Mihir Gosavi

@mihir-gosavi

MA Games Art Student at University of Hertfordshire

80 posts

FMP – Creating the Shrine

After finishing the storage house, I moved on to another supporting building for the environment: a small shrine located within the estate. During my research, I found that many Japanese samurai estates included a small Shinto shrine inside the compound, so I wanted to include one as part of my environment to make the layout feel more believable.

At this stage of the project, I was getting closer to my deadline and was slightly behind my original schedule. Instead of creating an entirely new modular kit, I decided to reuse the modular pieces from the storage house and adapt them into a shrine. This approach allowed me to save time while keeping the architectural style consistent across the estate.

While gathering references, I also noticed that shrine architecture varies depending on its location, purpose, and period. Rather than using the iconic vermilion shrine design, I decided to build a shrine that shared the same materials and architectural style as the rest of the estate. This helped it feel like it belonged within the compound while maintaining a consistent visual language throughout the environment.

Most of the changes were made to the roof structure, entrance, and side wall modules. Although the shrine was built from the same foundation as the storage house, these modifications gave it its own identity and helped prevent the two buildings from looking identical when placed next to each other. I was really happy with how the final design turned out, as it felt distinct while still fitting naturally within the estate.

At this stage, I have completed a large portion of my modular kit, and I am really happy with how the assets are coming together. These are all the modular assets I have created so far.

FMP – Developing the Storage House

With the main houses and boundary walls assembled in Unreal Engine, I was happy with how the environment was starting to come together. The next step was to create the supporting buildings that would help make the estate feel more complete. I began working on a storage house that would be positioned behind the three main houses.

Since I had already created the trim sheets for the walls and roof, I decided to reuse them instead of creating new ones. I created the three main wall sections in Blender and followed the same workflow I had used for the entrance gate by reusing and modifying the existing roof structure to fit the storage house.

After completing the model, I imported the modular pieces into Unreal Engine and assembled the first version of the storage house to see how it looked within the environment.

Once I placed the building into the scene, I realized that the storage house looked too small compared to the three main houses. Since the estate is intended to be occupied by three families, it made more sense for the storage building to have a larger footprint to accommodate shared supplies. Instead of leaving it as it was, I went back into Blender and modified the modular pieces by extending a few sections of the building while keeping the same overall design.

After re-importing the updated assets into Unreal Engine, the revised version felt much more balanced and fit the scale of the environment far better.

FMP – Importing the Modular Kit into Unreal Engine

With the entrance gate and boundary wall piece complete, I originally planned to import each asset into Unreal Engine as I finished it. However, I decided it would be more efficient to complete the entire entrance structure first before testing everything together.

After importing the assets into Unreal Engine, I spent some time making small adjustments to the materials and textures. Most of the changes were minor, but they helped improve the overall appearance and ensured the assets matched what I had created in Blender. Once those issues were resolved, I began placing the modular pieces into the scene and assembling the buildings.

Having the assets inside Unreal Engine also gave me my first opportunity to see the scale and proportions of the environment in context. I started building the main house using the modular kit and then expanded the layout by placing the remaining buildings and the boundary walls around the estate. Seeing everything come together made it much easier to identify what additional assets would still be needed during the next stage of production.

FMP – Completing the Boundary Wall Modular Kit

With the supporting wall modular piece finished, I needed one more wall variation to complete this section of the boundary wall. The purpose of this piece was to fit between the corner piece and the wall section connected to the main entrance gate, allowing the entire structure to be assembled without leaving any awkward gaps.

The modelling process followed the same workflow as the previous wall pieces. Once the proportions were in place, I applied the trim sheet to make sure the textures matched the rest of the modular kit. Since all of these assets share the same materials, I wanted to keep the overall appearance consistent while making each piece flexible enough to be reused throughout the environment.

Alongside the middle wall section, I also created the corner piece. This was an important part of the modular kit, as it would determine how the boundary wall changed direction around the estate. I was really happy with how this piece turned out, and once it was textured, it blended well with the rest of the wall modules.

At this stage, I had completed the main wall sections needed for the boundary wall. Seeing all three modules together made it much easier to visualize how the full perimeter of the estate would come together in Unreal Engine.

To check if all the modular pieces fit together correctly, I assembled the complete wall structure in Blender before moving further into production. This helped me verify that the different sections connected properly and that there were no noticeable gaps between the pieces.

FMP – Creating the Supporting Wall Modular Piece

With the entrance gate complete, I moved on to creating the supporting wall modular piece that extends from either side of it. To keep the design consistent, I followed the same approach I had used for the entrance gate and reused the roof section once again, modifying it to fit the wall piece.

