Virballs - Creature Models
ABOUT: VIRBALLS
Virballs is a fun, action-packed shooter/platformer available on Steam and Epic Games. As an Object Removal Bot also known as ORB, it is your job to capture the Virballs that are running amok throughout the system. Combine captured Virballs to create new ways to battle enemies, with over 40 unique combinations! Explore and fight your way through 6 unique planets as you come across adorable Floobers needing help, dangerous enemies to defend against, and epic boss battles that will unlock new Virball combinations for ORB to use.
If you would like to check out the game, here is the Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2343110/Virballs/
WHAT I DID:
When I first started working on Virballs for Bolder Games, I was asked to help model some of the enemies the players will encounter as well as a couple of Virballs. I had an absolute blast taking each creatures wonderful concept art and transforming it into a 3d model!
For each creature I sculpted them using ZBrush, retopologized and UV mapped in Maya, and finally textured in Substance Painter.
For the Virballs I made, I took an existing template and added necessary models, before texturing in Substance Painter.
Crabapult
In Game Screenshot
UVs and Textures
Clay Render
Concept by Eric Claeys
The Crabapult was the first creature I worked on for Virballs. Immediately I loved the concept and design and was eager to get started. Starting first with a blockout of forms, I then detailed the sculpt further before retopologizing, UV mapping, and texturing.
Gas Manta
In Game Screenshot
UVs and Textures
Clay Render
Concept by Eric Claeys
The Gas Manta was the next creature I worked on. The idea for this creature was to not be hostile toward the player and instead act as a moving platform for traversal.
Octoclaw
In Game Screenshot
UVs and Textures
Clay Render
Concept by Eric Claeys
Next was the Octoclaw! Being as it was to be used as boss within the game and would be larger than the player, I spent more time pushing the tertiary details in the normal maps.
Slime Pirate
In Game Screenshot
UVs and Textures
Wireframe
Concept by Eric Claeys
The Slime Pirate was one of the last creature models I made for Virballs. This character was a blast to make as it was a more humanoid creature with a really fun design. The Pirate was sculpted in ZBrush, brought into Maya for modeling the less organic shapes, retopology and UV mapping, and finally textured in Substance Painter.
Virball - Ice
In Game Screenshot
UVs and Textures
As was the process with the Virballs, I started from a base template and added onto it to match the concept art. For the Ice Virball, I modeled the ice crystals protruding from it and textured it.
Virball - Steam
In Game Screenshot
UVs and Textures
For the Steam Virball, I modeled some of the extra details and used displacement maps for the areas of paneling that didn’t need to be full meshes before finishing with texturing.
Virball - Plant
In Game Screenshot
UVs and Textures
For the Plant Virball, aside from the leafy bits I modeled, most of the detail was textural. It was a fun challenge, layering together different textures to achieve the look of bark.