[WIP] Strawhart - 3D Game

Cypher_Creations

Hi Polycount,

My name is Jimmy Benites. I’ve been following the newsfeed here for quite some time for motivation, and I finally worked up the courage to post some of my own stuff here for C&C.

I’m a part of Cypher Creations, a (very) small indie devteam working on a 3D puzzle/platformer called Strawhart. Due to the nature of our game, we needed to design environments that were visually interesting but did not detract from the gameplay by obfuscating puzzle elements. 

We chose to use very simple textures and a monochromatic color palette. This way the player would be able to immediately tell what objects in their environment were important. The mesh work was originally super low-poly, but I added some more complex features when we decided a more emotive style would be needed for our story.

 This is an in-engine screenshot of our first stage. We use Unreal Engine 4 and I made all the 3D assets in Blender. 

 An interior shot. In earlier iterations, the chimney was basically just a rectangular box and lacked any real character.



 Another exterior shot from stage one.  I removed some of the puzzle elements here so that the environment itself was the focus.

Thanks for taking the time to look at Strawhart. My goal is to try and post updates here on a weekly basis, but for now I’d appreciate any feedback that you all see fit to give.

Feel free to reach out via email as well!

Thank you!

Cypher_Creations

Hi everyone,

Stopping in for my first weekly update! This time I have two new environmental screenshots to share. It’s been a busy week for me messing around with textures to try and really capture our art style.

The first screenshot comes from our hub world, and looks out from a stone overpass. I’m most interested in hearing people’s feedback on the foliage (Trees/Grass/Bushes) and landscape. 

 The second screenshot represents my latest attempts at harnessing UE4’s brand new volumetric lighting tech.

Thanks for taking a look. I’ll be back again next week, hopefully to show off a brand new level.

As usual, feel free to reach out via email!

- Jim

Cypher_Creations

Hi Polycount,

Weekly Update #2

As promised, I’ve got a screenshot from our newest level. I’m still trying to create a water shader that I’m happy with. The end goal is to have some ocean features like choppy water and foam, but this all has to be accomplished without making it look too realistic.  If anyone here has experience working with stylized water materials in UE4, I’d love some suggestions.

Thanks as always and as usual, feel free to reach out via email. More to come next week.

- Jim

Cypher_Creations

Hello everyone!

Another week, another update.  Hope those who celebrate July 4th had a good one.  This last week has been pretty busy for us, working hard on the game.

This screenshot is of the beginning area that helps introduce the mechanics of the game to the player.



Rather short update this week, next week I will be showing some assets and speaking about the design behind them.

Thank you for reading and all comments/suggestions are welcomed!

As usual feel free to reach out via email!

- Jim

Cypher_Creations

Hello again!

For this week's update I wanted to talk about the art style of Strawhart's first stage since we're aiming to give each stage its own personality and atmosphere.



I’ve arranged a couple of our assets from our first stage here so I could talk a little bit about the design principles behind them. You’ll notice that for the most part they are just simple rectangular shapes that don’t draw too much unwanted attention from players trying to solve puzzles. At the most, I’d expect them to try and hop on the table or the bed to try and get somewhere higher.

What detail I do add is sort of ‘carved’ into the base cuboid. You’ll notice that I use a lot of concave edges to give the props the atmospheric character that I mentioned in the Week 1 Update.  I try to maintain consistency of design by placing most straight lines perpendicular to curved ones.  I think this makes for some interesting shapes, particularly with props like the wardrobe.  The objects are instantly recognizable for what they are, but still have a slightly otherworldly, magical quality to them.

You might have noticed the box on top of the table on the far left stands out way more than the other props. That one was designed to be interacted with by the player, so I made it more detailed so that it immediately pops out to the player.

Thank you for reading this week's update, comments/suggestions are welcomed.

Like always feel free to reach our via email!

