Building The World: Pandora’s Forest (Part 3)

 

After creating the night forest scene, the next step was to add the elements that will create the effect of an enchanted forest. I started by adding moving elements like fog ^{(Figure 1)} and fireflies ^{(Figure 2)}. Adding fog to the scene was relatively easy. In Adobe Photoshop, I created the image of a fog by using a free fog brush that I downloaded at Brusheezy ^{(Source 1)}, then changed the color of the fog to light blue to add the effect of alien world and saved it as png file. To create the fog effects in Unity, I needed to use the Unity Particle System. ^(Video)1 In the Particle System, I added the fog png image which created a smoke effect which is moving around the scene.

Figure 1

Source Unity, Fog, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Making fireflies in Unity is done by using the same Particle System. I followed a tutorial to create this firefly’s effect in the scene. ^(Video)2 It was easy to create, as all was done within Unity. 

Figure 2

Source Unity, Fireflies, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

The Tree of Soul from the film Avatar is a giant willow tree that is important to the Na’vi people that live in Pandora’s Forest. ³ To recreate this tree I use Blender to 3D model the tree trunk and texture ^{(Figure 3) (Source 3)} then the glowing vines are created in Unity one by one to which I added the glowing effect using just a bright material to the vines and a few light points for lighting effects. (Figure 4)

Figure 3

Source Blender, Tree of Souls, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 4

Source Unity, Tree of Souls, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 5

Source Blender, Bush, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

I created a green bush in Blender, which I used both for the trees and for the wild shrubs around the forest. ^{(Figure 5)} I learned how to do this from the tutorials by LoBeyJon Game Dev where he created a stylised bush. I followed the tutorials, but instead of using vectors I used a real leaf image from the free asset. ^{(Source 2)} I also created a different variation of the bush for future purposes. ^{(Figure 6)}

Figure 6

Source Blender, Magenta Bush, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

I also added some variations of the glowing blue plants in the scene. ^{(Figure 7)} I used the same plant, but I changed the colour using Adobe Photoshop to make it different.

Figure 7

Source Unity, Plant Variations, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Then I added this version of Warbonnet Fern from the Avatar film (2009). ⁵ Warbonnet Fern is a large colourful plant that grows in Pandora. It is iconic for its bright glowing blue leaves. I created my own version by combining the assets in Adobe Photoshop. ^{(Figure 8, 9)} Using a peacock asset ^{(Source 4)} I combined the leaves ^{(Source 2)} and the peacock feather and enhanced the colour saturation in Adobe Photoshop. I used my Wacom Pen to draw teal blue lines on the leaves. Then I combined all the assets in Blender and added it to Unity. ^{(Figure 10)}

Figure 8

Source Unity, Warbonnet Fern, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 9

Source Adobe Photoshop, Warbonnet Fern, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 10

Source Blender, Warbonnet Fern, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 11

Source Unity, Okobshrooms, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

My next creation is the giant mushroom called Okobshroom inspired by Octoshroom, another iconic plant from the film. ⁶ It is a large mushroom that also glows at night. ^{(Figure 11)} But unlike Octoshroom, this mushroom is not poisonous. To create it, I followed a tutorial from Ryan King Art. ^{(Video) 7} From this tutorial I learned how to model mushrooms and tweak them according to my concepts. Because of this I created different variations of mushrooms.

Another mushroom that I added to the scene was inspired by Bladder Polyp from Avatar. ⁸ These are small, succulent, rounded plants that grow on the forest floor. In my version, it is another glowing mushroom called Nitishroom. ^{(Figure 12)} The reason I created a mushroom instead of the original is because I wanted to make mushrooms as the theme in Pandora’s Forest.

