Hard Surface Modeling
All the models that we’ve created from 2014 to 2021, some as individual contributors, others as a team effort.
Modo is the primary modelling tool, Substance Painter is used for IDs and masks, and texturing and shading are done inside Unreal Engine with a custom material library to take advantage of material layering (version 4.27).
Oceaneering Millennium ROV
Software used: Maya, Vray, and Photoshop were used for texturing and shading. This model was produced in collaboration with João Moura. The internal parts were split 50-50, and I was also responsible for the main structure and model assembly.
This model was a mix of a CAD model’s retopology, image references and CAD drawings.
High poly model version.
Kongsberg Hugin, Oceaneering Triton XL, Manipulators
The following models were done using Modo, Substance Painter, and rendered in Unreal Engine. These models are version 2.0. The first one was done using image references and CAD drawings, and this version was compared to a CAD model. Some parts were remodelled according to the CAD.
All these models were used inside Unreal Engine 4.0 to be a part of our digital twin software as well as the simulator.
They all added to take into consideration poly counts, number of textures sets and custom collisions.
Oceaneering Millenium ROV V2
Second pass on the Millennium ROV. This time, all parts were remodelled with a final mid-poly version to run inside our simulator, a mix between optimisation and realism. Many parts, mainly the interior, since they were very detailed, a high poly was created to be baked to the mid poly version and have all the extra details in Normal Maps, and IDs for further texturing.
All texturing was done using Substance Painter, and shading was done traditionally inside Unreal. The model had 5 UV sets with 2k textures. This image was rendered inside Unreal Engine using preset smoke clouds.
Torque Tool
This model was a test case for a new workflow we’ve implemented inside Unreal Engine. This workflow tried to mimic the material layering and shading that Epic Games used for Paragon. The 3d model was a retopo of a CAD Model. The texturing inside Substance Painter was mainly focused on IDS, masks for material blending, and custom Normal maps.
Xmas Video 2019
Video for the end-of-year festivity celebration. The intent was to create an underwater dark theme around Christmas and Oil and Gas! We were given total freedom to create these end-of-year videos, as long as they reflected the subsea/oil and gas industry in some manner. As a challenge to the team, we’ve always tried to do new explorations inside Unreal and tried to learn new features.
My role on this project was to come up with the concept/idea, do the first pass of the possible environment, create the scene layout, and set the team to work on each separate area.
Besides the final scene assembly, I was also responsible for modelling the robot and its arms, based on our coffee machine from Dolce Gusto =)! At the time, I was very inspired by Tor Fricks modelling workflows as well Seneca super tool for Modo. Tried to implement that influence on the model, as well, and tried to use many parts of our kitbash library. On the texturing side, I tried to play and have fun using Substance Painter and the new anchor workflow, as well as blending many textures and layers into the same surface. Model is a mix of everything, from a basic painted metallic material, to Portuguese tile patterns and a mix of roughness textures!!!!
Luis Forte and Sofia Lacerda modelled and animated all the other assets in the scene. Sofia was responsible for compositing, and Luis did the final edit.
Mário Ruivo Vessel IPMA
This model was part of an EU-sponsored mega project between 11 Portuguese companies. Ocean tech.
We were responsible for creating a digital twin and a simulator for a specific operation, which was expected at the end of the four-year project. This vessel was one of the models we had to create for this project. It was the first time we were able to create something similar as a team. There were no CAD models, only AutoCAD drawings. The fact that our company was the manager of this consortium, we were able to do a field trip to the vessel and take as much reference as we could to do be able to recreate the most rigorous digital version of Mário Ruivo, since that was one of the requirements of a Digital Twin.
At the time, I had already taken on a more managing role and was not able to be as much of a single contributor as I had been in previous projects. Although I still manage to find some extra time and help out the team, my responsibilities in this model were, in addition to guaranteeing that everything was up to our standards, my single contributor time was dedicated to creating a CAD version of the main layout for the boat, the central structure of the vessel, the entire white portion, the chimney, using the drawings and Rhino, later on I’ve helped in the scene assembly inside the Unreal Engine. Again, in this project, Luis and Sofia played a crucial role in making this model come to life with this level of quality and accuracy.
It still is today, one of the models the company shows as a great example of a Digital Twin.
Abyssal Simulator
This project was the most interesting and challenging project I've worked on in all the time I’ve been in Abyssal. At the time, we were a small team: two 3d artists, one physics engineer, one technical artist, one designer, and four software developers. Besides the small team, everyone was eager to break Unreal Engine and make a Simulator that would help the industry. At the time, all the simulators used for Oil and Gas had graphics that were worse than those of a PS2 game.
Around 2017/2018, Abyssal entered Epic Games' enterprise not only for our work in this software but also for the digital twin. We were the only company working in this field using Unreal Engine.
Later in 2021, the Company was acquired by Ocean Infinity.
Abyssal Reel
Compilation of all the client and internal work that was created by the team from 2017 to 2021. It was part of the welcome package we’ve sent out to Ocean Infinity!