Matthew Archer, BSc
Models
Vader and Kenobi's Lightsabers - June 2016 (amended July 2017)
Both created in Autodesk Maya 2016. The first with charcoal Lambert shaders on the grip and switch ridges, a Blinn shader on the black sections and a Phong shader on the grey for a metallic effect.
The second utilised a Blinn shader on the black sections and gold switch design (with normal map included as that was the only proper texture) and a Phong shader on the grey for a metallic effect and on the orange and gold for reflectivity.
The glowing blades effect was achieved using a PhongE shader in white as the base colour but emitting the same red or blue colour as the blade on-screen, with a reasonable level of Glow Intensity included for renders.
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Jedi Holocron - Late February 2017
A very geometrically simple (yet very polygonally complex) model in three configurations: locked, open and unlocked - designed and textured in Maya 2017.
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I utilised solely metallic-styled shaders of Blinn for the gold portions and Phong for the cyan with a good degree of transparency to represent glass.
Lastly, I used PhongE for the octahedron in the centre to represent the crystal inside, with varying degrees of Glow Intensity depending on the model's configuration.
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Spartan Gear (300) - End of May 2017
A set of five models: a helmet, spear, sword, shield and a brooch/cape clasp from the eponymous film. All of which utilise the same Blinn shader while sharing gold (brass) and grey (iron/steel) colours between them and a leather texture for handgrip portions.
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All of which were created and textured in Maya 2017 as well as exported into an FBX format to be used in conjunction with a specially created model in Z-Brush (the "Spartan Warrior") to help show off the entire model set in a better way than just render images.
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DC-17m Interchangable Weapons System - Early to mid June 2017
Designed and Developed after my Dissertation hand-in to really focus on and keep working on my Maya skills. The Blaster, Sniper and Anti-Armour configurations have three respective images in the gallery. Luckily I didn't have to go out of my way in terms of texturing as block colours were on every reference image I used.
This fortunately also provides a way to tie into the Clone Commando character I previously created, as these models are more accurate and varied as the one made before when the model was initially created.
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Ellie's Switchblade (The Last of Us) - mid May 2018
My first attempt at replicating an existing video game artifact. Created very quickly in open and closed configurations with a greater emphasis on detail above all else, like the 'Longsword' in the collection below.
I made use of only Blinn shaders for the metal parts and bronze handle, with limited reflectivity on both, as the in-game asset has a visibly used and worn look I sought to replicate.
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Infinity Stones - End of July/beginning of August 2018
A set of models created in Maya 2017 in a variety of shapes, styles and shaders showcasing the six stones from the "Marvel Cinematic Universe" in their order of appearance.
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Lambert shaders were used for standard materials, with Blinn for metallic components. I used PhongE for the glowing of each individual stone in its respective colour, and the Tesseract.
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Liberties obviously had to be taken for the sixth stone, so I designed a miniature film environment of Vormir from memory to show the stone as part of a scene, and not on its own.
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Sword Collection - Throughout 2018
A set of models created in Maya 2017 consisting of a personal project and unoriginal designs from the TV shows 'Game of Thrones', 'The Last Kingdom', 'Vikings' and the 2017 film 'King Arthur: Legend of the Sword'.
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Lambert shaders were used on leathers and woods, Blinns for duller metals on the handles and pommels and Phongs for the blades, with a white PhongE for the runic detail on one of the blades. Also, this included my first attempt at using Damascus steel, so rather extensive UV mapping had to be implemented to keep it as seamless as possible.
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Playstation 1 Nostalgia - October 2020
In the month-long break I took in September, to take some time off after working on "Mark Omega" almost every day for 17 months, I got around to finishing the "Spyro: Reignited Trilogy".
Because I enjoyed it like the original Spyro 2 and Crash Bandicoot 1, both on the Playstation 1, and the "Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy in late 2018, I decided to do a model set for both games - a second attempt at recreating existing in-game artefacts, after Ellie's Switchblade in May 2018.
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For the Gems, as my first attempt at modelling crystalline shapes, I made sure to pay attention to the geometry of the Round, Trilliant and Square 'cut's, and use appropriate Phong shaders for reflectivity - augmented by adjusting the Mesh Display settings to make the light cling to the contours of the surface much better upon rendering. Secondly, for the Crates, Relics and two of the display scenes, I made sure to balance realism with staying faithful to the cartoon-style of the texturing in the remastered source material, which was also my first attempt with modelling strictly in a certain visual style outside of Game Jams.