An attempt to reduce game development time and costs by using AI for creating 3D models of game characters
In recent years, AI technology has advanced dramatically, and attempts to use AI in the production of illustrations and manga are underway, and the possibility of using AI in the production of more complex games is being explored.
AI assisted graphics: Character modeling – Trafficking
https://www.traffickinggame.com/ai-assisted-graphics/
Mr. Kemppainen, who has been creating character and background models in the game industry, has created a 3D model of a ``2.5D game'' in which the background is 2D and the characters are 3D as a ``small prototype for fun''. , I tried to see if AI can be used.
Mr. Kemppainen said, 'I thought the best way would be to generate a character concept with AI and then create a 3D model of it.' I started by inputting and having the character's setting diagram generated. The prototype of the setting diagram actually generated by Midjourney is below. “The first results were very promising. Black and white was not good for me, but model sheets are usually black and white like this,” says Kemppainen. In addition, Mr. Kemppainen did not use the name of a specific artist in the prompt to enter into AI.
After making some adjustments, Kemppainen was able to generate a quality model sheet that could be used as the basis for a 3D model. An example of a model sheet actually generated by Mr. Kemppainen is as follows.
Images of the same character generated by AI from various angles were basically surprisingly consistent, although there were problems with perspective and angles. Kemppainen found the AI-generated back view a bit problematic, so he decided to start with the side and front views and turn them into a 3D model.
However, when the character was completed, it was found that the various texture projections did not match correctly on the mesh.
So Kemppainen created a morph map for each texture projection and made adjustments so that the front, side, and back looks match as much as possible on the mesh.
After that, the created 3D mesh was expanded in two dimensions (UV expansion) to create a 3D model.
You can check the 3D model actually created by Mr. Kemppainen using AI in the following video. In addition, this time it is premised on seeing only in the distant view, and it seems that he is not particular about the details of the character.
After the 3D model of the character was completed, the 2D background was also AI generated.
Kemppainen then used an open source tool called fSpy to transform the images into 3D space and adjust them to match the character's perspective. Then I imported the material into Unity and created a simple video of the character walking.
The video actually created by Mr. Kemppainen is below, and as long as you see the moving character in the background, you will not feel any discomfort. Mr. Kemppainen estimates that the work time including image generation with AI and 3D model creation was about 18 hours, and the work time was shortened by 2 days for character creation and 3 days for background creation.
AI game in engine screen capture-YouTube
'The results are never perfect,' Kemppainen said. 'Character close-ups aren't ideal, and backgrounds can be difficult to art direct and can be quite random. But if you accept and work around AI's shortcomings , it is possible to create a complete game using AI as a collaborator.There is no doubt that games that could not be created due to budget or time constraints can be created using AI!' I was.
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