- Jim

Cypher_Creations

Hello everyone,

Another update, another week.  This week I’m showing a different stage, which you could probably intuit right away just from looking at the shape of the props. It is set inside of a large manor where an important character resides. As opposed to curvy lines, this stage uses a lot of boxy concaves make the environment seem ornate and heavy.

I'm tying the environment back to our puzzle gameplay, I opted for a mazelike texture for the hardwood floors. I think it really sells the idea that they’re in some byzantine manor filled with traps and puzzles. I also like the translucency on the window curtains, and how they influence the lighting on the floor.

Thank you for taking the time to read this week's update, comments/suggestions are welcomed.

Like always feel free to reach our via email!

- Jim

Metemer

I love the art style so much. So elegant, so confident!

When actively trying to look for something I can critique, it's the grass that I'm mostly gravitating toward. For one, I don't think they're casting shadows at the moment? And for two, I feel like it's a bit too thick, but that's probably just me.

Found one more thing, which is the flat shading on that metal pole in the middle of that generator looking thingie. I don't think it fits with the rest of the style and it causes it to stand out. Although maybe that's completely on purpose because it's a gameplay element? If that's the case then sure :P

Keep it up, this seems really inspired. I also think the monochromatic idea is great, you made it work well so far which I'm sure was difficult.

Cypher_Creations

@Metemer Hi Metemer, thank you for the kind words and taking the time to check us out.  You are correct the grass is not casting shadows at the moment, the grass in currently going through many phases and as you mentioned I too think it is a bit thick.  It's still something were tweaking and wanted to see what others thought first before making big changes to it.  As for the metal pole, its funny that you say that because we actually decided to remove it for the same reason you mentioned and it also got in the way of the puzzle in that section.  

Again thank you for the kind words and I hope you check back next Monday for our next update!

- Jim

Cypher_Creations

Another update! So you know its Monday!

Weekly Update #6

I’ve got something a bit different this week, I wanted to show how we transition from a basic layout to an environment that tells a story. Both screenshots have been taken from the same location and belong to the interior of the manor stage I previewed last update.

The first screenshot is from a build of the game that we brought to an expo to get some people playtesting our puzzles.  All the textures here are just simple flat colors. As a player you get the impression that you’re in a big building, and you can navigate the layout, but that’s about it.

The next screenshot is of the same room, but makes several big architectural changes in addition to the texture work being done. The second floor balconies have been extended the length of the corridor to give the players additional explorable space, helping to sell that this is a lived-in space and not just a box for puzzles.  The large chandelier has been replaced with several smaller, lower hanging ones that follow the red carpet, and the archway in the middle of the room has been restructured in a bid to funnel players naturally in that direction.  The floor has changed from wood to reflective marble, to keep the space feeling open and grand, despite being smaller due to the second floor overhangs.
  

Since this rooms’ in-game function is to allow the player to be able to move between the various rooms and floors of the stage, its visually a little busier than most things we make. Since we don’t have to worry about puzzle readability, we can really leverage this part of the environment for worldbuilding. For example, the untextured portraits on the walls will eventually feature the manor’s residents.

As a beginner I just wanted to show that no matter where you begin, with passion and dedication you can build on your skills and progress to become a better artist.

Comments and suggestions are welcomed!

Thank you for reading this weeks update, hope you stay tuned for next week's!

As usual feel free to reach out via email!

- Jim

rexo12

very nice! You mentioned removing gameplay elements to focus on the environment, but personally I actually would like to see the gameplay props so I can see how you are telegraphing them to the player, if that's alright, of course.

Cypher_Creations

@rexo12 Hi rexo12, thanks for taking the time to check us out.  We have plans to show the puzzle elements pretty soon, to give you guys a better understanding of how Strawhart plays.  We're also working on something else that will give you guys a much better feel and view of our game.  I hope you stay tuned and keep checking us out each week, a lot more to come soon!

Thank you again!

- Jim

Cypher_Creations

Hello everyone!

Its the end of July and we have another update to wrap it up!

