1. INTRODUCING THE ART PIPELINE
AT STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY@ STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY
David Edwards

2. Introduction • We have a strong 3d Art background here at Staffordshire University
• We have always had a core Game Art route through our flagship,
BSc(Hons) Computer Games Design award.
• This is now supported with our BA(Hons) Games Art award.

3. Our Alumni
Michael Knowland
Sr Character Artist - Avalanche Studios
Nick Elliot
Environment Artist - Playground Games
Ben Wilson
Environment Artist – Massive Entertainment
Liam Tart
Environment Artist - Creative Assembly
Madina Chionidi
Character Artist – DICE
2015 Ones to Watch:
Philip Gilbert
2015 Ones to Watch:
Mark Circus
2015 Ones to Watch:
Alex Zemskov

4. Games Art @ Staffs
Games Art is a key aspect Games Design/Technology
Program Area
Foundation
Introduction to
Modelling and
Rendering
1st Year
Introduction to
3d Modelling for
Games
1st Year
Fundamental Art
Skills for Games
2nd Year
3d Character
Modelling for
Games
2nd Year
Games Shaders
and Texturing
2nd Year
3d Hard Surface
Modelling
3rd Year
Advanced 3d
Modelling
3rd Year
Individual Games
Project
3rd Year
Individual Games
Portfolio
Masters
Advanced
Character
Prototyping
Masters
Advanced Games
Environment
Design &
Research
Masters
Advanced Vehicle
and Weapon
Prototyping
Foundation
Photoshop for
Games
Development

5. The Module
For the majority of our students this is their main Introduction to
world of 3d Game Art at Staffordshire University.
It’s a 30 credit module taken from September to May.1st Year
Introduction to 3d Modelling
for Games
3 Hour Teaching slot
Introduction
Short Theory
Lecture
Practical
Application
Short Theory
Lecture
Practical
Application
Exercise Round Up

6. The Goal This year students undertook a portfolio consisting of 2 components:
Semester 1:
Low Poly Mobile Environment, with diffuse only textures, 1500 tri limit per-asset.
1st Year
Introduction to 3d Modelling
for Games

7. The Goal This year students undertook 2 components of portfolio:
Semester 2:
Unreal Engine 4 table top diorama of 3 elements. Complete PBR workflow.
1st Year
Introduction to 3d Modelling
for Games

8. A New Challenger has entered the Game
However, the module is still remains one of our greatest challenges….
To take students from this… To this…

9. Who are these n00bs?!
60% of our students come to Staffordshire University from
B-Tec college courses, with the remainder entering from A-
Levels, or as mature students through access courses.
However!
How “Games related” the college course is questionable,
and there is currently no set standard.

10. Who are these n00bs?!
So we have students who may have:
• Completed 2 years trying out all aspects of game
development.
• Completed only a 1 or 2 modules around 3d Art or Game
development
• No experience of games development at all
However, these students have the UCAS points to enter
straight onto the undergraduate course.

11. What do they need to know?
Is that all?
3d Modelling Tools
3ds Max/Maya UI
Sub-D modelling
Triple Edge Looping
Normal Mapping technology
xNormal
Normal Mapping methodology
UV Mapping
Creating Tiling Textures
Creating Tiling Textures
UV unwrapping
Double Turbosmooth
Shape
Form
Proportion
Silhouette
Lighting
3-point Lighting
Presentation
Optimization
Smoothing Groups
Colour Theory
Fundamentals of
Environment Design
Photoshop
Good Taste
Camera
Terminology
Composition
Materials
Exporting to Unreal
Game Engine Limitations
Texturing process
A basic design process

12. Unreal Challenges Unreal presents students with a great opportunity to work
with a AAA Game Engine…
…However it also presents us with challenges which need to
be overcome when introducing students to the art pipeline.

