Sci Fi Level Design

In this lesson, you will learn how to create a Sci Fi Panel Generator for use in game engines such as Unity. This will be a high level tool that artists can use to quickly turn designs created in Adobe Photoshop into 3D panels for use in-game. You will learn how a technical artist can build this kind of tool using Houdini's node-based workflow including a range of specially designed GameDev Tools published by SideFX.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create a procedural Sci Fi Crate Generator in Houdini that can be used to create custom props for game engines such as Unity and Unreal. You will start by modeling the crate using procedural techniques that can be updated and adjusted using high level controls. You will then build a Houdini Digital Asset which can then be loaded into Unity using the Houdini Engine plug-in.

In this lesson, you will learn how to create a functioning door asset that can be used to rapidly add doors to a level. Each of the doors will be consistent with the design aesthetic of the level, while allowing your designers to customize the shape, size and detailing on a door to door basis.

In this lesson, you will create a procedural asset for a sci fi game level that includes a computer terminal and fuel tank elements. To start you will set up a specific control shape that all of the elements will fit into. This allows you to make adjustments to the overall form factor and the details will change to match.

Learn how to create a procedural staircase asset for a Sci Fi game level  in Unity. Start by modeling the geometry using procedural techniques that will allow you to determine the length, width and height of the asset. Next, add a handrail then package up the node networks into a Houdini Digital Asset that can then be opened up in Unity using the Houdini Engine plug-in. Special attention will go into setting up UVs that work with a pre-built Trim Sheet. The final asset can then be deployed into a game level where it can be customized with geometry, collisions and textures all updating correctly.

These lessons focus on the creation of an energy core asset for a Sci Fi game level. Because this is a solo asset, it will be created in Houdini before being exported as a FBX file. You will use procedural techniques to allow for design exploration but will flatten the model for use in Unity. You will also take advantage of SideFX Labs tools such as the Substance plug-in to assist you with the creation of texture maps and FX tools for creating smoke and lightning arcs.

Learn how to create a procedural Level Builder that uses a single curve to create the walls, ceiling and floor along with doors and props. This lesson brings together Sci Fi panels, crates and tanks into a single tool that makes it easy to generate a complete level inside Unity. Follow along to learn all the steps needed to build this tool then use the Houdini Engine for Unity plug-in to bring the resulting digital asset into the game editor for direct manipulation and assignment of prefabs and materials.