The modeling process was fairly straightforward, as most of the work involved adjusting the existing roof asset and building the wall structure around it. Reusing the roof not only saved time but also helped maintain the same architectural style across the entrance and boundary wall. Since these pieces would be repeated throughout the environment, I wanted to make sure they could be reused without requiring additional changes later.

Once the model was complete, I applied the trim sheet to check that the textures worked correctly and matched the rest of the environment. This also gave me the opportunity to verify that the UVs were working as expected before creating any additional wall variations. After confirming that everything lined up correctly, I was able to use this piece as the foundation for the remaining boundary wall modules.

FMP – Testing the Trim Sheet on the Entrance Gate

With the entrance gate modelled, I applied the wall trim sheet to check whether everything lined up correctly and to make sure the textures worked as expected. Most of the materials fit the model without any major adjustments, which made it easier to evaluate the overall look of the asset before moving on.

While checking the model, I noticed an issue with the decorative flower design on the door. During the planning stage, I included this design in the trim sheet to avoid adding unnecessary geometry to the modular asset. Although I had given the pattern some height while creating it, the final result appeared completely flat once it was applied to the model.

Instead of going back and adjusting the trim sheet, I decided to model a simple low-poly version of the flower design and place it directly onto the entrance door. This gave the decoration enough depth to stand out while keeping the asset lightweight. After making that change, I was much happier with the overall appearance of the entrance gate.

FMP – Developing the Entrance Gate

With the wall trim sheet finished, I moved on to building the modular pieces for the new entrance gate and boundary walls. To keep the overall style consistent, I decided to reuse the roof structure from my main house instead of creating a completely new one from scratch.

The existing roof already matched the architectural style I was aiming for, so I modified its proportions and adjusted a few details to fit the scale of the entrance gate. Reusing this asset also helped keep the design consistent across the environment while saving time during production.

The overall structure of the gate was fairly straightforward. It was built using simple shapes, and I did not run into any major issues while putting the model together. Once the roof was finished, I completed the basic structure of the entrance gate, which gave me a solid foundation for the next stage of development.

FMP – Developing the Wall Trim Sheet

As mentioned in the previous blog post, I decided to create a new entrance gate and wall structure for my environment. Before moving into modelling the assets, I started by planning the trim sheet that would be used for these new structures.

While designing the trim sheet, I came across a few decorative elements that were more detailed than the other surface textures I had created previously. One of these was a flower design that appeared on the entrance doors. I initially considered modelling this detail directly into the asset, but after creating a first version in Blender, I realized that the polygon count was too high for such a small decorative element.

To solve this issue, I decided to move these details into the trim sheet instead. This allowed me to keep the visual quality of the design while reducing unnecessary geometry on the final asset. I modelled several complex decorative elements in Blender, including a flower petal pattern and an iron structure design, which could later be baked and projected onto the wall and entrance gate assets.

The first step was creating a basic layout in Photoshop, where I planned the placement of each element within the trim sheet. This helped me organize the different sections and understand how much space each detail would require.

After creating the decorative elements, I prepared them for integration into the trim sheet. By using these details as texture information rather than separate geometry, I could maintain the visual complexity while keeping the modular assets optimized.

Once the elements were arranged, I created the final trim sheet that would be used for texturing the new wall and entrance gate assets.

After completing the trim sheet, I moved the assets into Substance Painter to begin the texturing process. I followed the same workflow used for my previous modular assets, ensuring that the materials remained consistent throughout the environment.

The final textures were exported as PNG files and prepared to be used on the new modular pieces.

Creating this trim sheet helped me solve the challenge of adding detailed architectural designs without increasing the geometry of the assets. This approach also made the new wall and entrance gate pieces more flexible, as the same decorative details can be reused across different parts of the environment.

FMP – Expanding the Modular Kit with New Defensive Structures

After completing the roof modular piece, my next step was to bring the assets into Unreal Engine and begin testing how they looked within the environment. However, before moving into engine, I spent some time exploring Ghost of Tsushima and looking at the architectural details used throughout the game.

While exploring the different locations, I came across a wall structure and entrance gate design that suited the atmosphere I was aiming for with my samurai estate. The design felt more detailed and better represented the idea of a fortified clan residence, so I decided to create similar elements for my own environment.

Rather than immediately assembling the scene in Unreal Engine, I decided to continue expanding my modular kit by creating these additional structures first. Since the estate belongs to a samurai clan, I wanted the boundary elements to feel more defensive and substantial, reflecting the need for protection and security around the property.

My next step was to begin modelling a new wall structure and entrance gate that would fit alongside the existing modular assets. Once these elements are completed, I will bring the full kit into Unreal Engine and start testing the overall composition of the environment.

FMP – Developing the Complete Roof Structure

With the individual roof sections finished, I combined them to create the complete roof structure for the house. To do this, I mirrored the existing roof section and adjusted it so both sides aligned correctly. This gave me a full roof that I could use directly on the building while keeping the workflow simple if I needed to make changes later.