13. Academic Challenges
The module is designed to measure the students against 5 Learning
Outcomes
Learning Outcome
1) Apply appropriate techniques to create, and modify, 3d game assets by
evaluating and applying a variety of industry production techniques.
Application
Enquiry
2) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of 3d modelling
techniques, texturing methods, material and shader generation in game
asset production.
Problem Solving
3) Effectively communicate the design process, use of current industry
technologies, and workflows used in the production of the game assets.
Communication
4) Reflect upon suitability of the game assets for the chosen game engine
through comparison with professional works, and critically evaluate the
piece and determine improvements.
Reflection

14. Challenges for Introductory Students
• Choosing the right project
• Understanding the Basics of Asset Development
• Knowing the basic pipeline
• Knowing how to tweak that pipeline for a specific solution
• Implementing a suitably complex solution
• Time

15. Choosing the Right Project
Students view The module leader
One of the biggest problems student face
is knowing the scope of a project from the
start.
Considerations include:
• Complex geometry
• Specific UV unwrapping methods
• Unconventional normal map baking
processes,
• Elaborate material set ups
• Precise lighting settings
It can take considerable experience to be
able to choose a project at the right level.

16. Understanding the basics
“If you can dodge a wrench,
you can dodge a ball”
Basics of 3d
Modelling
High Poly Modelling
Normal Mapping Techniques
Game Mesh
Unwrapping
Smoothing
groups
Bakeoptimization
Texturing methods
Export to Unreal
Hope it worked*
*Success modifier is applied for the more practice
you have of undertaking this process.Understand what you’re trying to do

17. A Clean pipeline To keep things simple, we try to encourage students to adhere to a
clean production pipeline when working through their projects.
Presentation of final assets
Lighting Cameras Scene Composition
Texturing
Bake Normals Bake Projection Maps Create Textures Set up materials Test Metallic/Roughness
Low Poly
Suitably Optimised Appropriate smoothing groups Chamfered edges Normal map considerations
High Poly
Sub-D/DTS Mesh Floating Geometry Necessary Detail Normal Map considerations
Design Process
Block out Mood Board Colour/Value Designs Silhouette
Constant review for
quality in Unreal

18. Specific Solutions
One of the main issues students face is knowing when they
should deviate from the techniques they think they know, to
something more unconventional.
“Should I cut that shape in, or use floating geometry?”
“Is that going to normal map, or should I low poly it?”
“Is that curve going to project ok, or does it need to be
rounder?”
“How should I modify the cage to avoid this skewing?”
“Should I chamfer that edge to get a better bake?”
“Should I use overlapping UVs on this?”
“How do make this bit translucent, but that bit reflective?”
So if I do all
that, it’ll
work?

19. Not to mention… All of this is before you consider some of the more Intermediate,
or Advanced topics which may help solve these problems.
• Light Maps
• IES Lighting profiles
• Camera settings
• Matinee
• Master Materials/Material Instances
• Layered Materials
• Post processing
• Physics simulations for Cloth assets
• Set dressing (Particles, Volumes, backgrounds)
• Cinematography considerations

20. How the students used UE4…
UnrealEngine’s Marketplace, example content, and
content browser helps students to understand the size
and scope of projects.
Example content, like Alumni Liam Tart’s Sci-Fi Bunk,
enables students to inspect meshes, textures, and
materials up close.

21. Academic Challenges
Students use the example
content as part of their
research into limitations,
production methods, and
comparable assets from the
industry.
They document this through
asynchronous discussion
forums, mood boards,
references and blockouts.

22. How the students used UE4…
The .FBX pipeline into Unreal
Engine 4 really helps students
to see their project come
together.
Students are encouraged to
constantly export their
meshes and normal maps to
Unreal to check for errors.

23. How the students used UE4…
Materials and Materials
Instances helps students
quickly create a more visually
interesting diorama.

