You can view this project on my website here.

Something I have been wanting to do for a while is model and texture a weapon. I wanted to start with something real and iconic, nothing made up. I saw that as a challenge because if something is overly wrong with the model in reflecting its real-life counterpart, you can see it straight away. I am not saying this model is perfect and is a 1-to-1 remake of the real thing but I feel that it is a good representation of the M4 Carbine. I didn’t want to stop there though I wanted to do something a little unique with this weapon. Make it explode.

Okay, so I don’t mean blow up in a massive fireball. I mean create the weapon in such a way where every part is unique and separate from each other. Nothing too in-depth but a way in which I could showcase this weapon through animation.

The M4 is an old weapon platform, it’s been used for years. So to reflect that I created some textures that match that idea. You can see that the paint is wearing off, there are scratches from use and what once might have been a nice looking stock is now dark and worn. I am impressed with what I have created, yes it can be improved, anything can always be improved. But it was a challenge for me and I feel like I passed.

This project isn’t over, in fact, it’s only just getting started. (Tease for what I am working on now if you can’t tell) I’ll be explaining a little more on this in the coming weeks so keep an eye on this blog and my website for future updates.

Finally, in the video above you can see a breakdown as to exactly how I created this asset and clicking on the link below that you can take a look at the weapon in more detail on my website.

A look into what could be…

At the end of 2018, I finished a project that I had been working on for a while. I say finished but it is never really finished, it was an idea to showcase what a remaster of one of my favourite childhood games could look like in a modern game engine.

Simpsons: Hit & Run has somehow never had a remaster or sequel. So what if it did? What would it look like? This was the premise for this project. As you can see I only recreated one room but it would be cool to see what the entire house would look like. 

Doing this type of project meant that I would have to look into using an art style that I haven’t really used before. I wanted to try something different than the realistic look of previous projects. Arguably it is still quite realistic and I could have taken the cartoon style further but the thing with the Simpsons is that it is just flat colour. This is hard to replicate in a game since you want extra detail in textures, I had to find a balance. I think what I ended up with shows a good interpretation of this but could definitely be improved. By picking this room to replicate I also started to look into foliage creation, something else I haven’t done before, but feel like I have done a good job of. This will something that I will be starting to implement into some of my other projects in the future.

Above you can take a look at what I created. I chose the TV room as it is one of the most iconic rooms in the Simpsons house, and within the game, it is used as the menu screen. There is more that could be done with this and it is currently more of a proof of concept, one which shows what could be.

Let’s talk.

So I haven’t written a blog post in a while, but this doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy. I have been busy updating my website into a hub for my work, my thoughts and my professional life. I have also completed my other two projects that I was working on alongside this. They have been done for a while but I just haven’t really talked about them, until now, more on that in a later though.

Now to highlight some of the changes made to the site. The main change has been to overhaul the branding, make everything look a lot cleaner and visually interesting. Adding new graphics that make my work stand out more, give it all a consistent look and also give the viewer a little more information about something before they click on it. I have also removed some of my older projects, making room for the newer ones and giving sperate sections to some of my work that I want to highlight separately to my portfolio. This refresh was needed and now gives me a great base to carry on improving from.

Before I go on though I just want to do a little comparison, put a few images side by side, before and after.

This being my last semester in university I am looking forward to what I am going to do in the future. I will be looking to develop more game theory content on my Youtube channel and also attend more game jams. Giving my portfolio a little extra content, other than just my projects. 

Speaking of future work, I have started development on two new projects, one which I see as my “hero piece” that will hopefully show off the skills I have developed over the years. Combining a mixture of environment design, animation and UI/UX. The other, a smaller project focused on CGI animation, taking a real-life scene and adding a believable 3D model to it. I’ll have more to share on these a little later in development.

That’s it for now, be sure to keep an eye out for two more posts on the Simpsons: Hit & Run project along with my M4 Carbine.