Today I have another look at Strawhart’s hub stage, which we’ve previously showed a bit of. The house pictured belongs to our player character. It shares a lot stylistically with our Stage One designs, as the two areas follow naturally between each other in the game’s story.

The hub is designed to change aesthetically as the player progresses through the game, with things like the lighting and the seasons changing to help convey the passage of time to the player. The idea here is to really sell the “grand adventure” feeling. We want the player to return home from some distant land and then be taken aback at how things have changed in their absence.  Aside from aesthetic changes, the hub will play a significant role in the story's progression, as well as other things to do, but more on that later on!

Thank you for taking the time to read this week's update, all comments, critiques, questions and suggestions are welcomed!

As you all know, feel free to reach out via email!

- Jim



 

Cypher_Creations

Weekly Update #8

Hello everyone, its Monday so you know what that means!

This week we have a small update, showing a different environment.  We are aiming to environments that are appealing and unique.  We're still aiming for the monochromatic look here with the buildings facade, only really accenting it with the slightly reflective windowpanes.  As you can see we grab the players attention with a reflective material around the door as opposed to and indicator or visual effect.  

 
Smaller update this week, we hope to be able to show some of the puzzles elements we mentioned very soon as well as the stage we teased several weeks ago, so stay tuned!

Thank you for taking the time to read this week's update, all comments, critiques, questions and suggestions are welcomed!

As you all know by now, feel free to reach out via email!

- Jim

Cypher_Creations

Weekly Update #9

Hello everyone!

Apologies for the lack of update last week, I was in the middle of putting together my new PC and getting everything back in order to continue working.

This week I wanted to show off our fire particle (WIP) in honor of the Solar Eclipse in the States.  Particle FXs are very important, not only because they're cool but because they catch the player's attention and help them recognize and understand what is happening.  I aimed to keep the style of our Particle FX similar to that of the overall game, simple yet distinguishable.

 
Thank you for taking the time to read this week's update, all comments, critiques, questions and suggestions are welcomed!

Feel free to reach out via email!

- Jim

Cypher_Creations

Weekly Update #10

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a great holiday and soon a happy new years!  Today we have an update fitting of the season.

Apologies for our lack of communication in the past few months, we've been hard at work on the game and preparing some really cool stuff we'll be showing very soon.  In the meantime, we wanted to show off some of that hard work!  This is a look at a more polished iteration of the stage shown previously in update #2.  This level is still a work in progress but the aesthetic is taking shape.  



We will be revealing more in the next coming weeks!

Thank you for taking the time to read this week's update, all comments, critiques, questions and suggestions are welcomed!

- Jim

Mythran

https://us.v-cdn.net/5021068/uploads/editor/3l/t3ucl4u5dpw0.jpg
The trees could be less monotonous, else great job!

Cypher_Creations

Thanks for the feedback @Mythran !  I'd agree that the trees aren't quite where we want them to be yet. Do you think it's the mesh or the leaves themselves?  We have four different trees right now.

Mythran

Both, the trees all look the same, even if they'r not... less trees could solve the problem or placing an unique object like a bigger boulder or a dry well.. but the most important just add variance to those trees size...
And the tunnel falls in the same category, too flat, missing dirt or something since this is a arid area and all the brownish fell it's too much grey.

Cypher_Creations

Thanks again @Mythran  for taking the time to respond!  Taking another look at the screenshot, I'm sure that the trees being on the same elevation isnt helping things either.  We use Unreal Engine's foliage tool to place them, so it shouldn't be too much work to experiment with thinning out the forest and adding a scale modifier. Thanks for the suggestions!

I'm a little less concerned about the tunnel, since players who have tested through the area usually just sprint through it, but your point still stands and we are planning on going back to our "levels" and doing several passes for detail and changes.

Mythran

Glad, if helped.
Keep up showing those nice screenshots!

Have a nice new year! This is valid for the whole forum!

Cypher_Creations

@Mythran You definitely did, it is always good to have other opinions and set of eyes!

Thank you for taking the time.

Cypher_Creations

Weekly Update #11

Hi Polycount!

