Dark Fantasy Knight

Project

This project began with the question of how to make simple-shaped characters appear visually striking. I focused on analyzing weathering techniques in detail to give the armor a more realistic and dynamic look. I envisioned how the character’s armor would get damaged over time, crafted a narrative for the weathering, and aimed to reflect this story in the character’s design.

References

When gathering references, I primarily sought real-world photos rather than relying on other 3D works. I focused on images of ancient armor displayed in museums and traditional armor forged using historical techniques.

The most valuable resource, however, came from YouTube videos. Blacksmithing videos, showcasing the forging process, were particularly insightful in understanding the form and functionality of the armor from various angles.

I also reviewed videos of people wearing the armor and engaging in medieval combat tournaments, which provided valuable perspectives on how the armor functions in action.

Particularly helpful were the videos showing how actual weapons impact the armor, which allowed me to observe how damage occurs, guiding me in applying realistic weathering effects.

Software

• ZBrush
• Maya & 3ds Max
• RizomUV
• Substance 3D Painter
• Unreal Engine 5 (UE5)

Blockout/Modeling

Since the character’s size directly influences lighting and textures in the engine, I began by establishing the correct scale and creating a base model. I started in ZBrush, using low polygons to define the basic shape and proportions of the armor.

Since the character doesn’t feature intricate patterns or many attachments, I concentrated on achieving a stable and appealing silhouette.

Afterward, I brought the base model into Maya, where I directly retopologized the geometry to maintain the armor’s solid form while expressing weathering effects.

I then refined the shape, introducing variations in the height and spacing of the raised areas on the armor and finishing the edges with different forms to give the armor more intricate detail.

I returned to ZBrush to add hammered details typical of forged armor and to enhance the overall design with weathering effects.

Weathering

Density

When applying weathering, my primary focus was on its density. Rather than overusing the effect, I concentrated on applying weathering only to the necessary areas. I started by adding prominent weathering to key points, then used smaller effects across the entire armor to balance the damage.

Additionally, I added weathering to symmetrical areas to create silhouette changes, which helped enhance the overall richness of the design.

Story

When applying weathering, I imagined the imaginary weapons that would be used against this character. I considered the type of weapon and the direction in which it would be swung, ensuring that the damaged areas flowed continuously across the different pieces of armor.

Additionally, I thought about which parts of the armor would be attacked most frequently and which areas would be most vulnerable to fatal strikes. I focused on adding more weathering to those specific areas to reflect the natural damage they would endure.

Types of Weathering

In the actual medieval period, it was said that plate armor couldn’t be easily damaged by weapons, so when applying weathering, some exaggeration and personal interpretation were necessary.

I used different types of weathering for different weapons, such as scratches made by swords, broken marks from axes, dents caused by blunt weapons like hammers, and piercing marks from arrows or spears.

This variety of damage added richness to the character’s overall appearance. Additionally, I incorporated rust effects, cracks, and environmental damage through texturing.

Broken Damage

For areas of broken damage, I followed a step-by-step process:

1. Mark the areas of the armor to be broken using a mask and then group them.
2. Use the “Polish by Group” function to clean up the mask and then delete it.
3. Apply the necessary thickness and use Dynamesh to refine the broken sections.
4. Refine the broken areas to make them solid.

UV

While working on the UVs, I assigned a separate material for the mask area representing the face. I then separated the upper body, lower body, and weapons into distinct parts.

For the cloth materials, I assigned a separate material to apply cloth simulation in Unreal Engine.

The feathers on the shoulder arrows were taken from Megascans, and in total, I used six different materials for the character.

Texturing

Since I had expressed a lot of weathering in the highpoly for texturing, I focused on highlighting the weathering details I had already worked on. I first established the base texture for the armor and then refined the details to enhance the overall quality.

I used curvature and cavity maps on the base to bring out the depth and expressed the light reflections on the edges using an edge mask.

Additionally, I added worn-out effects caused by contact with the armor and rust details, which I couldn’t express in the high poly, to further elevate the overall quality of the armor.

Rendering

The rendering was done in Unreal Engine. The lighting setup was quite basic, consisting of a top-down key light, a fill light, and multiple rim lights.

I also added a slight color tint to the lights to reflect the overall color and mood of the armor.

Animation

For the animation, I used simple rigging and morphing and applied cloth simulation to the fabric parts.

Conclusion

Looking at the overall work, I feel that the expression of weathering is still lacking. Above all, clear weathering expression is crucial for achieving good quality in the texturing process.
I think that by referring to actual references during the high-poly creation process, I can create a better piece.

I would like to express my special thanks to my mentor, Moon Ui Joo, for helping me complete this project. If you want more information about the process, you can use this YouTube link.

Thank you for reading my post, and I hope it was helpful to you!