How to Create Matte Painting for a Video Game / ITech content

There are many techniques for creating picturesque perspectives in video games, but information on this topic can be difficult to access. At GDC 2023, Patrick Rosander of Remedy Entertainment presented a talk on the use of matte painting to create panoramic views in game locations. While this technique is traditionally used in the film industry, it is also effectively applied to video game development, allowing for the creation of impressive and realistic game worlds. Matte painting technologies help developers convey depth and atmosphere, which significantly improves visual perception and player immersion in the gameplay.

The artist decided to demonstrate his skills by creating a small level in Unreal Engine. During the presentation, he clearly demonstrated the process of assembling a spectacular scene that extends beyond the game map. This demo illustrates the engine's capabilities and creative approach to creating unique game worlds.

Skillbox Media's Gamedev editorial team explores the term matte painting and presents key insights from an expert in the field. Matte painting is a technique for creating backgrounds for films and video games that allows artists to visualize complex scenes and locations. Using digital tools, specialists can combine real and imaginary graphics to create spectacular landscapes and architectural elements. This technique plays an important role in the production process, significantly reducing the cost of filming or modeling scenes. Matte painting not only improves visual perception but also helps create a unique atmosphere in a project.

The speaker has extensive experience and deep knowledge in his field. His professional career includes numerous successful projects, making him an expert in his field. He actively shares his knowledge at various events and conferences, allowing him to inspire and educate others. He is the author of several publications, confirming his high level of expertise and authority in the professional community. Concept artist Patrick Rosander is a passionate fan of picturesque panoramic views in video games. These visual elements are not only impressive but also immerse the player in the unique atmosphere of alternate worlds. This inspired Rosander to delve into the matte painting technique and actively implement it in the gaming industry, making games more realistic and immersive. His work helps create rich, detailed environments that enhance player immersion and engagement. Over the course of his 12-year career, Patrick has worked on several projects in the Warhammer and Magicka series. He created concept art and backgrounds using matte painting for the animated series "Love, Death & Robots." In 2022, Patrick joined Remedy Entertainment as a Senior Concept Artist. He currently remains with the company as an Associate Art Director.

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Matte Painting and the Potential of This Technique in Games

Matte painting is the art of creating painted images of landscapes, scenes, or distant locations, which allows filmmakers to visualize environments not present on the set. This definition, based on information from the English Wikipedia page, highlights the importance of matte painting in the film industry, where it is used to create stunning visuals and immerse audiences in unique worlds. Matte painting technology allows artists to combine painting with real-life elements, which opens up new horizons in the creation of spectacular and memorable scenes.

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In the matte painting industry, this term refers to both the image created using this technique and the process of creating backgrounds and environments. Matte painting is an important tool in the visual effects and film industries, allowing artists to create photorealistic landscapes and complex scenes that are difficult or impossible to capture on location. The use of matte painting significantly expands the possibilities of visual storytelling, creating immersive and impressive backgrounds for films and video games.

The technique of animation has a history of over a hundred years. Over this time, it has evolved significantly—from meticulous handcrafted backgrounds on frosted glass to modern computer graphics technologies. The evolution of animation reflects not only advances in technology but also changes in artistic approach, allowing for the creation of more captivating and realistic visual effects. With each new generation of technology, animation becomes more accessible and diverse, opening up new horizons for creative possibilities.

Matte painting in the gaming industry is a technique based on the use of planes onto which textures with baked lighting and unlit shaders are applied in combination with low-polygon geometry. Thanks to the high detail of the textures, it is possible to convey numerous small details, which significantly improves the visual perception of game scenes. This method is cost-effective and allows for quick changes, which significantly reduces the time spent on iteration and optimization. Thus, matte painting is an effective tool for creating impressive and detailed game worlds.

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Photobash is actively used in matte painting, both during the concept development stage for rendering and when assembling the scene as additional planes. Kitbash, used for creating 3D scenes, is also an important tool. Additionally, applying shaders and decals to geometry helps enhance the immersion effect, making the final result more realistic and impressive. Combining these techniques allows for high-quality and detailed visual content.

Matte painting is an essential tool for game developers, allowing them to emphasize the depth and scale of the in-game world. It can be used to create impressive landscapes and details that demonstrate that the game's universe is much more expansive than it might initially appear. This approach not only enhances visual perception, but also immerses the player in a unique atmosphere, expanding their understanding of the game world.

Scenes not involved in gameplay can be perceived as an extension of the game location. Patrick believes that the use of matte painting in video games is as effective as in film, as this technique allows you to show the world beyond the game space. Even when the player is in a confined space, for example, a narrow street, the use of matte painting and the correct choice of viewing angle create the illusion of a huge multi-level city with endless turns and alleys. This technique enriches the gaming experience, expanding the perception of the environment and enhancing immersion.

What to pay attention to when creating matte painting

When creating matte painting, it is necessary to take into account a number of key factors. It is important to pay attention to composition, color palette and details that give the image realism. Lighting and atmosphere should also be considered to create a harmonious picture. Effective use of textures and layers will help achieve the desired level of depth and volume. Remember that the matte painting technique requires careful consideration to achieve a high-quality and expressive image that will fit seamlessly into the overall context of the work.

