Blogs - Ronnie42

Hi all,

Haven't posted an update in a while.

Firstly my survival horror project is still being working on.
Currently modelling spider, trying to get the design right before showing.

Also I'm making other similar creatures like these: (Thinking of re-using them for EDF style game)



Still continuing on my Sonic style game with UE4, just making Substance materials for all my projects...which is taking me a while but I'm getting there and I've been experimenting with the UE4 particle system.

So far I've got a new look on how Super Sonic looks, I started working on Silver the hedgehog...which I'm hoping to telekinesis powers at some point.



1 more thing I've been working is a mech that I'm trying to make transform, might end up putting into the EDF style game, my inspiration mainly came from 'Future Cop Lap'. At the point I'm struggling how to implement the ability into my mech since was hoping to make a walker type robot that could turn into a hover vehicle. Here's a preview: (I've improved some things since I posted this on the website)



Anyway that's all for now so I'll try post something else when I think of something noteworthy.


Minor update 31/05/2021:
I may consider moving from UE4 to UE5 when it releases. Currently still trying to improve 3d models and making things like dragons at the moment.

Minor update: 1/1/2022
Looking into adding linx support in future builds due to things like the Steam Deck so I can play on the go with custom games that I build.

It's been a while since I made an update, thought give an update.

Ok firstly I've recently got myself a Graphic Monitor drawing tablet, I'm currently rethinking the way I approach 3d modelling. Normally I make most of my 3d work using plane modelling but now I'm studying how to make my work with sculpting, I'm hoping to post something soon when I get the hang of it. Some of the things I'm hoping to sculpt is my female character, maybe a male character for my survival horror project. The reason why I'm thinking of rebuilding my female character via sculpting is because it's been suggested to me that sculpting might be easier, quicker for me to make characters.

I'm also working on experimenting with Substance Designer more so I can continue to learn how to make unique textures, I've posted stuff like this a while back: (Also I've other stuff like custom barbed fences, etc... but I'm still trying to make them look right when I port them into UE4)



One of the most recent creations I made was a space texture in Substance Design, then I put it into UE4 with Captain Archers ship from Star Trek, thought add some basic firing in there:
(I'm thinking of having this project made just for fun, then random ST related things to experiment with space combat or maybe unique particle effects, also used the Earth textures from here)


Star Trek experimentation with my 3d ship, custom made Substance Space texture - Mod DB

It's that time again for a new update. So basically I game a lot but I am trying to improve my game design related skills. Anyway I've been working hard on trying to study modular maps for my Doomsday survival horror project but that's going slowly for now since I'm trying to make it suitable re-use.

Anyway here's what I have for now:

As for my Sonic project...I've been experimenting with a new feature that I haven't tried before under UE4 called splines, I used this feature to help replicate a Sonic 2 style level, I've added a new feature into the Sonic project and that other feature is the ring system. What this means is Sonic can now collect as many rings as he want's but the only problem is I haven't put in a injury system yet or death. Also I'm still looking into a particle system for all my projects but I need to study that feature further to understand what I can do with it. Anyway here's what I have so far:



Also I've already fixed the lighting issue on the video above so here's a render to show the improvement:


UI is pretty basic at moment but I will try to look into that a later date since still looking into it, the menu system too since I'm still working on it.

1 more thing I need to look into wall running so that's another thing on my lists of things to do. Once I have all that done I may have to look at my Shadow the Hedgehog blueprint and see if I can implement the features for him too, I'm considering re-doing all the animations for Sonic/Shadow.


Edit 12/08/2017: Improved lighting, adding dangerous obstactles, I still have to work on the death/injury animation system but for now Sonic just loses rings when hitting certain objects. I may relook into the particle system again next. Anyway here's what I have so far:


Sonic 2 special stage stone UE4 (Prototyping) - Mod DB

Update 13/08/2017: (Related to all my projects)

I'm going to look into video referencing for all my projects from Sonic animation and my survival horror game so they look more naturally animated.

Time for another update:

This month has been a bit slow on being productive but this week I started getting back into human 3d modelling. Here's something I've been working on so far:



For now I'm trying to get the hang of face modelling so I can learn how to make unique designs, then I want to create some for my projects like my survival horror project. After I've got better at head modelling then I'll try looking into better ways to make textures for clothes, hopefully a fully animated rig with face animations, etc...

Also my modular designs are still being looked into since want to find new ways to make them look unique, thinking of drafting out new level redesigns for my Doomsday project.

Update: 4/8/17
Kinect = Motion Capture

Today been thinking about animation, rigging and a friend got me wondering about motion capture for better animation because manually making animations can be time consuming.

Anyway it's early stages for now but I may consider it at later date because I want my games like survival horror game to have decent animation.

This week thought just have a look at my Sonic project again, added some changes to the Materials to include material instances because I was trying to get some kind of shine effect that I see in a lot of Sonic games.

After that I started to fix the jump animations for both Sonic, Shadow then I started experimenting with making asteroids, eventually put some into a level but the problem is the asteroids became too demanding on my pc so I'm thinking of rethinking of ways to make them low poly while looking fairly detailed.

Anyway posted 2 different video's relating to it:

Also got Hyper Sonic working under UE4 while able to change naturally between Super/Hyper/Normal forms of Sonic.




Hoping that the many techniques that I learn will help be understand how to make better games in the future.

