Unreal Tournament - DM-KoosBarge
Secret Level - Unreal Tournament: Xan
A dream project with a dream team.
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Blur Studio's first dive into Unreal Engine, created entirely in UE 5.3. We didn’t take the easy route; instead, we pushed Unreal beyond its limits.
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Created entirely in Unreal Engine 5.3, the episode features real-time workflows spanning rigging, layout, animation, and FX. Rendering was achieved using Lumen, with ray-traced shadows and reflections wherever available.
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This is one of the fight sequences I "owned," totaling 56 shots. I was responsible for designing the look of the sequence, final lighting, compositing, and set-dressing, as well as occasional modeling and surfacing. The light scenography and light animation for the Arena transformation were a collaboration with episode CG supervisor Jean Baptiste Cambier, who not only provided incredible advice and ideas but also created comprehensive blueprints for all of the illumination in the Arena.
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This project was a true labor of love, made possible by the insanely talented art badasses at Blur. You guys inspired me every day, pushed me to be better at my craft, and made this madness possible!
https://www.artstation.com/jbcambier
https://www.artstation.com/m0j0
https://www.artstation.com/damscool
https://www.artstation.com/allachernova
If you haven’t already, go watch Secret Level on Amazon! The show is a love letter to video games, and I couldn’t be more proud of how it turned out.
This was the main look dev shot that defined the lighting animation and overall feel of the sequence. While some shots are shaped quickly, others become a nightmare. Despite nearly melting my brain, this shot came out beautifully!
Created entirely in UE 5.3
The introduction of the mercenaries was one of my favorite parts of the sequence, with lots of fun opportunities for lighting.
Legendary human combatant, Malcolm.
Legendary human combatant, Malcolm.
One of my personal favorite shots from the sequence.
The transformation of the arena was incredibly fun to light and design the light scenography for.
The original DM-KoosBarge map from the game was set on an actual boat. When designing the lighting, I wanted to create an illusion that paid homage to that by isolating the KoosBarge and lighting it as if it were floating on water.
My idea for the sequence was to gradually introduce more blue lighting as the mercenaries took the lead. I used the commercial animation behind Malcolm to frame him while also bathing him in blue light.
The culmination of the final fight was dominated by blue, as the robots were completely defeated.
Fun little shot to work on, with the robot overlay comp done by Jean Baptiste Cambier.