Wind Waker
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Overview
Type : Personnal
Technology : Unity, Shader, Blender
The primary aim of this project was to exhibit my expertise as a Unity technical artist proficient in shaders and particles. It involved crafting custom 3D models using Blender and served as a tribute to Zelda : The Wind Waker, drawing inspiration from Nathan Gordon’s Medium. posts.
All the models featured in the project were meticulously created by me, while the textures were sourced from Hypatia’s HD texture pack designed for emulating the original game on an emulator.
Ocean Shader
The first step in this project was to create the ocean shader, the main component of the game.
The texture utilized for the water was chosen for its seamless repetition without becoming overly repetitive. To introduce variations and reduce the obvious repetition, a combination of sinusoidal functions was employed to manipulate the texture’s UVs. By modulating the sine function over time, a dynamically variable pattern was achieved.
Additionally, vertex displacement was utilized to animate the plane, generating a wave-like effect and adding depth to the ocean shader.
Beach Shader
Transitioning from the ocean to the beach, a shader was crafted to emulate waves crashing onto the shoreline, leaving the sand wet. This effect relied on utilizing different color channels (Red and Blue) from the wave texture as distinct masks—where the blue mask simulated the water and wetness, while the red mask created the appearance of white foam.
Incorporating both masks within the same texture ensured synchronization even when deforming or animating the texture’s UVs, thereby preserving consistency in the effect.
These patterns could be duplicated and staggered in time to layer waves convincingly.
Wind Trail
To emphasize wind direction within the game, trails were implemented in the sky.
Utilizing the particle system with activated trails, wind trails were defined by the velocity attribute in the particle system, facilitated by animation curves for the x and y axes. This approach allowed for the creation of diverse shapes and curves easily.
Brasero
Here’s an example of an asset I modeled and textured myself. In addition to the model, a particle system was devised to generate the fiery effect, comprising elements such as flames, embers, and heat diffraction.