Welcome to Unreal Engine 4

For this new term project. We have been given the task to design and create a small full working level, using the new Unreal Engine. The level can literally be themed on anything we can think off, whether its a medieval diner. Or a star wars based star ship.

Level requirements

• No more than 50 x 50 units (1 UE4 unit = 1cm)
• Character must stand at approximately 180cm high
• 1x working door
• 1x working elevator (Button activated if necessary) 
• Exit room

Deciding on a theme

Choosing on a theme has grown to be quite a challenge for me. As long as I can remember, I could never stick to one certain idea. I would create one idea, then when its near completion. completely erase everything and start again.

However, one of my classmates thought it would be a good idea to create a replica of a certain building from either J.R.R Tolkiens movie Lord of the rings. Or design a small village based on The Elder Scrolls. Now both the lord of the rings and the elders scrolls are my favourite film series and game series. so I think this was the first time ever I finally new what them I wanted to go for, for my level creation.

I decided I want to design a medieval hall based on the Edoras (the golden hall of Rohan) from Lord of the rings. I loved the simple yet detailed royal hall, filed with horse themed banners and shields, and a single throne at the end of the hall where Theoden king (king of rohan) sits.

blocking out the level

Now that I have finally decided on a suitable theme for my level creation. It is now time to start blocking out my level in the Unreal engine. Blocking out is simply taking simple blocks and placing them in certain locations to represent where certain objects are going to be in your level.

As you can see. I have tried my very best to map out where certain pillars and arch ways are going to go. I have also used simple blocks to represent where tables and chairs are going to go as well. Doing this will make things lot easier when it comes to placing objects into the level

testing texturing and lighting

Since I have never truly used Unreal Engine until now, I decided to start to mess around with a few already made textures that are put into the engine by default. And also started to mess around with a few lighting methods. Since the only modelling software I have ever used is 3DS Max, I have never really been able to understand how lighting and shadows work in 3DS Max. However, in the Unreal Engine, the lighting engine is so much better and so much easier to understand. Designers can simply drag and drop the light source that they want to use for there level, and also decide what colour the light is and how bright it is.

The main issue I faced when messing around with the lighting and textures, was what type of model would I use to fit the type of light source for my level. Would I use mainly candles, and torches. Or maybe just go for a simple window light source, and use the Sky source tool to play around with the full lighting off the level by generating off the sky sphere.

modelling and finer detail

Moving forward on the level creation project. I have now started working on simple models to add to my level. Even though they are only straight forward designs, and simple texturing. they really start to bring the level to life.

I have only started to put in, tables and a few pillars to add more detail to the level. Now I have not yet decided on what texture I should put onto the pillars, but I have fully textured the tables and because there such a simply design. I think I will keep them until the final stage of the project. I may add certain objects to put on the tables further on in the project. But for now I will leave them as they are.

On a further note, I have started to work on the walls of the level. I am quite proud of the design I have created for the walls, because at first, the walls were only going to have a simple wood texture. But now I have created a full model of the walls in 3DS Max and created a very detailed (multi-textured) beamed wall.

swords and extras

Since my level will be based on Lord of the rings, I have decided to create some swords and weapons that were used in the films. Even though adding weapons that the player cant even use isn't very important. These extras will definitely start to bring the whole level together and will add further detail to the level.

Research: Level creation

Since my level will be mainly based on the lord of the rings medieval style. I have decided to take a look at certain games that use this particular kind of art style.
The first game I looked at was Elder Scrolls Online (ESO). This massive multiplayer game which is based on the hit game series Elder Scrolls. Uses a very unique medieval art style, that puts the player inside medieval realm with dragons and other fantasy creatures.



As you can see in the image above. The game consists mainly of rock like structures and high mountain tops. This type of art style is the same type of style that the concept artists for Lord of the rings use in there movies. However, elder scrolls mainly use rocks and wood textures for there world, where as the textures in Lord of the rings, consist of many other textures other than wood and rocks.

