As the Modeling Lead for the highly successful VR game Walkabout Mini Golf, my responsibilities encompassed a wide range of creative and technical tasks, including working extensively with Blender, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Gravity Sketch.
During the development process, a game designer would create the layout for each mini golf hole and provide a block-out of the space the player would navigate. After thorough playtesting and refinement, the approved layout was passed on to me for the main art pass. This stage involved replacing all temporary geometry with custom meshes and textures, ensuring high-quality visuals throughout the game.
In some instances, a concept artist would develop the aesthetic direction for a level, while for others, such as the space level, I was granted the creative freedom to establish the visual tone, checking in with the core team for alignment with the overall game vision. An asset pack was provided to assist with the development process, offering various props for placement within the larger spaces.
Upon completion of the art pass, a technical artist would conduct a lighting pass and ensure smooth rendering. Due to the game’s primary platform being the Oculus Quest, a self-contained VR headset running on a mobile chipset, I had to carefully optimize assets for rendering at 90fps in 4K while maintaining visual fidelity. This optimization process included utilizing single atlas textures for all materials and creating custom LODs for complex geometry.
In addition to level art passes, I was responsible for designing collectible golf balls and unlockable golf putters that players would discover throughout the game as they completed various challenges.
My role extended beyond creative tasks, as I also led and guided the modeling team, ensuring that their work met quality standards and performed efficiently on resource-constrained VR systems.
To date, I have modelled or acted as a lead on all levels included in the game. Notable work was in Sweetopia, Labyrinth, Shangri La, Original Gothic, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, El Dorado, and Myst.
To learn more about the game, visit the official site.
I was commissioned by a client to design a haunted house that met a unique set of requirements. The structure needed to be not only strong and durable but also easily disassembled and moved. Additionally, the design had to accommodate hidden performers and feature different zones for various scare types, all seamlessly tied together by a cohesive overarching theme.
Once the basic layout plans were discussed with the client and approved, I proceeded to create a virtual reality (VR) version of the haunted house. This cutting-edge approach allowed stakeholders to fully experience the attraction before construction, complete with lighting, sound design, and accurate representations of the final animatronics. The VR model facilitated cost-effective adjustments based on client feedback, ensuring that their expectations would be met with the final haunted house.
By leveraging the power of VR, I was able to effectively communicate the intended vision for the project, providing the client with the assurance that the end product would be precisely realized according to their specifications.
Shown above is the process used to realise a section of the virtual reality haunt where a visitor would come face to face with a giant spider!
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This creature design was developed for an exploration-based horror game set in an abandoned mine. Intended to make only occasional appearances, the client’s brief described a “large scuttling creature.” Over the course of several meetings, a concept sketch was developed and refined, culminating in a digital maquette that received client approval.
A game-ready model was then crafted, incorporating high-detail features through a baking process, and subsequently textured using a physically based rendering (PBR) workflow. Although the creature is not currently in use, it serves as an excellent example of a character design process that can be applied to both digital and physical environments.
While the creature remains unnamed, it is affectionately referred to as “Bert” within the project team.