Blender to Unreal Engine 5 - 3D Props - Medieval Gallows

1. Introduction Blender to Unreal Engine 3D Props: Medieval Gallows

In this video, we will get an introduction to the course's learning objectives.

1. Introduction to the Course and Blender

In this lesson, you will be getting a brief introduction to the basics of Blender. Getting the Blender basics right will be essential to your 'Blender to Unreal Engine 3D Props: Medieval Gallows' learning process, making this a short course within a course.

2. It's All in the Referencing

This will be a hard lesson learned, and we will understand why referencing is important for 3D artists and what barriers we need to break in order to realize its potential. You will also be learning about a free tool that will help you reference faster and better, called PureRef.

1. Grey Boxing

Whether you are a new or seasoned 3D modeler, this lesson will help you advance your 3D modelling skills further. This will be part of our modelling process for the medieval gallows we are building, and you will be learning all about creating grey boxes in Blender.

1. Creating the Main Platform

This lesson will see us creating the main platform for our 'Blender to Unreal Engine 3D Props: Medieval Gallows' course project. We will be laying the foundations for our medieval gallows structure to sit on by grey boxing our planks of wood.

1. Variations the Easy Way

This lesson will focus on teaching you why variations in 3D models are important. We will discuss how wood looks and how to achieve realism in 3D modelling it as a distinct material. Our focus will be on directly applying this learning to our 'Blender to Unreal Engine 3D Props: Medieval Gallows' 3D model.

2. Realistic Structures

In this lesson, you will learn how to use human references to realistically scale your 3D models in Blender. We will be placing our human reference next to our medieval gallows and use the reference's height to better resize our model in Blender.

3. What Is Good Topology

In this lesson, you will be learning how to achieve good topology in 3D modelling. We will be learning which Blender tools and modifiers to use to improve our 3D model quality and get closer to that AAA game-ready asset quality.

1. There's Something Down that Trapdoor

Modelling and adding our collapsible trapdoors to our medieval gallows 3D model will be the focus of this lesson. This part of the model needs special attention because making a model structurally sound from a physics and architectural point of view is essential to modelling game-ready AAA-quality props.

2. Hangman's Structure

In this lesson, we will be creating the hangman's structure. You will be learning how to hang a rope from the gallows' structure. We will also discuss structural realism and the scale of wood.

1. Fundamentals of Rope

This lesson will introduce you to the fundamentals of modelling rope. You will be learning how to achieve a realistic-looking rope braid in Blender. This will form our medieval gallows noose. Compared to previous lessons, we will be focusing entirely on curves.

2. Problem Solving with Rope

In this lesson, we will be focusing on troubleshooting an issue we came across while modelling our medieval gallows. This will involve fixing the noose rope in Blender.

1. Refining the Hinges

As part of boosting the realism of our 'Blender to Unreal Engine 3D Props: Medieval Gallows' course project, we will be working on refining the hinges for our collapsible trap doors. You will be learning more about why the role of a 3D modeler not only focuses on getting the job done but also makes it believable.

2. Creating the Bar Supports

In this lesson, we will be looking at ways to hold up our engineered contraption without it looking like it just floats in the air. This is an interesting lesson, again focused on realism.

3. Blender Add-On Gears

We will get introduced to Blender's in-built add-ons and just how useful they are. This time, it will be the gears and worms addon. We will make a short work of the lever part of the gallows.

4. Working on the Lever

In this lesson, we will be focusing on modelling the lever for our medieval gallows structure. As explained, this lever will be later animated so that when it is pushed down, the collapsible trapdoors can take the role of the executioner.

1. Creating Some Simple Steps

This lesson will be a short introductory lesson on making steps in Blender. As our medieval gallows 3D model needs to be raised off of the floor, we will need to attach steps to it so that the people who are sentenced can access the platform.

1. Materials and Nodes

This lesson will be another short course within 'Blender to Unreal Engine 3D Props: Medieval Gallows'. You will be learning all about materials and maps for 3D modelling, helping you realize the potential of your 3D game assets and props.

1. Short Introduction to Cycles

In this lesson, you will get a full introduction to rendering in Blender's Cycles render engine.

1. The Process of Marking Seams

In this lesson, we look at getting our models materials looking the same across the entire model. This involves average island scales and when and where to make UVs larger or smaller.

2. Fixing Issues with UVs

Working with UVs means you will always find issues that you need to overcome as a 3D modeler-be it with the seams or rotations. This lesson is devoted to looking at some of these issues.

3. Small Details Do Matter

When we look at 3D model renders, what makes them look like AAA assets are the smallest details. Hence, we will work on some important small details in the lesson.

1. Gamma and Saturation Nodes

In this lesson, we will look at how we can change materials within Blender. This will involve the process of working with Blender's in-built node system.

2. Starting the Metal Material

Even though our 'Blender to Unreal Engine 3D Props: Medieval Gallows' course project is mostly made of wood, you will find that its structure does include some details made of metal. Our hinges and other trapdoor support and our lever will all incorporate metallic materials, and the focus of our lesson will be on starting that material creation process.

3. Balancing Polygon Counts

This lesson will focus on beating a well-known game asset challenge; balancing polygon counts. Our medieval gallows 3D model would not be AAA game-ready if we did not manage how high-poly it is. Your learning within Blender will also feed into the work we will be doing in Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) shortly.

1. Working with Resolutions

In this lesson, we will look at getting our models materials looking the same across the entire model. This involves average island scales and when and where to make UVs larger or smaller.

1. Creating the Gallows Floor

In this lesson, we will be creating the muddy rock pebble floor for our medieval gallows to be showcased on. You will find out why environmental details around 3D model renders are as important as the model and it adds extra value to it.

1. Cycles Rendering

We can't have a 3D modelling course without having an amazing final render. This lesson covers rendering in Blender using the Cycles render engine.

1. Creating Our Armature

Blender will be our weapon of choice for animating our AAA game-ready medieval gallows 3D model. You will be learning how to create an armature for our gallows lever, initiating the collapse of the trapdoors and those sentenced to a grim fate.

2. Weighting Our Bones

You know that, just like the human body, if bones are not attached to anything, then nothing moves. Well, Blender's armatures work in the same way. This lesson will focus on weighting our gallows' bones, so to speak.

1. Creating the Animations

Blender's in-built animation software is one of the best out there, making creating simple animations a breeze. This is a skill we should all look to at least have a basic knowledge of.

2. Finishing Our Gallows Build

Well, here we are. This is the final lesson of finishing our AAA model build. The question is: does yours look up to scratch or like an AA model? It's time for exporting!

1. Unreal Engine Simple Portfolio Setup

This lesson will introduce you to Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). You will learn about the basic UE5 functionalities and tools, focusing on making a simple portfolio setup.

1. Importing Assets into Unreal Engine

This lesson will show you how to import assets into Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). We will look at things such as textures and models, and the right way to import 3D models from Blender to UE5 to reduce any problems you may have.

2. Creating Materials and Roughness

In this lesson, you will be learning why importing a 3D asset into Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) is just step 1 of making a game asset game-ready within a game engine. You will learn how to create materials and roughness within UE5.

1. Portfolio Renders in Unreal Engine

As part of the final lesson of our 'Blender to Unreal Engine 3D Props: Medieval Gallows' course, you will be learning how to make the best portfolio renders in Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). In this final lesson, you will come away with an eye-popping model.