{"id":973,"date":"2025-06-01T23:52:29","date_gmt":"2025-06-01T23:52:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/colinmc.name\/e\/?page_id=973"},"modified":"2025-06-02T23:30:23","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T23:30:23","slug":"steelpunk","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/colinmc.name\/e\/steelpunk\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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objective:<\/mark> environment render<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

client:<\/mark> personal project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

process:<\/mark> blender geometry nodes<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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I concepted a stylized, atmospheric cave environment for a fictional video game. This project focused on storytelling through environment, material language, and cinematic lighting, and was developed with animation and game production pipelines in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In the lore of the game, a group of rebels have spent years secretly rebuilding a scrappy steam locomotive beneath Steens Mountain in Oregon. The gameplay would see the player piloting it through a dystopic authoritarian landscape.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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part 1: the turbine<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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This asset is a jet engine which has been converted into a geothermal power generator. Its design is heavily inspired by the J-58 Blackbird engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I knew a huge part of the effectiveness of this model would come from the mess of pipes near the front, which would be a pain to model by hand (especially because I broke my wrist on my dominant hand). I decided use Blender’s procedural modeling tool, Geometry Nodes, to save time and pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I created a simple system which takes the edges of a model and converts them into pipes with randomized thicknesses. It’s nothing too fancy, but this experience indoctrinated me into the world of procedural modeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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part 2: foliage<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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I modeled all the foliage, starting with the moss because I knew it would be the hardest to get right. I initially used Blender’s particle system for this but I was unsatisfied with the level of control I had over how the moss was placed. This led me to design my own procedural system for spawning moss on a model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As the project progressed I kept adding features to it and eventually it became a flexible tool for spawning any plant <\/em>on any surface<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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