Once the full roof was in place, I created a wooden base that supports the roof which sits directly on top of the house walls. This completed the overall structure and made the roof feel much closer to its final form.

As I continued organizing my assets, I also prepared a few additional roof pieces, including corner sections and separate wooden ridge elements. Although the current houses use the same roof design, having these extra pieces will make it easier to adjust or extend the roof later if required without rebuilding the entire structure.

At this stage, the roof has become a complete modular asset instead of separate pieces. With the main structure finished, I can now focus on the remaining building components and begin assembling the final house using the modular kit.

FMP – “At the Forefront “: Modular Asset Workflows in Environment Art

While researching different workflows used in environment art, I came across modular asset creation. This is a method where artists build a collection of reusable assets that can be combined in different ways to create larger environments. Instead of modelling every building or structure from scratch, artists create smaller pieces that fit together, making the overall workflow more efficient.

From my research, modular workflows have become a common practice within the games industry, particularly when developing large environments. Environment artists often need to create locations that contain many buildings and architectural elements while working within production deadlines. By reusing modular pieces, they can build larger scenes more quickly while maintaining a consistent visual style across the environment.

Another reason modular assets are widely used is because they make it easier to update and expand an environment throughout production. If changes need to be made, artists can edit a single modular piece rather than remodeling multiple assets individually. This approach also helps reduce duplicated work and makes it easier for teams to collaborate on larger projects, which is why modularity has become an important part of modern environment art pipelines.

As I continued developing the modular assets for my final major project, Tsukikage Estate, I wanted to learn more about how this workflow is used within the games industry. Since modular design has become a major part of my production process, I felt it was important to understand why professional environment artists rely on it and how it helps them build large environments efficiently.

Researching modular workflows has helped me better understand why they are considered an essential skill for environment artists. Alongside the practical work I have been completing for Tsukikage Estate, this research has given me a clearer understanding of how modular design improves efficiency, maintains consistency, and supports the creation of large-scale environments. It is a workflow that I will continue to develop as I progress through the remainder of the project.

FMP – Integrating the Roof Window

After completing the roof ridge elements, I moved on to creating the wooden window that sits inside the roof structure. I modelled it using basic geometry and initially textured it using the wood material from the roof trim sheet that I had recently created.

Once the window was finished, I placed it inside the roof structure to see how all the elements looked together.

After reviewing the model, I noticed that the wood texture on the window did not match the rest of the house. Since it was using the wood texture from the roof trim sheet, the colour and surface details looked different from the wooden materials I had already used throughout the project. To keep the building visually consistent, I replaced it with the wood texture from my earlier trim sheet.

While reviewing the roof, I also adjusted a few of the roof ridge elements. Instead of editing both sides separately, I worked on one half of the roof and mirrored the changes afterwards. This allowed me to make the adjustments more efficiently while keeping both sides symmetrical.

I also tested a few color variations for the roof before deciding on the version that suited the overall style of the building.

After making these changes, I assembled the roof again to review the final result. The roof now looks much more consistent with the rest of the house, and the overall structure is much closer to the design I have been working on.

FMP – Developing the Roof Ridge Elements

Once the main roof structure was in place, I moved on to creating the supporting elements that complete the overall roof design. The next assets I focused on were the roof ridge pieces, which sit along the top and edges of the roof and help define the silhouette of the building.

I created two different versions of the roof ridge. The first was the main ridge piece that runs along the highest point of the roof. This was relatively straightforward to model, as it mainly consisted of a simple straight form with decorative end details.

The second ridge element sits along the sloping section of the roof. Although its final shape follows the curve of the roof, creating it was much easier than expected because I was able to build on the workflow I had developed while modelling the roof tiles. I first modelled a straight version of the asset and then used the Lattice Modifier to bend it into the required shape. Since I had already experimented with this modifier during the previous stage of development, the process felt much more efficient and required far fewer adjustments than before.

Creating these supporting pieces helped bring the roof closer to its final appearance and reinforced the modular workflow I have been following throughout this project. Reusing techniques from earlier stages has also made the modelling process more efficient, allowing me to spend less time solving technical problems and more time refining the overall design.

FMP – Refining the Modular Roof Kit

With the main roof section completed and the texture issues resolved, I shifted my attention to the remaining roof components needed to complete the structure. The next piece was a smaller roof section that sits alongside the main roof and includes the triangular opening used to support the surrounding wooden window framework.

Instead of creating everything from scratch, I was able to reuse many of the roof tiles, materials and supporting assets that I had already developed during the previous stages. This made the modelling process much more efficient and demonstrated one of the main advantages of working with a modular workflow.

As I continued developing the roof, I originally planned to create several smaller modular pieces that could be combined in different ways, giving me more flexibility when assembling the roof.