Figure 12

Source Unity, Nitishroom, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

The last mushroom I created is the most important for the immersive experience. It is a green glowing mushroom called Ovoshroom. It is a made up mushroom to fit on the narrative. This mushroom will be scattered around the forest for the visual effect, but most importantly they will surround the path that leads the partcipants to Tree of Souls. ^{(Figure 13)} With the ability to collect them, the player is interacting with the virtual forest. The player, the prober, has the mission to collect certain amount of those mushrooms. The reason for collecting them is because they are edible and easy to cultivate. This mission is important for the story to give a background of the conditions of the planet, the people living there and what are the things they experience. Since the idea is that these mushrooms only appear at night, it gives one of the reasons why the scene is set at night. By following the path, collecting the mushrooms, and seeing the Tree of Souls at the end, the player will experience a fantasy, sci-fi experience through storytelling and immersive interactivity.

Figure 13

Source Unity, Ovoshroom, Screen Shot from my PC 2023\

Here is the link for my Video Recording:

https://media.ed.ac.uk/media/Second%20Recording%20-%20Final%20Project/1_gd4tainy

 

 

Software’s:

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Illustrator

Unity

Blender

Visual Studio

PowerPoint

Wacom

List of Illustrations:

Figure 1: Unity, Fog, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 2: Unity, Fireflies, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 3: Blender, Tree of Souls, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 4: Unity, Tree of Souls, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 5: Blender, Bush, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 6: Blender, Magenta Bush, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 7: Unity, Plant Variation, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 8: Unity, Warbonnet Fern, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 9: Adobe Photoshop, Warbonnet Fern, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 10: Blender, Warbonnet Fern, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 11: Unity, Okobshrooms, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 12: Unity, Nitishroom, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

Figure 13: Unity, Ovoshroom, Screen Shot from my PC 2023

 

List of Sources:

1. Brusheezy: Artistmef, Free Fog Photoshop Brushes 19. (https://www.brusheezy.com/brushes/58423-free-fog-photoshop-brushes-19)

2.       Freepik: Flora Summer Beautiful Tree Herb, Zir Conicusso. ( https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/flora-summer-beautiful-tree-herb_1047589.htm#query=leafpng&position=3&from_view=search&track=robertav1_2_sidr )

3.       Freepik: Relief texture of pine bark with green moss panoramic photo of a wood texture in the rays of the sun an idea for a banner background. (https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/relief-texture-pine-bark-with-green-moss-panoramic-photo-wood-texture-rays-sun-idea-banner-background_26990402.htm#page=5&query=tree%20texture&position=36&from_view=search&track=location_fest_v1 )

4.       Freepik: Peacock Background. https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/peacock-background_3133450.htm#query=peacok&position=21&from_view=search&track=location_fest_v1#position=21&query=peacok

 

 

References:

1. Aqsa Nadeem (2021) Fog VFX Unity Particle System || How to make Fog in Unity Particle System VFX. YouTube. 15 November.(Video) Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfgKx5B4Jfk (Accessed: 6 May 2023)
2. Lunarfoxel (2017) How to Make Fireflies in Unity. YouTube. 24 September. (Video) Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O5XU_jshBU (Accessed: 6 May 2023)
3. Cameron, J. (2009) Tree of Souls, Avatar Wiki. Available at https://james-camerons-avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Tree_of_Souls  (Accessed: 8 May 2023)
4. LoBeyJon Game Dev (2021) How to make Stylized in Unity URP. YouTube. 24 November. (Video) Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqUqbwpO830 (Accessed: 9 May 2023)
5. Cameron, J. (2009) Warbonnet Fern, Avatar Wiki. Available at https://james-camerons-avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Warbonnet_Fern (Accessed: 8 May 2023)
6. Cameron, J. (2009) Octoshroom, Avatar Wiki. Available at https://james-camerons-avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Warbonnet_Fern (Accessed: 9 May 2023)
7. Ryan King Art (2022) Magical Mushrooms Part 1 (Blender Tutorial). YouTube. 13 May. (Video) Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMBBjOq0Epo (Accessed: 10 May 2023)
8. Cameron, J. (2009) Bladder Polyp, Avatar Wiki. (Online) Available at https://james-camerons-avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Warbonnet_Fern (Accessed: 11 May 2023)