Omega Directive - HyperionInc
Project Details:
Omega Directive is a 3D Isometric Action-Puzzle Mobile game where play as a robot named "Alpha" who has defected from a high-tech corporation, "Hyperion". Alpha must fight his way up the corporate tower to take down the rogue AI, Omega and break free from their control over the city and its citizens.
My role and extra information:
Role: 3D Artist/ Video Game Composer
Team size: 6
Project time: 4 months
Engine: Unity
Tools: Blender, Substance Painter, Logic Pro X
3D Modeling:
As a 3D artist, I collaborated with the team lead to define the visual style of our props and review the progress made. I was responsible for creating the game’s props, which included texturing and UV mapping. For "Omega Directive," I developed over 10 props using Blender, then prepared them for texturing in Substance Painter. For each model, I created a high-poly version to bake details onto the low-poly version, allowing us to preserve intricate details while maintaining a low poly count. There was not much detail to be put in as most of these props were made from primitive shapes with some booleans if necessary.
As a 3D artist, I was responsible for texturing my own modeled props using the necessary tools to complete the project. I chose to use Substance Painter because it allowed me to easily export the textures in the correct format for the game engine. After baking the high-poly model onto the low-poly version, I began texturing the props to align with the retro wave style of the game. Since the art style featured numerous emissive elements, I had to learn how to create and implement these effects in Substance Painter to ensure that certain parts would glow in the dark environment. I conducted extensive research and experimentation to achieve the desired look for the game. To verify that the props functioned correctly and that there were no texture issues, I imported them into the game engine. I then checked in with my producer to make sure nothing needed to be changed.
Video Game Composer
As the video game composer, I was tasked with creating a soundtrack that would fit the game. After looking for a style and confirming it with the producer, I began researching retro wave music. The soundtrack needed to be bouncy and club-like, with an energetic feel to complement the game and fit the overall theme. I listened to countless retro wave tracks to understand how the instruments should be arranged. Then, I opened Logic Pro X, my go-to digital audio workstation, and started finding sounds that matched the retro wave theme. If I couldn't find a suitable sound, I created it from scratch using synthesizers, experimenting with oscillators and filters to achieve the desired effect. The drums were straightforward, featuring a kick and a clap to establish that bouncy club groove. For the leads, I used two detuned saw waves to ensure they cut through the mix effectively. Since the composition would be looped, I kept it short, with 8 bars for the buildup and 4 bars for the main chorus. At the same time, I incorporated many small changes to keep the listener engaged and prevent monotony. As the music progressed, I added additional instruments, and at the very end, I allowed a brief moment of silence before bursting into the dance-like retro chorus. This project was enjoyable to create and presented an exciting challenge.
Reflection
This project was both fun and stressful, pushing me out of my comfort zone. It was my first experience creating 3D props for a game, which required me to learn how to produce quality work at a fast pace. I had to think critically while under pressure to meet the deadline. Additionally, it was my first time composing music in a different genre since I've always made hip hop tracks. This experience allowed me to explore new styles and taught me how to create my own sounds and audio synths from scratch.