SMU Guildhall Graduate Catalog — 2023 C31 CATALOG | Page 10

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Yiou Gao
Art Creation
Tibetan Architecture with Dynamic Weather System
The final artifact of my thesis was a complete scene in Unreal Engine 4 featuring an accurate model of the three-story Ramoche temple , along with accompanying foliage , custom skybox , and a hillside landscape . The scene also showcases a dynamic weather system that can be controlled in real-time using a keyboard . It features various weather conditions , including sunny , rainstorm , tornado , and aurora . Each weather condition triggers different visual effects such as meteor rain , meteor shower , and burnable grass .
Tibetan culture has always been a shining pearl in the treasure trove of Chinese and world cultures . It not only has a long history but also wears a veil of mystery and beauty . In fact , Tibetan culture , as a minority culture , rarely appears in popular culture or video games .
Through my thesis project , I wanted to try to use the 3D knowledge I have learned to recreate Tibetan architecture , the Ramoche Temple , in Unreal Engine . In addition , I also used the volumetric cloud , Niagara system , and Blueprint in Unreal Engine to create a realistic dynamic weather system , which adds vitality and artistic appeal to the scene .
After almost a year spent making this thesis project , I have become more exploratory and critical . I not only learned many technical skills using software widely used in game development for creating realistic scenes ( such as Unreal Engine , Substance Painter , and Substance Designer ), but I also demonstrated my abilities in integrating technology and art .
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