ECPT-301: 3D in Production

3D in Production emphasizes the collaborative relationship between concept artists, game designers, and 3D teams in a professional video game production setting. Designed for mid- to high-term students, this course introduces the full environment design pipeline-from early-stage visual exploration to finalizing concepts ready for production and shipping. Students will engage with a range of mid-level 3D design techniques that support environment painting workflows. This includes building a 3D asset library in an industry standard tool such as blender, learning to integrate 3D content through tools like (but not limited to) Quixel Bridge and Megascans, and effectively using these assets to support visual storytelling. Students will also touch base on game engines such as Unreal 5. As part of the process, students will utilize previously completed grey box designs ideally in partnership with the game design track. Through this collaboration, students will build a deep understanding of how to create a successful point of interest (POI) within a larger map, as well as master concepts of scale, proportion, and playability. They will learn what makes a space functional, immersive, and game-ready. At the end of the term, students will develop a portfolio focused on environment design that meets industry standards and showcases production-ready thinking.