A close up view of a red garbage can, it's shaded like a comic book illustration. Around it is a realistic mall hallway. Tiles line the floor and the walls and planters are made of red brick. In the distance a skylight lets rays of sunlight shine down.

Testing shaders and textures to block out the ‘visual feel’

Block outs for feeling

Post author:Matt Murch
Post published:2018-12-03
Post category:Updates

It’s been 12 weeks since we started this semester, 8 weeks (approximately) of development towards our Alpha for Spirits. We got a block out early on, grey blocks that marked…

A view of a large open area. It has walls, floors, roofs, and thick columns, bur they are all covered in a white and grey grid. There is a large opening in the center of the ceiling, and a large rectangular hole in the floor exposing darkness below. All across the floor, small red cubes are scattered at random.

An early grey box of Spirits

Sense of space

Post author:Matt Murch
Post published:2018-11-28
Post category:Updates

Our first Blockout of the level. https://youtu.be/7VLwKHx2BqQ Our second blockout focused on getting the ‘mall’ feeling’ and working out our metrics. https://youtu.be/JClTfKwmIgI This phase of our blockout was a coordinated…

A render of a dark void, the ground is calm mirror like water with small pilles of stones. A sparse selection of barren trees reaches up into the sky. The sky is a swirling whirlpool of clouds, like an inverted tornado.

Concept render for a void environment.

Tool highlight: Windows 10 Photos App

Post author:Matt Murch
Post published:2018-10-12
Post category:Opinion Tools

When trying to crop the concept render for the Void environment, I stumbled onto some new features for the windows image viewer. The viewer can haw add “3D” effects like…

A series or rough pen sketches on a rotated sheet of lined paper. Each sketch shows a different element of an 80s era mall: The main entry filled with skylights and glass doors; the style of some shop fronts with windows or products; and several prop items like arcade cabinets, clothing racks and TVs. At the top of the page is a diagram dividing the mall layout into distinct areas for gameplay.

The sketches for my 80s mall concepts.

Starting Spirits: New team, new game, new art!

Post author:Matt Murch
Post published:2018-10-11
Post category:News Updates

Who am I? I’m Matthew, the environment artist with Open Door Games. I make 3D art and most of the supporting assets for the team. What are we making? We’re…