Kokako Game Prototype | UE5 + 3D Work

✿ Prototype developed in UE5, as both an art style and small game experimentation. The game is centered around the New Zealand bird, the Kokako, and focuses on raising and caring for the animal, as a small game Tamagotchi-inspired experience. The mechanics are simple, as a larger focus of the prototype was an experimentation with painterly / stylized 3D visuals and aesthetics.
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All assets were created and animated in Maya, and textured in Substance Painter. The foliage and environment makes use of a modular kit I created, including tree/foliage sets and some individual assets - all lowpoly to suit the simple style. The video preview is a short clip showcasing assets, such as the environment and a few of the chick animations / accessory system (the flower, but many accessories were created) - but does not feature game mechanics, such as the caring for the birds, or runner mode.
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This was a highly iterative process, especially in terms of art style, and includes shader work in engine, through custom outline and displacement shaders. Lighting and saturation was also a big focus, as I wanted to create a warm, setting for the bird characters. As this was a prototype, both the game and assets were created over a fairly short time period, with a focus on learning and experimentation :)
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