Learning and testing UMA asset & planning modular zombie implementation

This week’s focus was on getting familiar with the UMA asset in preparation for the implementation of the modular zombies using that asset. I read through all the existing documentation and tutorials as well as tested all its different features to a good amount to be able to plan their integrations for the zombies. Since modding support is important to the game I also tested the asset for the integration using my modding system. While I haven’t been able to fully test it, I am confident that it will be possible based on what I was able to test. To make modding support easier I plan on using the provided human male and female 3D models. This allows any modders to also make use of them as the UMA asset and its models are available for free. Using those freely accessible models makes the addition of modded clothing for example quite easy and copyright or other legal things won’t complicate things. I might opt for additional commissioned models further in development but that is something to look into when the time comes. Since those models are of course not zombie models I will have to take some steps to make them look like actual zombies. For that I already found skin textures to replace the existing one. I also found a workflow to do this which will be the first task next week. After the skin retexturing I will be looking into applying blood splatters to both skin and clothing. After that I will likely be adding wound overlays like scratches or bites. I hope that those steps in combination with custom facial expressions and general zombie like movement animations will give the models a good zombie vibe. I am not aiming for the most rotten or torn apart looking zombies so I have a good feeling about them. Since I’ve not started with any or those zombie tasks yet I don’t have anything to show this week. I hope to be able to show the retextured skin at the very least for next week’s devlog. Alongside the visuals I will also be starting the functional implementation for the zombies.

Notable tasks this week:

• Learned and tested UMA asset extensively for the modular zombie implementation

• Planned and prepared tasks to transform existing 3D model into zombie

Wishlist on Steam

Join the Discord

That’s all I got this week. I hope you are all doing well.
Stay safe out there and I’ll see you next week.