I wanted to kick off 2018 by showing you Strawhart’s first official teaser trailer! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGwQyat1H-I

We’ve put a bunch of work into the game and the trailer, so it’s really gratifying to finally get to put it out into the world!  

We rendered most of the footage you see directly from Unreal Engine, using the sequencer to capture at a high resolution and steady framerate. It was edited in Lightworks.  I’m also really excited to finally talk about some of our puzzle pieces as @rexo12 mentioned earlier.  At 0:34 in the trailer you can see an example of our Ballast in action. It’s not 100% completed, we still have to refine it a bit and add some materials, but the theory behind it is there.

The Ballast was an interesting problem, as it has 3 gameplay states, all of which had to be communicated to the player instantly in-game.  In its default state, it is a simple cube that can be carried around, jumped on, etc. In its “amplified” state, it turns weightless, and floats upwards towards the ceiling. In its “concentrated” state, it becomes immovably heavy, crashing to the ground and destroying any fragile objects that it comes into contact with. 

We solved this problem by making the Ballast two meshes. The first is a hollow, translucent cube. The second is a morph target that, by default, snugly fills the entirety of the cube. 

For the Ballast’s “amplified” state, the morph target shrinks into a small sphere. We then tweak a material parameter in order to make the sphere pulse and ripple, like a water balloon. An audio cue also plays, similar to that of a helium balloon inflating. Since the ballast is now smaller (by virtue of the morph target) and less solid (due to the material parameter), the player understands it to be lighter, and it makes sense to them that the object will float.

For the Ballast’s “concentrated” state, I extruded the morph target, so that it exceeds the bounds of the translucent cube containing it. The audio cue of the ballast hitting a surface is also swapped out for that of a much heavier impact. Since players generally assume that bigger objects are heavier, it helps to convey the idea that the ballast is heavier than before, and can be used in ways that its lighter state could not (weighing something down, for example). 

Thank you for taking the time to read this week's update, all comments, critiques, questions and suggestions are welcomed!
I’ll be back next week with some more from Strawhart!

-Jim

Cypher_Creations

Weekly Update #12

Hello and welcome everyone!

This week I wanted to talk about a pretty common theme in 3D modeling: modularity. In Strawhart we use a modular approach to building levels. For those of you not familiar, it means that all of our major scene geometry snaps to a grid using predefined increments, and can be tiled in order to construct different rooms and structures.  If you take a look at this screenshot below, you can see this modularity in effect. The wall segments of the manor are all identical in length, with the room itself being a 3x5 box of tiles. 

One of the reasons we took this approach for Strawhart is because of its central mechanics. The player can launch objects and be launched. They can be made to levitate, and puzzle pieces have maximum zones of influence. When the player is setting up the solution to a puzzle, we don’t want them to be tied up trying to do vector math in their head. Breaking up the rooms in this modular, equidistant style allows the player to intuit how far an object will go, or how high they can levitate. 

 

Of course the modular approach has some serious drawbacks that have to be considered. While Strawhart strives for a clean, readable environment, every room can’t be a 3x5 tiling box or the player will quickly become bored and lose their sense of immersion. To that end, we had to think of ways to hide modularity while still maintaining visual clarity. The screenshot below is an example of the same 5 tile stretch of wall with a door in the middle. 

Here though, we use some tricks to break up the flatness of the stretch. Each segment of wall flanking the door is extruded, changing the basic footprint of the wall from a flat line to something more natural. The pieces are still modular, but the shapes they convey to the player are more complex. The lighting in the prop windows and doors has also been changed to be asymmetrical, and a banner hangs off of the wall on the far right side, further adding to the asymmetry.  Yet the height and length of the walls are still easily determined by the player. 

 

Another big problem with modularity in puzzle games is that pretty much every gameplay set-piece you make will start its life as a puzzle in a box. In addition, a modular approach to level design is also predisposed to create neat, boxed structures.  We try and take great pains to avoid boxy puzzles, and instead incorporate them into the environment. Still, when boxes do crop up, there are some things we do to disguise them from the player.  