However, after reviewing the overall layout of my environment, I realized this approach would add unnecessary complexity. Since the roof design remains largely consistent across all of the houses, creating a large number of interchangeable roof modules would provide very little benefit. Instead, I decided to build a complete roof section that could still be extended or simplified later by removing individual elements if required.

This decision allowed me to maintain the advantages of a modular workflow while reducing the amount of unnecessary asset creation. It also meant I could spend more time refining the overall quality of the roof rather than producing variations that would rarely be used within the final environment.

At this stage, I assembled the primary and secondary roof sections together to evaluate how they fit as a complete structure. Seeing both sections connected helped me assess the overall proportions and confirmed that the modular pieces aligned correctly before moving on to the remaining architectural details.

With the main roof structure now taking shape, I have a solid foundation that can be reused across the different buildings within the estate. The remaining work will be focusing on refining the surrounding architectural elements and integrating the roof into the complete modular house.

FMP – Refining the Roof Texture and Resolving the Issue

After updating the roof textures in Substance Painter, I still noticed the same texture inconsistencies once the asset was brought back into Blender. Since the changes to the texture had not fully resolved the problem, I began investigating whether the issue was related to the model itself rather than the material.

My first step was to revisit the geometry and UVs. I removed the existing seams and unwrapped the model again to test a different UV layout. While doing this, I also added a small amount of extra geometry around the edges of the roof to improve the overall shape and create a smoother silhouette.

Although these adjustments slightly improved the result, the visible texture variations across the roof tiles were still present. This suggested that the model itself was not the primary cause of the issue.

I then returned to Substance Painter and reviewed the texture setup more carefully. During this process, I identified two filters that were affecting the final appearance of the roof material: the Moss Opacity filter and the Discoloration Opacity filter. After adjusting these settings, I also created a darker version of the roof texture to better match the visual style I wanted for the environment.

After exporting the revised textures and applying them in Blender, the issue with the visible texture variations was finally resolved. The roof now has a much more consistent appearance, and the darker color better reflects the style I had planned from the beginning.

This stage reinforced the importance of testing each part of the workflow individually. By checking the geometry, UVs, and textures one step at a time, I was able to narrow down the source of the problem instead of making random changes. Although resolving the issue took several iterations, it has resulted in a much stronger roof asset that I can confidently use throughout the rest of the modular environment.

FMP – Revisiting the Roof Trim Sheet

After noticing the texture inconsistencies on the roof, I decided to revisit the trim sheet in Substance Painter to determine whether the issue was being caused by the textures themselves. My initial assumption was that the color values or material settings might be affecting the final result once the asset was rendered in Blender.

While reviewing the trim sheet, I also realized that the roof tiles appeared more saturated than I had originally intended. The reference images I have been following use much darker roof tiles, so I adjusted the material to create a deeper green tone that better matches the overall style I wanted for the environment.

After exporting the updated textures, I applied them back onto the roof model in Blender. The color was much closer to my intended result, making the roof feel more consistent with the overall aesthetic of the project. However, the visible texture variations across different sections of the roof were still present, suggesting that the issue was not caused by the trim sheet itself.

Although this did not solve the problem, it helped narrow down the possible causes. By ruling out the textures, I now know that I need to continue investigating other parts of the workflow, such as the UV layout or the way the geometry is interacting with the material inside Blender.

FMP – Texturing the First Roof Module

With the first modular roof piece modelled, the next stage was to apply the third trim sheet and test how the textures worked on the asset. This was my first opportunity to see how the roof trim sheet performed on a complete model rather than as an individual texture.

During the texturing process, everything appeared to be working as expected while viewing the asset in Blender's Material Preview. However, after producing rendered images, I noticed visible differences across sections of the roof. Some areas appeared slightly different from others, making the texture look less consistent than I had intended.

To investigate the issue, I experimented with different UV seam placements and adjusted the UV layout to see whether it improved the consistency of the textures. Since the roof was created using an Array modifier, each roof tile currently shares the same texture layout, which keeps the asset consistent but also makes the repeating pattern more noticeable.

At this stage, my priority is to resolve the texture inconsistencies before introducing additional variation. Once the UVs are behaving as expected, I plan to explore ways of breaking up the repetition across the roof tiles while keeping the workflow modular.

Another issue I identified was that the geometry is still slightly too low-poly in certain areas, causing parts of the curved roof shape to lose some of the smoothness I was aiming for. This is something I intend to refine alongside the UV adjustments before using the roof piece throughout the environment.

Although this stage revealed a few technical issues, testing the textures early has been useful. It allowed me to identify problems before creating the rest of the roof kit, making it easier to refine the workflow now rather than correcting multiple assets later in the project.

Mihir Gosavi @mihir-gosavi - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag