This is the backstop 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. 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. The area lining the field (beginning of outfield wall to behind home plate) had been totally redesigned that year; so I modeled and textured this area of the stadium from scratch instead of the usual retro fit.
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ensure Dodger Stadium was the most accurate ball park in the game (although they change it every year, so it’s already out of date).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.
I created the area from the wall separating the crowd to the rails lining the field (the crowd, broadcast camera rig and folding chairs were created by other artists). While I was responsible for the placement of the crowd, the code in game makes them always face the camera (this is why they appear to be facing a strange angle in this screenshot).
