We’ve asked the question before, what makes a quality 3D model? But that was very much a technical focus on the creation of 3D characters. And we’ve touched on the quality we pursue for 3D characters, models and assets like our behind the magic look at the weapons of Nine-to-Five. But that’s not where players get hooked. Players get attached to characters, they fall in love with stories and the people within them. And that is where our focus lies. We sat down with some of our leading artists and our stellar executive art director to discuss Magic Media’s 3D character creation and what we do to stand out in such a talented industry.
The Technical Process of 3D Character Creation
While we’re very proud of every character we create, our technical process isn’t very different from most! We start with the brief and any descriptions or references from the client, we proceed through concept and exploration until we get to the blockout stage, to high-res, retopology, UVs and baking, texturing, and final approval. Of course, every step is played out with multiple artists and senior staff consulting. Given Magic Media’s length and breadth of talent from all over the globe, it’s easy to get immediate and tangible insight from almost any corner of the world. As a full end-to-end service provider, it’s important and useful for our teams and artists to have an open flow of communication. For each member to be able to pitch in for any piece or project as it progresses from concept to creation.
More on our technical processes can be found here, in our creation of the 3D model of this four-armed warrior and for our 2D delivery of this half-demon knight. These are two great examples of some of our character work and they hint at our approach to 3D character creation. The key, as we’ve mentioned, lies in the story. Every layer of our technical design and talent is immersed in a world of story and character. Our concept artists start this process, and it’s maintained throughout. Each of our artists view every piece as part of a story, every piece must have context.
Going Beyond High-Quality Characters
Creating a high-fidelity, high-quality 3D character is one thing. It’s an impressive mechanical achievement! But at Magic Media, we’re in the business of making magic for projects such as Blankos Block Party and Switchback VR. Which doesn’t stop at mechanical. So, how do we go beyond the mechanically impressive? You already know the answer, of course!
It’s all about ‘character’. Bringing a character to life, giving it meaning and a place in the world it exists in. We spoke about this context and way of thinking in our tips and tricks for gaming concept art. This type of principle is how we created the character you see here! This fantastic 3D character has been shown off as concept art, 2D, now 3D, and she’s been integrated into Unreal Engine as well! All part of the Magic Media service.
If you happen to be a creature of the apocalypse, now is the time to start running. She began with the idea of an apocalypse survivor who has gone beyond surviving. This life has become her norm, she’s a warrior now, not just some survivor. She was created to embody the strength it takes to survive and thrive in this world. She almost looks casual in her attire and equipment, stylish even. That was the story we aimed to create as she was to be the hardened protector to the “Survivor Kid” that we created with her.
There’s always a story attached. For them we imagined a lone wolf and cub vibe, inspired by the incredible manga created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. He has not gone unscathed though, hence the missing arm and scuffed clothing. But he still has that light and childishness in him. But she is the jaded protector, she’s been around far too long to treat this horrifying world as anything but normal. And just in imagining this world and basing the characters in their context, we see them come to life. With this, our artists can deliver the excellence that we offer to our clients.
In need of industry-leading character art? Look no further than Magic Media. At Magic Media we are veterans of the gaming, tech and entertainment industries, offering comprehensive services including game development, game VFX, animation, 3D characters and full art services! Our main goal is to provide a one-stop solution for any project. We love nothing more than collaborating with creative minds, so drop us a line and let’s create magic!
