currently working on VU.CITY as a tech artist

Pipeline

Most of my work at Microsoft Rare was centered around the
character art pipeline of Sea of Thieves.

Work done on this pipeline:

• Optimized and redesigned underlying framework
• Added LOD support (Simplygon)
• Added automated testing
• Added user-feedback for current running batches

Files went from over 2 hours of processing to under 20 minutes.
I achieved this by smarter use of for-loops and converting the core pymel code to openmaya.

Other

Other tasks I worked on during the development of Sea of Thieves:

• Created a autorigger for props, and a rigtransfer tool for prop-variations with shared rig.
• Supported artists with various issues and encouraged best practices
• Created documentation for tools

After Sea of Thieves released I worked on some of the development of the new toolframework API. (using pyQT)
This is something that is still in progress and is shared between several Tech Artists.

Data Science

Afterwards I moved to prop optimizing for Sea of Thieves.
This was quite challenging since we had 3000+ assets, which were all set up manually.
First I worked together with the engineers to get access to all data.
Then I categorized the data using numpy and pandas.
Afterwards I wrote an algorithm in Python to detect the expensive assets.
Following this I wrote a batch fix which ran on all Maya source assets.
By using the data I linked all source assets to their matching uassets in Unreal.
Then I worked together with a engineer to batch import all assets in the game.

During this process I also used the data to point out issues on incorrect assets.
And created graphs using matplotlib to show relationships between vertcount and memorysize.

Temple of Xiala is my second released indiegame. All code, art and leveldesign was done by me. After creating a strong MVP, the game was successfully kickstarted and released on Steam.

Achievements

• Successfully ran a Kickstarter campaign
• Strong & readable art-style (and first time Pixel Art)
• Steam API integration (achievements, cloudsave)
• Used Pyxel and Corona/Lua for the first time
• Custom Pipeline to use Pyxel as my level editor
• Teach players new gameplay without using text

To speed up creating levels I created a pipeline between the art program (Pyxel) and the game engine. This enabled me to export levels straight from Pyxel without having to use a third party tile editor, or write my own level-creator. This is done by using the existing tile functionality from Pyxel. Then the layer information is exported to a json, which can, with the help of some custom code, be read directly by the game code to generate levels.

I started working at Freejam as an Artist, but quickly grew into the role of tech artist. My technical skills made me a bridge between Art and Code and I often worked closely with the Art director to get his ideas in the game. This resulted in a broad range of responsibilities which I quite enjoyed.

• Worked together with artists and coders to set up assets correctly in the game
• Created quick playable itterations for new maps together with the game designer
• Provided art passes in worldmachine for the terrain
• Worked together with the art team to create props and content for the map
• Created new shaders to assist the VFX team
• Optimised the game based on feedback from the CTO and my own research
• Optimised shaders in Unity and created a shader inheritance system for the cubes in Robocraft
• Provided R&D for new tools for the Artists
• Created basic pipeline tools and scripts

Breakdown

A puzzle game I developed on my own. I did all code, art, leveldesign and soundeffects. The goal is to connect all tiles of the same color, without disconnecting previously connected tiles. The gameplay is based on the original flowbased color connect genre but adds the challenge of 3 dimensions.

Coding achievements:

• Level-editor in Unity
• Saves your progress locally and on the Steam cloud
• Steam achievements (integration with the Steam API)
• Tutorial system that can be easily set up per level
• Recursively check adjacent tiles to detect connected colors (similar to A* path-finding)
• Localized (translated) with the help of several people online
• Positive reviews on Steam and Google Play
• Dynamic UI changes with resolution (supports mobile, web and PC)

Worked as a Junior 3D artist on this mobile title. We worked on a complete graphic overhaul. My responsibilities were oriented towards leveldesign and environment art.

• Created levels in Unity working closely with the leveldesigner
• Redid the lighting to create mood.
• Created props to fill the levels with.
• Rigged characters for a prototype:
  mud demon rig
  cyclops rig

In this before and after you can see how I redid the lighting and added props.
Old level on the left, new level with better lighting on the right.

• Created a automated pipeline in Photoshop for exporting localized marketing screenshots
• Participated with the production of the beat-them-all game Combo Crew for mobile platforms
• Integrated content in Unity (2D backgrounds, new attack moves, animation attack timing and VFX matching)
• Participated in the game and level design of the studio’s games.
• Participated in the testing and polish of the game
• Assisted in updating the studios existing games (Squids)

My first Credits! They even gave me a little image.