Research: Weapons and Extras

I have had to take a look at the weapons that were used in the Lord of the rings movies. As I was looking, I had no idea that the many different swords and axes that were used in the movies, were actually hand made at the Weta Workshop in Mirmar, New Zealand. Each sword that was used in the lord of the rings series, was hand crafted at the workshop by very talented blacksmiths and artists.

I have decided to include some of theses weapons in my level. This will really get the middle earth feel that my level requires. I will also use different banners and artwork that would be placed around a royal hall in middle earth. For example, I will include some Rohan styled banners, with the historical Rohan horse. This will let players know that my level is based around Rohan and Edoras (the golden hall).

Sketchbook and drawings

To add to my level creation, I have been asked to create a detailed sketchbook and design certain objects and styles for my level.
I have already started a few drawings, but the one I am most proud of is this gargoyle like horse head that will be placed about each column in the main hall.

I got the design from a screenshot from lord of the rings the two towers. There are 14 columns in total (7 on each side), drawing this figure head was challenging but simple. The main task was trying to figure out how I would model this in 3DS Max.

Photoshop and Normal Maps

To make the textures I use, I use the image manipulator programme called (Photoshop) to make some called a Normal Map to make my textures even more detailed.
To make a long story short. Normal Mapping is a design technique used to manipulate the lighting and dents in textures. In other words, it makes the lighting and detailed parts in textures more visible and more detailed.

I have created a simple test to see how normal maps will effect the image, and how it exactly brings out the more detailed parts in textures.


Original Texutre -



























Normal Map Texture -

movie props and more extra's

Since my level will be based around the Lord of the rings movie series. I have decided to add weapons and other extra's that were used in the movies. Now I know I have already written a post explaining this. But I have decided to model and design different weapons that are different to the weapons I have already made earlier on.

One of these weapons includes Saruman's staff. This particular weapon was incredibly difficult to model, as the weapon has a very peculiar spiky style that goes from the top of the staff to around half way down to main staff. The main reason why I have not yet textured this model is mainly because, I have not found the right texture to fit this model. However I do believe in time I will find the right texture for the staff.






















The next items I have chosen from the movies are royal Rohan banners that hang in the main hall. These banners were quite simple to model because it is simply a small pole that hangs from a manipulated image that forms the banner. The only issue I had with the banner is deciding which banners I would want for my hall. As there are many banners in Middle Earth, and I couldnt find all the banners that are used in Edoras (Golden all of Rohan).

Kitchen work

Since my level will mainly consist of 3 rooms (main hall, kitchen and basement) I have decided to continue working on the kitchen for my hall. Now it wont consist of much detail, since I want the main hall to have the most detailed put into it. However I am going to make a good effort at designing a decent a well modelled Middle Earth kitchen.

The kitchen will involve a main table, 4 shelves, a few crates to give that medieval style to the kitchen. And also will consist of multiple bookshelves and a working elevator. I know that middle earth didn't have any elevators in the movies. However, when given the task of developing a working level. One of the main priorities was showing the player your knowledge of coding by creating working doors and a full working elevator.

At the moment I have only managed to model and texture the main table, but I have also managed to model and texture some plates that will be placed on top of the main table to that extra bit of detail to the kitchen.

Gallery: 3DS Max Models

Gargoyles (Horses)

Following my design from my sketchbook. I have now fully modelled and textured my gargoyle for my main hall in my level. Modelling the horse head was particularly tricky as the structure of the main and the shape of the actual head was very hard to manipulate into a 3d model.

However, despite the difficulty. I am quite proud of my model and I am happy to put this model into my level.

Candles and lighting

Since my level has yet to have detailed lighting in it. I have decided to work on some lighting and some source light models for my level. Since my level is based around Lord of the rings (Medieval style) I have decided to model some candles that I can place around my tables to light up the hall.









Both modelling the candle and adding the light source to the candle, were both fairly easy. I have not gone for a detailed candle as there is no need for the light source to be detailed and in all honesty it would take up way too much time. So I have gone for a simple cylinder like candle with a small tube on top to act as the wick. And adding the light source in the Unreal Engine was even easier, as the engine provides a already made light source in the main menu.

