Learning How to 3D!
While working on Beauties of Blackfall I have continued to struggle designing my levels in a completely 2D environment, I often found myself using many 3D references to try and simulate the environments I wanted to put into the game, but I still struggled...
It's at a certain point I said fuck it, I sat myself down, and forced myself to really learn how to use Blender.
I had used Blender a handful of times in the past, but this is the first time I really focused all my energy into figuring out what the hell I was doing.
[This 3D model is not featured in Beauties of Blackfall, this was simply a practice model to learn the ins and outs of Blender.]
Of course, learning an entirely new skill was kind of a difficult choice to make since I've been working on this game for quite awhile now, but I never considered Beauties of Blackfall to be a rushed cash grab project.
From the very start I told myself not to speed run, to learn, and to make everything as perfect as it can be before releasing the game.
It's very tempting to rush things but I just remember my design philosophy for the game and keep working the wayI must in order to make things work before it's inevitable launch.
Switching to a 3D environment means I will have to reconstruct each area of the game. This process will take time, but the results are much more rewarding and in a way, a lot easier for me mentally when organizing the full project.
[This is one small section of the untextured clown sewers recreated in 3D.]
With the environment changing into 3D, I have chosen to keep many details and characters 2D, simulating a familiar "Paper Mario" visual style.
[Paper Mario, 2000]
In my original vision of Beauties I pictured something very similar to Paper Mario, but I wanted to try recreating the 3D space using 2D art,
[Older versions of Beauties of Blackfall]
As much as I liked the way the lighting and 2D graphics looked, it wasn't capturing my ideas I had for the mansion.
So I took the original designs of some major areas of the game like Ella's room.
Reconstructed it in 3D.
Added lighting, some small details, and now we have a result that comes together in a way that I can really appreciate.
Most areas are still unfinished, including the small room above, but once they're populated they really start to match the style I'm looking for.
TLDR: ME TAKE 2D LEVELS AND TURN THEM INTO 3D. IT LOOK LIKE PAPER MARIO BUT IT"S HENTAI GAME ABOUT GHOSTS WITH BIG BOOBERS. HAHA.
And just in case you weren't sure. Beauties of Blackfall is still in development and it's release date is pending. Check back for more news and updates!
Check back every Monday for new posts like this one.
~ Fleppyflepster
BONUS ART
Inspired by https://twitter.com/Gritty_Hotdog's sketch of Ella.