Take a look at the screenshot below. It is a boxed corner, but due to the way we constructed our pieces, its effect on the player is mitigated. We use a round, convex section of wall above the corner and contrast it with our concave curb to create lines that seem much more natural and free-flowing.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read a little bit about our process! If you have your own thoughts, comments, criticisms, or tips about modularity, please feel free to leave them below, they are greatly appreciated!

- Jim

Cypher_Creations

Weekly Update #13

This week I’ve got another arrangement of props, this time from the manor stage that you’ve seen a bit of by now. I wanted to reference it as an example of how you can bend the artistic rules of your game. Our stages are primarily monochromatic, with a single hex color “anchoring” the stage’s palate and other colors acting as accents.  The manor on the other hand, draws on burgundy and mahogany in equal measures. You can see this in the walls, in the tables, and even the floors.

The end result here is an environment that is by definition busier than the player is used to, thus breaking our own rule about simply colored environments. However, the manor stage is supposed to be an opulent locale, far removed from the standard of Strawhart’s world. By giving the stage the luxury of a second primary color in its palate, it helps convey this to the player.

Once we decided on breaking this rule, we had to acknowledge why it existed in the first place. We wanted monochromatic backgrounds so that the player would immediately be able to tell what objects were important when solving a puzzle. These puzzle objects would stand out immediately from the backdrop by virtue of color alone. 

So with this in mind, we knew we’d have to design the stage in a way that maintained the clarity of our puzzles. To do this, we adopted strict, clean breaks between red and brown. The red of the walls is always above head level. Unlike in the staged assortment of props above, our rugs are at rigid angles and placed in the center of rooms, etc. This allows the colors to fade into the background for the player once they begin a puzzle. The background, while more complex, is uniform. This subconsciously signals to the player that it is just that: a background.

Thank you for taking the time to read this week's update, all comments, critiques, questions and suggestions are welcomed!

- Jim

Cypher_Creations

Weekly? Update #14

Hey Polycount, 

A while ago @Mythran gave us some feedback on Strawhart’s trees, and I just wanted to update you all on where we’re at, and share a write-up we recently did on the problems with our foliage:

“We spent the week overhauling Strawhart's foliage system after we decided that our current tree's simply weren't conveying the atmosphere we wanted them to. The stage above, Westharrow, is set in a forest, and features a lumber mill, secret clearings, and a shadowy village. However, with our previous foliage (which you can see in previous posts) the idea of a forest simply wasn't popping to mind when people played the stage.

We identified the problem as being twofold. First, our current trees did not create a canopy, or any overhead cover at all. You cant have shadowy paths, or that sense of exploration without a canopy. The second problem was that our current forest was too still. People expect movement and chaos from the natural world, and our old efforts weren't conveying either of those things.

So, to solve the first problem, we made our trees much, much bigger and added leaves. The leaves were really tricky as we wanted to stay true to our 64-bit aesthetic, but still make use of what a modern engine is capable of doing (In actual 64-bit games, their forests usually consisted of a single blurry tree texture stuck on a plane, tiling over and over).

Our first solution helped us find our second. Now that we had leaves, we could add a wind sway to them, to help give the entire area a shimmer of motion. We re-did our bushes to be in line with the new look of the trees, and gave them and the grass that same sway. To compliment it further, we added a simple falling leaf particle.“

Please let us know what you think of the foliage changes, comments and criticisms are welcome!

Thanks,

Jim

Cypher_Creations

Hello everyone!

I know it's been a while since we've last posted, so from now on we are just going to call them updates rather than weekly updates.

So for this update we wanted to finally show off some gameplay from Strawhart!  You can find a longer video of more gameplay on https://www.indiedb.com/games/strawhart



I will try and post more progress frequently now that were getting the game to a more playable stage.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update, all comments, critiques, questions and suggestions are welcomed!

- Jim