Tyler Klimek
Senior Lighting Artist - Deviation Games
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Zoélie (UE4 Game)

Zoélie is an Action Puzzle Platformer that tells the story of a young girl exploring her town of La Colina alongside her imagination-powered quilt, Sueño. I worked alongside 38 (amazing) other developers as one of the environment artists for this game over the course of about twenty weeks. It is set in South America and features two unique levels; both an Urban and a Beach Environment.

One of the core mechanics of the gameplay is the way her quilt causes textures to flip from "reality" to "fantasy," depicting the imaginary world of this young girl on her journey to find her sister. The quilt also exists as a means to unlock special abilities to help navigate the worlds and complete puzzles.

My responsibilities include:
Prop Creation: Modeling & Texturing (Maya, Substance Painter, Substance Designer)
UE4 Shader Creation
Set Dressing
Environment Art
Playtesting
Lighting
Preliminary Terrain blockouts of the levels during Pre-production
Leading an Integration team of Artists for our initial Pre-development Sprint

Zoélie Trailer

The first level of Zoélie takes place within a South American city. As an environment artist I modeled and textured numerous props for the environment as well as set-dressed. I also assisted with the initial blockouts during the pre-production stage.

The first level of Zoélie takes place within a South American city. As an environment artist I modeled and textured numerous props for the environment as well as set-dressed. I also assisted with the initial blockouts during the pre-production stage.

Towards the end of our ~20 week development cycle I worked on further developing our lighting in the Urban environment.

Towards the end of our ~20 week development cycle I worked on further developing our lighting in the Urban environment.

The Beach level was our 2nd environment for the project. I assisted in the set dressing of the two main islands and the volcano island, as well as continued to create props to fit this environment.

The Beach level was our 2nd environment for the project. I assisted in the set dressing of the two main islands and the volcano island, as well as continued to create props to fit this environment.

We utilized terrain material blend layers in order to paint between our various materials in the beach environment (sand and grass). I spent most of my set dressing time on the above smaller island as well as the volcano island.

We utilized terrain material blend layers in order to paint between our various materials in the beach environment (sand and grass). I spent most of my set dressing time on the above smaller island as well as the volcano island.

The beach environment features a background of the city to avoid making the levels feel like they were unconnected. In the original blockout by myself and Mike Relleva both the beach and urban levels were together in 1 environment

The beach environment features a background of the city to avoid making the levels feel like they were unconnected. In the original blockout by myself and Mike Relleva both the beach and urban levels were together in 1 environment

Zoélie Gameplay Walkthrough

I made a number of cooler designers and variations for the project. Above is one of the flipped "Fantasy" texture varients for one of the coolers

I made a number of cooler designers and variations for the project. Above is one of the flipped "Fantasy" texture varients for one of the coolers

The buoys in the environment are used as checkpoints to hit during our surfing puzzle.

The buoys in the environment are used as checkpoints to hit during our surfing puzzle.

Other assets I created that are not in individual renders: Weather Vane Alt Satellite Alt Chimney Alt Coolers Alt Buoys Doors Windows

Other assets I created that are not in individual renders:
Weather Vane
Alt Satellite
Alt Chimney
Alt Coolers
Alt Buoys
Doors
Windows

The smaller Island: Unshaded, Unlit, Lit

Early pre-dev look at the overall Zoélie environment

Early pre-dev look at the overall Zoélie environment

Zoélie features a fun cast of characters. Above is "Patty" the Pelican.

Zoélie features a fun cast of characters. Above is "Patty" the Pelican.

I'm immensely proud of what we accomplished in such a short time, and with the Covid-19 pandemic forcing us into quarentine for the last half of the project. The group of developers I worked are incredibly talented and have become lasting friends of mine.

I'm immensely proud of what we accomplished in such a short time, and with the Covid-19 pandemic forcing us into quarentine for the last half of the project. The group of developers I worked are incredibly talented and have become lasting friends of mine.