now everything has been scaled to properly fit real life measurements.

Emptied Out Back

Modeling Details

I focused on setting up UVs.  I made sure what faces were going to be visible in the final scene, and deleted those that were unnecessary.  That really helped with the poly count.  I had to determine what fit best for the UV editor, so there is a mix of simple and planar UVs.

Week 3: UVing and Texturing
For this week, my main focus was formatting and applying the UVs to the scene.  Following up last week's progress, I wanted to get all of the available UV's in a reasonable position, and a comfortable stance to properly apply a picture.  The project requires two or less full sheets of UV's to be used.  As of now, my model will take up at most one and a half sheets.  With that said, once I organize everything, it may be able to fit on one sheet.

The First UV Test Sheet

I was mainly working in Photoshop to fit the UV sheet correctly.  This is probably the part that I fear the most, but with the recent preparation, things seem like they will work out.  The guidelines for the UV single sheet of 2048 x 2048 pixels seems plenty enough for the model.  As of now, I have room for more objects if need be.  That said, I do believe I will put in more details on a sort of second run-through.  As a result, I did a test run of applying the recent UV sheet just to see what needs to be adjusted.

Model With Test Sheet

Week 4: More UVing and Texturing
This week was all about formatting the UV sheet for the project.  I mainly spent time adjusting and readjusting in Photoshop, using what pictures I could find online and reference to get as close to the original model as possible.  I worked my way from the major pieces in.  Most of the repeated objects in the scene needed to be centered or resized so the UVs fit correctly.
I also worked on the texture/bump map as the UV sheet came together.  There was a lot of visualization of what areas needed to pop out more or sink in more, and overall what did or did not need to look flat in the final product.

Test UV Sheet

Week 5: Texturing and Lighting
This week, the focus for the project was finishing UVs, texturing, and lighting.  In addition, the goal was to start thinking about how converting the scene as a whole into Unity.  A lot of work still went into adjusting UVs, but for the most part, the process was straightforward, and concerned minor details as a sort of polish.  So far, all of the UVs fit into the sheet, and accurately transfer over to the model.  The objects themselves have undergone some further specifications or their own to accommodate the UVs and textures.  Overall, it's the little things here and there that are in need of attention.  Things like beveling, moving around objects, and scaling objects to get closer to references is a tough but worthwhile job.

Next up, as I finalized my UV sheet, I moved on of the texturing and bump map.  This was particularly challenging because I had to determine what pieces needed more texture and what parts needed less.  Considering my model is fairly smooth and flat at the start, there was a lot to consider in bringing it closer to the reference standards.  I also had to begin setting the materials and bump map.  So far it has worked out well, but much is to be done for the next part which is importing into Unity.

Full Model With Final UV Sheet and Preliminary Bump Map

Week 6: Finalization
This is the last week to work on the project.  For my model, the first goal was to finish UVs and textures once and for all.  It mainly came down to what was worked on last week, so formatting and dividing up objects into their proper material group.  Furthermore, each object needed the corresponding level of bump mapping.
As a final preparation, I had to go back in to readjust UVs, and polish up some of the object models in the scene.  Nothing too major, but it took a while to fully get to where I needed to be.  Everything now seems to be in place and ready for finalization.  Overall, the progress on this model was as finished as it could be for now.

Full Finished Model

Close-Ups

On the last day for the project, I got together with the team to group everything together.  All of the UV and bump sheets needed to be properly formatted and named.  Everyone's individual buildings needed to be grouped up and ready to go.  Once everything was put in place, export and import from Maya to Unity was the next step.  One challenge upon coming into this new territory was transferring over textures.  A little searching around and testing was necessary to make sure all was ok.
Once the group got together, it was pretty hectic.  Making sure all files were where they needed to be, and moving throughout Maya and Unity took quite some time.  Luckily, it all worked out, and the models fit together just fine.  For the final snapshots and arrangement, it all looked pretty cool.  Overall, everything fit fairly well, and the project was a success.

 Final Unity Snapshot