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

Ludum Dare 43 Game Jam

So as mentioned a couple weeks ago, I’d be taking part in game jams now on a bi-weekly basis. (With a few exceptions) This weekend was the Ludum Dare game jam, the theme was “Sacrifices must be made” and you can tell we really had fun making this one. Maybe a bit too much.

The game is a simple 2d platformer with the main character, Indie Bones. Definitely not associated with a well-known explorer with a similar sounding name; what a coincidence. The aim of the game is to retrieve your hat by any means necessary, even if the does mean losing a body part here and there. It’s a nice hat, sacrifices have to be made right?

 You can play this game by visiting my Itch.io page here.

Or learn more about exactly what I created when building this game here.

Game Jamming That Is

Just a quick update on what I did over the weekend. 

I am now part of a society that holds game jams on a bi-weekly basis. That means every couple of weeks (maybe minus a couple) I’ll be creating a small game with some other artists and coders just for fun.

Above is a playthrough of the game we made. It’s called “Yes Boss”. 

The theme was ‘Mr. Secretary’, the rule was co-op and our team took it upon ourselves to create the best shooter possible! (because that’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a secretary)

Complete your work by shooting it with a pen. Send more work to your colleagues by shutting down your pipes. With your spare time, do extra work for your boss, like shooting him with a pen.

Made using 3DS Max, Substance Painter, Photoshop and Unity.

New Logo, New Branding, New Me

After giving my branding survey over a week to gather feedback, I’ m back. 

With your feedback, I have picked my new personal logo. As seen above.

In this post, we will be looking over some of the results, break down my current progress with my current projects and finally exploring what’s next.

First things first, personal branding. As well as a new logo I have been looking over my entire brand to make sure everything is a consistent experience (or at least I tried). Below you’ll find my style guide to hopefully make it a little easier on the eye. It helps to give an overview of the different parts that will be making up my brand.

Survey Key Point Analysis:

• I took the feedback I got on board and decided to combine the top two styles for my main logo. That way I have the best of both world; obvious when you think about it. 
• You also liked the simple, clean and easy-to-read logo’s. That’s what I was aiming for, so I am really pleased that came across.
• The logo’s with circles was definitely the most popular, but when it came to giving me a reason why; you couldn’t. I think this is because the circle acts as a focus, giving the eye and more central point to look at.

Next on the agenda, how’s the project’s going. Not bad, onto what’s next (only joking). Life has been getting in the way a little but what can you do. I am still making progress with everything and that’s the main thing. Below you can see a quick overview of my in-engine environment for the Simpsons: Hit & Run project along with a screenshot of my M4 model. 

You might be thinking, “there’s not really much there”. To be honest I wouldn’t blame you. This week, if all goes to plan, I’ll have a weapon near completion, in terms of modelling that is and a room filled with props ready for textures. 

So, what’s next? 

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be focussing on the two projects mentioned above and gradually rolling out updates to my branding across the many different online profiles I have. And that’s it. Be sure to follow me on social media for updates and random stuff.

Social Links

ArtStation - https://danielrhodes.artstation.com/

Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/DanielRhodesDesigns

Twitter - https://twitter.com/DanielRhodesDesign

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/danielrhodesdesigns

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/DanielBRhodes

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/DanielRhodesDesigns

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/DanielRhodesDesigns

Tumblr - https://danielrhodesdesigns.tumblr.com

Google+ - https://plus.google.com/111940595517630617766

Behance - https://www.behance.net/DanielRhodesDesigns

Day 31 of Inktober 2018

Everyone loves a slice of pizza

So that’s it for Inktober 2018. I can clearly improve my drawing & sketching skills, but I think I got the point/ word across through the images I created. If I had to choose my favourite drawing out of the bunch it would definitely go to day 24 (Chop). I feel that I managed to get the colours, shading and highlights just right. What do you think? What is your favourite? Post your feedback in the comments below.

Day 29 & 30 of Inktober 2018

#29 “Seeing Double?”

#30 Pikachu (or at least its meant to be)

Day 28 of Inktober 2018

Well, Christmas is getting closer, so why not? Also, a red & golden pen would have come in really handy for this one