Modelling fit for a king

Since my hall will be a royal hall. I have just finished modelling king Theodens throne. I found modelling this throne both challenging and fun to do. As creating the throne handles shaped like running horses was particularly challenging. But once I had finished modelling them, the throne looked amazing.











The only issue I had with the throne, was texturing. As some of the handles did not unwrap well and had a few issues. But the issues were very easily fixed and overall. I had a lovely throne for my royal hall.

Level blueprints and buttons

One of the main requirements for the level creation, is a working door and a working elevator. Now my original idea was to create a working elevator for objects/items, since there were no elevators back in the medieval age. However, I was informed that the elevator needs to be character sized so the examiners can place the character in the elevator to see how well it works. So I had to adjust the elevator to be able to fit the character inside.






Now I know that the elevator doesn't really look like much. And the thing is, it isn't really meant to look special. Since my level is a medieval themed hall. I thought the best way to make a medieval themed elevator, was to make it as simple as possible. So that is exactly what I did.
The main challenge making the elevator, was the coding behind making it go up and down.

As you can see, the coding for the elevator looks quite complexed. However, once explained the coding for a simple elevator is fairly simple and straightforward. The only reason why my particular coding looks so complex is because I wanted to go the extra mile and add a character key system (in other words, allow the play to press a certain key to make the elevator work)

Changing Ideas

Now I know I have already complained about me switching ideas at a too late of a design stage. However, I have decided to switch my kitchen in my level. To a study/dining area. The only reason I have done this is because, I couldn't decide on the design of the cabinets and shelves for the kitchen. And I took way to long trying to find new and unique designs I could do. In the end, I finished modelling and texturing my bookshelves so I decided from there that I would change the kitchen into a study/dining room.



(Unlit)

(Full Lighting)

More lighting

I am now close to fully completing my level. But I noticed something about the lighting in the main hall. Even though most of the hall is well lit. The main issue is that the more high up part of the hall was too dark. You cant really see the detail in the ceiling structure and the ceiling textures. Even though this isn't really a huge issue for the level. I do feel I can add more detail by adding another light source to light up more higher part of the hall.

I have decided to model and texture some Chandelier's to light up the main hall. I think this will be perfect for the hall as it will give that royal feel to the level and will also be a great way to add a light source for the hall.

Elder scrolls and J. R. R. Tolkien

Since my level is near completion. I have decided to add small little extras to the level to give it that tiny bit of detail. I took a look at all the different books that are based in the medieval era. I couldn't find many so I decided to get some certain books that inspired me to make this level.

Even though they aren't very detailed. They were very easier to model and texture. And I think personally they fit very well in my level.

Last minute adjustments

My level is pretty much complete. However, I noticed a slight issue with the main corridor in the hall. One main issue was that I had no idea how to model windows in a medieval style. And on top of that I had no idea how to model and texture glass.

Another issue I had, was that the corridor did not lead anywhere. I didn't have enough time to make another room for the corridor to lead to. So I left it.
So I have decided to convert the corridor into a storage room. I know that does seem like a cheap way of getting out of work. But if I left the corridor how it was, I would have lost marks for not texturing the windows, and not making the corridor more detailed then it could have been,

I have decorated the storage room with bookshelves, a few shields, and a few different designed swords. I think this will make the level a bit more interesting and detailed, instead of having a boring corridor that doesn't really lead anywhere.

Little changes, make a difference

Its been said that a small change can make a big difference. While I'm still making some final minute adjustments to my level, I decided to add a few small changes that would give my level that last little boost of detail. I started by adding a few candles to the well lit areas to give the light source a point of origin (somewhere the light is generated from). Next I included some weapon racks with medieval styled swords in.

Doing this has definitely given my level that last bit of lord of the rings style vibe.
The last thing I added to my level (I cant believe I've only added this at the end). I have added a small room with the main entrance/door. The door is nothing special, but it is well textured and modelled. And I think this will be the last major adjustment to my level before completion.