Kilgore's Lab is an environment created for Katmandu marketing "Shorts" content, as well as my first dive into Unreal Engine 5 and its new systems. This environment was created in 5.0 when issues like transparency, nanite bugs, and lumen glitches made it a fun, interesting, and sometimes frustrating challenge to get right.
I was largely responsible for this entire environment creation and layout with the direction of my wonderful team lead and creative director, taking it all the way from concept to engine implementation.
I was responsible for:
- Conceptualizing block-out versions for PreVis to get environment scale, layout, and style.
- Creating modular assets for the building such as walls, windows, rafters, and railings.
- Creating spline blueprints for repeating meshes such as the ground wires and the string lights.
- Creating hero assets such as the Clock Tower face, the Gecko Terrarium, and Busby the Robot's charging bay.
- Implementation and optimization of asset packs such as Kitbash 3D packs, Substance Source assets, and assets from the studio vault for use in-engine.
- Layout of all areas of the environment and adding kitbash assets to give each area some life and character.
- Texturing all assets using a combination of Quixel Megascans materials, Substance Source materials, and hand texturing assets in Substance Painter and Designer.
- Creating the Vertex Painting Master Material and vert painting dirt, grout, etc. on the walls, ceiling, and floor for material breakup.
- Initial first pass of lighting using lumen and testing a variety of lighting scenarios for different times of day.
First pass lighting and testing Lumen features
Kilgores' Lab Lighting Test (V2)
Kilgores' Lab Lighting (V3)
Kilgores' Lab Lighting (V4)
Still shot from one of the shorts
The Vehicle Workshop
Shot of the back of the lab
Shot of the Workshop and storage area
Busby the Robot's charging bay in set
Busby the Robot's charging bay
Close up of Photos and Posters to give the bay some character
The Study: Megascans used for the books, desk and terrarium flora
Workshop area early layout
Inside the Gecko Terrarium with megascans assets for flora and the Gecko home based on a Katmandu IP building
Pre Vis and Blockout
Early Blockouts of the Lab in Maya
Blockout Version 2
Blockout Version 3
Blockout Version 4
Blockout Version 5
Modular Pieces early stage
First Layout of modular pieces
Refined Models and Textures
Building the second floor walk way
Layout of pre made assets and assets from Megascans and Substance Source
Replacing blockout assets with finished versions
Blocking of the desk, study area, and chalkboards
More Blocking of assets in the Cartography area
Scrapped concept for a Busby Robot building station
Here is a collection of various layouts that were scrapped or picked apart for the final concept
Scrapped concept 01
Scrapped concept 02
Scrapped concept 03