Thinking about working on my main character design/model for my survival horror game, that I might set them in the same universe so I can make 2 different projects, just experiment.

Been a while since made any updates. Anyway thought give an update.
Started continuing my work on my survival horror game again, currently working on my level design and rebuilding my modular building parts. Hoping to improve them, making many variety of modular parts that I can re-use.

Currently building everything slowly, trying to get everything looking right, will be using my own custom character model eventually. (when I make one)

Here's a rough look at my current build: (Currently in the progress of changing things, adding more textures)

Mainly hoping to make something open world but for now I'm keeping it small, building the game, expanding whenever I feel the need to. The project Doomsday project has been revived.

Once I have a basic design of the map done then I will be looking into building the classic survival horror camera system that is seen in many old PS1 games like Resident Evil 1/2/3, Dino Crisis 1, Men In Black.

My previous article showed that I had put up a new build for the Sonic UE4 project. Currently imported Shadow the Hedgehog now too. I rebuilt him with new rig/animations, will put up a new build eventually but currently going to focus on getting it ready to be able to choose players from the start. (Still haven't figured out how to make eyes blink, will be looking into particle effects for when there in Super form)

Here's a teaser of things to come: (May improve animations over time, include more variety's to what animations are played...depending on what the character is doing)

Still currently prototyping my survival horror game, it's slowly coming along and it's actively being worked on. Once I get some type of prototype done then I might show something off on my personal profile.

1 more project that I'm wanting to work is an FPS, for now I'm calling it "Shadow of Incursion", it will be heavily inspired by games like Halo/Doom universe and Future Cop Lapd, will try to make big environments like in Battlefield but with big battles against several different types of vehicles, monsters.

I'm mainly setting up projects so I can learn how to make each type of game as I learning experience. Which means I can see what works, experiment.

Edit - 9/05/17
Here's some game-play that I'm working on for the Super forms:

Sonic/Shadow UE4 project (Super forms) - Mod DB

I know it's been a while, felt once again it was time to post something new. Basically I've been working on my Sonic work again, even wondering about my survival horror game. For now I'm considering focusing mostly on environment work so I can make assets that can be used in any of my future games that I'm trying to work.

Anyway the reason why I'm posting today is because I finally got a new build, thought share the basic test demo that I've worked on. So far I've reworked the animations, rig so it's easier to use. I'm still not sure how to get blink animation working for eyes but for now thought try do the best I could for now.

Currently I've got the test demo working standard keyboard, mouse and even included controller support.
Transform into Super/Normal Sonic: F on keyboard, Controller Y (Tested on X1 controller)

Flight up/down = Keyboard - Q/E, controller - LT/RT or L2/R2.

Movement = WASD controls with mouse, thumbs sticks for controlers.

Moddb.com download here.

8/4/17 update: Survival horror 'Doomsday' is being worked on again. I have the draft map design for an area done, currently in the middle of building the map. (Still heavily inspired by games like Re2, Dino Crisis 1)

10/4/17 update: Still making changes to the Sonic project. Already improving my Super Sonic material, experimenting with UE4. Watching a lot of tutorials that can help me with my development in both the survival horror game, the Sonic game.

Anyway here's a new image:


Edit 26/4/2017 Update: Taken demo down for now so I can work on better build.

Currently been re-working on my Sonic 3d model with a new rig to include Quill's, an improved UVW mapping, this is so I can easily make quick colour changes so I can re-use them to make new designs like Super Sonic, Dark Super Sonic, because of this I'm considering in-game transformations but for now I'm focused on working on re-doing all the animations with the new rig since found my animations to look a bit odd in the old rig. (Having to look into the Rig since the Rig below was a bit of a mess, didn't work as intended)



I've also included facial expressions but had problems so re-looking into the Rig set-up. The reason for this is due to the fact that Sonic only seems to have 1 eye-lid shared across both his eyes, this can create strange effects. I'm looking into possible alternates like maybe 2d eye-lids that blink like this:
Benjones.us

If I get time I'll post a working prototype with my normal Sonic form but I think it's going take me a fair bit longer to work out how before I start working on the Super form transformations, anyway here's a teaser of things to come:



1 more thing is once Sonic is done I will consider rebuilding the Shadow the Hedgehog model, using the techniques that I've learnt from making the Sonic model, maybe learn a few more techniques since I'm looking into techniques to make my UVW maps more clean.

This is what my previous build looks like:



For my animations transformations I'm looking into mainly Dragon-ball Z style transformations like when Gohan first turned Super Saiyen 2 or when Goku first became a Super Saiyen:

So after learning to make my custom Sonic 3d model work in UE4 I decided to try improve my uvw mapping:



I've made changes since I posted the image above, have been experimenting with a new technique that I'm hoping to implement into UE4.

The new technique will allow me to move my eyes on a 2d material which is separate from my main colour scheme.

This means I can create other forms like Dark Super Sonic, Super Sonic transformations but at moment I'm looking into rigging the face so I can start animating with the new rig, once that is done then I'll be looking into making my full rig, new material techniques to work & be playable under UE4 with iconic things like in-game transformations.

Hoping to take some inspiration from Dragonball Xenoverse for things like flight, transformations, I've been experimenting with making a level design similar to 'Station Square' from Sonic Adventure DX as a show-case.

This is an example of my Dark Super Sonic texture that I made: