Create a Triple-a game in Unreal: Part 2

Part 2: References and colour palette

In this instalment, we define our concept and colour palette

Okay! We are set to make a game. We know what the premise is, we have our equipment ready and a good environment to work in, so what’s next? Jump in and start modelling? No! Hold your horses there. As discussed before the key to success is planning, and to that end we need to set out a few things before we begin the actual construction phase.

We need to decide what path the player will take, what obstacles they should encounter, whether there are any shortcuts and the all-important mechanics of the gameplay. However, before we start we need to set the tone. What does the player’s in-game environment feel like, are there any notable visual cues to allow them a sense of familiarity or impending doom? I’m not talking about specific structures here, although important to keep in mind. I’m thinking about colours and their emotional impact.

I’ll add a caveat here. The process I’m describing may apply to indie artists and small studios but can vary wildly, especially as the teams become departments. You are acting as the client, creator, art director, engineer, artist, musician and UX developer. With that in mind I’m running through this course in a fairly linear process, in an attempt to give you a grounding in the overall story of game development.

Back to the topic in hand, which is the look of the game. The concept and brief define certain aspects of this, so let’s start there and see what we need to add.

We know it’s planet based, in a valley, with varying areas, and that the player needs to travel along a path from point A to point B. We also know it needs to be an open world but with a fairly clear path for them to follow. There needs to be small hints towards either an ancient or alien society.

This is where you need to don your art director/visual developer hat. The path you take here can differ to suit your skills, as you might be able to draw and paint well enough to explore the valley yourself, but never underestimate good references. They will help you define a cohesive and believable world for the gamer to inhabit while playing.

01 CHOOSE A DIRECTION

Later on in the process, you can of course return to this point and start again, but I advocate sticking to your gut feelings and as soon as you get a feel for your art direction keep on that road. You can go out on tangents and adapt what references and concepts you use, but sticking to the core of the brief and your initial feelings is probably for the best. So now is the time to open your sketch book or head to Google Images.

02 WHEN IS A PLAN NOT A PLAN?

At this stage you aren’t defining discrete elements of the game level. That comes after this, when I talk you through level planning and making bubble maps. This is all about setting the tone and getting to know the world. Let's start with broad strokes and then refine. First of all we want to know what kind of geology we are working from. We can stylise this but a solid bedrock (sorry) of reality is important. Spend some time searching for images of mountains and valleys, noting the ones you find most appropriate and that spark an emotional response. For me the Dolomites have the look and feel I’m after, albeit on a larger scale than I want.

03 REFINE THE STONE

This might seem a trivial step but choosing what kind of stone the mountains and outcroppings are made from is important. I love a nice sandstone but that could feel too warm and inviting for the mood we need to portray. A blue/grey would suit us better here. Something harsh that suits the angular nature of our refs. Limestone can suit both the colours we want and the formations, so time to gather some references. Try sticking to the cooler tones to stop you from veering too far and wondering too much about other ideas. These references are useful for colour and for when you come to texture assets later.

04 CHOOSE A COLOUR PALETTE

At this stage I like to limit the colours I will use (in a very loose

way) to help me focus. There are a multitude of methods for doing this, from swatch-making apps, colour wheel apps and so on. I will use these but I also like to take my reference boards and reduce the resolution drastically, so that the colours in the images become large blocks.

05 COLOUR BASICS

I mentioned some apps before so let's take a look at using one to further refine our colours. Visit colour.adobe.com (other options available) and you will find the colour wheel tools. You can choose one from your swatch, or skip step 4 and come straight here, then use the menu to the left to explore various schemes based on your initial swatch. Use the Extract Theme menu to upload your image for accuracy. It’s a very useful tool to refine your scheme and reinforce your colour theory skills.

06 BREAK OUT THE PAINTS

Even if you aren’t a master painter there are still benefits to breaking out some paints and exploring themes and ideas. What is nice about this method is that you can attempt to paint some concept art but really focus on the colours. Is it cool or warm, dark or bright? As you can see I’m aiming for cooler but still natural earthy tones. A mix of cool blues with spots of green. Little in the way of saturated colours, although when I start adding tech elements there will be some brightness and saturation. That’s all for the better though, as it will add some contrast, which is important to stimulate the mind and keep the player interested.