This is the dugout section of Dodger Stadium; I created in Maya for the MLB 2K series of video games.

Modeling involved creating: the stadium, outside environment, field, props, color/normal maps, UV work, shadow volumes, and light glows; the crowd and sky were modeled & animated by other artists. In addition to modeling/texture work (on a per stadium basis, which would change from year to year), I was also responsible for: taking reference photos, lighting, optimizing, animating pause menu cameras, integrating into the proprietary Take2 shading system, and placement of: collision detection, non-interactive characters, animated props, jumbotrons, lense flares, foul poles, updateable advertisements, and field shadow casting. I’m probably leaving out several things, but you get the idea.

Because sports titles are created in less than a year, there isn’t enough time to recreate all of the major league stadiums from scratch. Instead, we retro-fitted the original Xbox 3D models (I also worked on) by improving the lighting/shaders, and remodeling essential areas of the stadium. Each year we would recreate marquee areas of the larger market stadiums. The area lining the field (beginning of outfield wall to behind home plate) had been totally redesigned that year; so it received more attention than most stadiums.

Dodger Stadium was the only baseball park we were able to photograph reference in person. Another artist and I were given a private tour of the stadium to take reference pictures. We able to ensure Dodger Stadium was the most accurate ball park in the game (although they change it every year, so it’s already out of date). Several foundation color/normal map textures used in other stadiums were created from the reference I collected during my time there.

Many of the cut scenes that are featured during game play take place in the dugout; so the detail had to stand up to much closer camera angles than other areas of the stadium. In addition to the dugout itself, I modeled and textured: a corkboard, telephones, lights, bat/helmet holder, two tiers of benches, coolers, water fountain, staircases (leading to underground levels), elevator, fire hose, and even litter to give it a more realistic lived in look. I’m not sure why they made Dodger Blue a Dodger Teal, but that was the color of the stadium when this screenshot was taken (in replay mode, which is why there is depth of field).

 

 

 

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