24. How the students used UE4…
Unreal Engine 4 helped the students produce some of the
best pieces of work we’ve ever seen from the 1st year

25. Building on Success
Whilst we have achieved a good level of success
this year there is more that we can do:
• Motivation and Engagement
• An introductory language
• Snapshot video tutorials
• Concise and accessible documentation
• Student Expectations

26. Motivation and Engagement
Motivating and engaging students on such a large
module (169 people) can be tricky. Not everyone loves
games art after all.
External talks from industry artists give students direct
access to new, and alternative information.
In some cases a big wake up call.
Inspiration and Design - Ollie Clarke, Modern Dream
The Art Pipeline, and Getting into the Industry – Scott Homer

27. An Introductory Language
Its very easy for us experienced artists and lecturers to forget just
what it’s like not knowing anything.
Finding a way to communicate effectively with students is key.
Normal Maps
A normal map is usually used to fake high-res geometry detail on what is actually a low-res mesh. Each pixel of a normal map is used to transfer the normal
that's on the high-res mesh onto the surface of the low-res mesh. The red, green, and blue channels of the texture are used to control the direction of each
pixel's normal. The pixels in the normal map basically control what direction each of the pixels on the low-poly model will be facing, controlling how
much lighting each pixel will receive, and thus creating the illusion of more surface detail or better curvature. The process of transferring normals from the
high-res model to the in-game model is often called baking. (TechArtists.org2010)
Or
A normal map uses colour values to modify how a mesh receives light,
thus giving the impression of more detail.

28. Snapshot Video Tutorials
One solution to help engage struggling students is to create a library
of snapshot videos tutorials. Students could dip in and out, to access
specific information
At only a couple of minutes in length, the videos would cover only the
necessary steps to complete an action, e.g. This is the swift loop tool.
Links would still be provided to externally hosted tutorial content.
These are typically longer, or part of a series.

29. Concise and Accessible Documentation
One of the great things about Unreal Engine 4 is the
large volume of clear and accessible documentation.
Students can be easily directed to this to get an
overview of the whole pipeline, and explore new
areas.

30. Student Expectations
One of the biggest issues we do face is managing the
expectations of the students.
What we expect of them, and what they expect from us.
Staff expectations Student expectations
300 hours of work. ~12.5 hours per
week.
Industry Standard Software
Practicing of techniques and methods
taught
Professional level lectures and tutorials
Reading of methods, pipelines and
techniques by artists
Clear Assessment Criteria
An enthusiasm for creating good game
art
Example assignments
Access to support and help when
needed
Access to PCs outside of class time

31. Future Challenges
Scope; We only have a year to get across all the basics, but still
have students who can make content by the time they enter the
second year.
Updates; UE4 is really flexible we need to ensure we’re keeping
up with all the latest technological improvements.
Limitations and getting it wrong; This may be the first game art
module a student has taken. They need to know they can, and
will make mistakes, but that’s ok.

32. Thank you
• D.J.Edwards@staffs.ac.uk
• @Daaaaavve
• @staffsgamestech
Contact
Any Questions?

33. Introducing the UE4 Art Pipeline to students
• Introduction
• Who are the students
• Typical student profile
• What’s their background – 60% of students from a B-Tec courses (content ranges from 2 years in a range game-dev modules, to 1 module in 3d/Photoshop)
• What do they already know? – 40% students potentially know very little, if anything. Grades to enter the main undergraduate course
• Pro-active response/action to their skillset
• Elephant in the room – Interviews
• Introducing Game Asset development to students
• What do they need to know?
• 3d Modelling in Max/Maya, Unwrapping, texturing/Photoshop, lighting/presenting work,
• Art techniques – shape/form, proportion, likeness, design process, colour, lighting, silhouette, design principles,
• UE4 Challenges?
• Time?
• Understanding the basics?
• A Clean pipeline?
• All the other stuff – light maps, lighting, cameras, set dressing, cinematography,
• Academic Challenges
• Are they on the right course/award
• Does it meet their expectations
• Motivation and engagement
• Possible solutions
• Snapshot video tutorials
• An introductory language
• Concise and accessible documentation
• Have Interviews