Qiaoqing Yu's 3D Animation Blog

This week’s task is to create all the scenes and layouts in UE5, which is a process of building and integrating all the scenes to make the entire scene look more complete. I also need to learn how to create ocean scenes during the process.

Based on the learning of this video, I created a basic ocean scene in UE5 and continuously adjusted the parameters to achieve my expected results and visuals. This is a process of learning and continuous feedback.

First make a body of water, including the land part in the middle and make adjustments. The experience after many creations and simulations tells me that it is necessary to also create a land section, otherwise the height of the sea level cannot be displayed, and the sea surface cannot be seen to be simulated.

Based on the reference image of the ocean I found, adjust the color of the water surface to make it more like the depth and color of the ocean.

Then, I adjust and test the amplitude, frequency, up and down fluctuations, wave size, and wave angle of the simulated water surface until I achieve the effect I want, as a simulation that is more like the sea.

Then, I imported the snow mountains that I had previously done on Gaea into the scene, as well as stacked and placed some rock blocks, which came from the UE5’s built-in quixel bridge.

Then, we will import the houses and blank shaders previously made in Maya into this scene, and test and add some matching materials and nodes. Then add some plants around the house to make it look more natural.

This week, the preliminary basic modeling work for the second scenario was completed.

My main task this week is to create four scenes, the most important of which are the first and second scenes. because these two scenes are relatively complex and difficult. First, finding materials and references is the most important.

In the process of creating scene models, I used software such as Maya, Gaea, UE5, and Substance painter.

The first thing I completed was learning about Gaea and creating snow mountains. Gaea is a new 3D software for me, and its main function is to create realistic models of mountains and canyons, which is very suitable for the needs of my project. I have learned the use and function of various nodes in this 3D software, because it mainly generates various landforms through nodes and parameters, and then I created the basic model of my snow mountain without any textures.

Then, enter UE5 and proceed with scene construction. For some scene models, I will first create the models and textures in Maya and Substance Painter, and then import them into UE5. The export steps are particularly important, and many times the export was not the result I wanted, so I kept trying and researching, repeating the previous steps, in order to achieve the results I needed.

Because I used to frequently use Maya and Substance painter to model and create textures, it would be more time-saving and easier for me than making them in UE5.

In the part of character development, I plan to create two main characters, one is a young person character model and the other is an elderly person character model. The model is carved and shaped by selecting reference images.

Before carving the model, the requirements for the front and side faces of the reference image are very important. By carefully observing the appearance of the reference character, I can better sculpt the character model I want.

Firstly, based on the reference image, carve a rough head model in ZBrush using clay, and then import it into Maya for topology and adjustment.

When expanding in Maya, it is necessary to pay attention to the wiring specifications and quadrilateral surface rules, otherwise there may be problems in the subsequent character making process.

The second role also follows the same steps. After completing both head models separately, import UE5 for facial capture. This is also a crucial step in generating a character’s body.

In UE5, this step may be tedious and difficult to understand, but I understood it while learning and making.

Then I entered Metahuman and continued to create the body part, which is the part that Serra taught us. We made the final modifications to the character’s facial features, hairstyle, face, upper body, lower body, etc. This will help me better complete the character model.

Reflection: Sculpting character models is the most time-consuming, complex, and important part, which can affect all subsequent character modeling processes. So I need to be very careful and hardworking. I have to use a digital board to carve in ZBrush, which may take me almost a week to complete the model modification, but it must be done well.

Preliminary design:

The preliminary design includes: Character design, Scene design, and Prop design.

Character design:

I’m going to design two characters, one for the main character and the other one for the main character’s grandfather.

I searched online for some reference images that are similar to my ideas about my animation, which can provide me with great help and reference value, and have played a good auxiliary role in my subsequent modeling work.

The first character, I want a similar main character reference, just like this reference picture, is a young, thin and honest person with two eyes that are very charming.

The second character, I want to describe an elderly person with life experiences, as the grandfather of a young man. He is an elderly, kind, but strong and energetic farmer.

Scene Design:

Scene 1: Rice field, flat road in the middle, rice field on both sides

The first scene, as the first scene to bring into the plot, is a village at the foot of a snowy mountain with wheat fields and wooden houses. This is my inspiration from traveling to Switzerland, and I think it is a very beautiful scenery.

Scene 2: Swiss lake house with snow-capped mountains behind it

The second scene is also the inspiration I gained from traveling in Switzerland. The Swiss lakes and Alpine snow mountains complement each other, forming a very beautiful lake view. I think this is the place where I can open my heart, and also the place where the protagonist can open their heart.

Scene 3: Earth and Space

I want to express the passage of time through the changes from day to night on Earth. Every day, from day to night, and from night to day, time passes by rapidly.

Scene 4: Black Hole

The black hole symbolizes the end of all destinies; it is the end and it is also eternal.

(4 Scenes)

Props: Bicycle, hoe, house, snowy mountains, earth, black hole, etc.

These are the props I want to use in the scene, and according to the needs of the plot, play the role of these props.

Preliminary idea：

I started planning to create a complete graduation project on my own. I know this is a big project that takes a lot of time and thinking, and can only be done well if you put your heart into it.

The initial theme of my script is the transcendent relationship between human beings and time and the nature of the universe. The simplest purpose is to find something, the meaning of life, or to find a way out, self-worth, and the way forward.

The following is the content of my presentation, which is my initial exploration of my own animation script and the selection of reference scene pictures and styles. (Some parts of the script may be adjusted and changed later during the production process.)

Obviously, the Interstellar(Nolan, 2014) film was a great reference for my final product, and there are many scenes and images that can be referenced and inspired for my design process as well.