Camera direction plays a key role in creating panoramic images using matte painting. Such a panorama looks most effective when viewed from a direct angle. When deviating from the central point of perspective, the image begins to lose its integrity and becomes distorted. This emphasizes the importance of proper camera placement for achieving maximum visual impact and preserving image detail.

Integrating a matte painting asset into a game level requires careful consideration of its placement. Patrick identifies three key segments: foreground, background, and skyscape. The foreground represents the interactive space where the player actively interacts with the environment. The background is an area that does not require any interaction and serves as a backdrop. The player typically enters the background when stepping outside the game map. A sky dome, often called a skydome or skybox in game engines, is a sky texture that creates atmosphere and depth in the game world. Proper integration of these elements helps create an immersive and realistic gaming experience.

A matte painting asset is typically placed in the background, out of reach of the player, but the distance to the foreground can vary. The main limitations are the size of the scene projection and the texture resolution. Despite resolution limitations, it is possible to achieve a high-quality result even if the composition is close to the player. For example, if the external environment is projected through a window, the texture may be low-resolution, but the blurring effect can be hidden by rain marks on the glass or a sheer curtain. This creates a striking visual effect without sacrificing image quality.

Geometry in the context of visual art encompasses planar elements and their associated three-dimensional objects. The artist determines the size of the matte painting and the volume of the surrounding geometry based on the distance between the player's camera and the matte painting. The greater this distance, the more geometric elements are needed to fill the space. Also important is the viewing angle, which is formed by the extreme points from which the composition can be perceived without noticeable distortion. These aspects play a key role in creating realistic and harmonious visual effects.

Why Use Matte Painting in Games

Using this technique has its advantages, despite the ability to add detail to a skydome texture or create a full-fledged 3D environment. Everything depends on the specifics of the project and its requirements. It is important to consider that the resolution of sky textures is often not high enough to convey a large amount of detail, which can negatively affect perception. In addition, standard textures are not capable of creating a parallax effect, which also limits their use in realistic scenes. Thus, the use of this technique can be a more effective solution in certain contexts, allowing the desired visual effect to be achieved with fewer resources.

Using a full-fledged 3D environment in game development is an effective approach. 3D models represent multifunctional content that can be used in various segments of the game, providing greater flexibility in settings. However, the main disadvantage of 3D assets is that their creation requires significant time, and the iteration process can be difficult. In addition, the presence of high-polygon objects can negatively affect the performance of the game. In such cases, the use of matte painting can significantly reduce both time and resource costs, making it a valuable tool in the development process.

The Matte Painting Process

This example presents the complete process of creating matte painting for a scene in a first-person shooter set in a sci-fi universe. The concept artist conceived the location as a transition between two level segments. Matte painting is ideal for such moments, allowing the player to briefly step away from the dynamics of the previous battle, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and prepare for the upcoming firefight. The use of matte painting not only enriches the game's visual experience but also creates an atmosphere that enhances player immersion. The process involves several key stages that ensure its successful completion. Each stage plays a significant role and influences the final result. The beginning of the process requires careful preparation and planning, which minimizes risks and maximizes efficiency. The next stage involves implementing the plan, where it is crucial to adhere to the outlined plan and make necessary adjustments as needed. The final stage involves analyzing and evaluating the results, which allows for identifying strengths and weaknesses. Each of these stages is important to achieving the set goals and successfully completing the entire process.

• Choosing the camera position;
• Rough 3D blocking;
• Working with the concept;
• Adjusting the projection;
• Advanced blocking;
• Final refinement.

Some stages can be skipped or their order can be changed, but it is important to familiarize yourself with all aspects at the initial stage of learning the technique. This will help you get a holistic idea and avoid mistakes in the future. Knowing all the stages contributes to better assimilation of the material and skill development.

Patrick first designed the camera flythrough through the entire level segment, simulating the player's progression. In the presented video, you can see that at some points the camera lingers on the cliffs. These areas will play an important role, as the artist will use them as reference points for the placement of matte painting. This will create a more realistic and attractive visualization of the game world.

When choosing a camera perspective for projection, it is important to consider the midpoint of the level. If a character needs to travel approximately 50 meters, the camera should be positioned to provide the best possible angle throughout the entire journey. This will create a visually appealing and dynamic presentation of the scene, while maximizing viewer engagement. Proper camera perspective enhances the perception of character movement and helps emphasize key moments throughout the game. The screenshot below shows an isometric map of the level. The white line indicates the player's route, and the marked dots indicate key vantage points for the future composition, located at the beginning, middle, and end of the level. This approach allows the player to better navigate and anticipate the development of events in the game.

The marked angles on the level have different heights. At the beginning of the level, the view is approximately 20 meters higher than at the end. This creates a unique experience for the player, as the view from each vantage point will be different, adding variety and depth to the gameplay. Each angle offers its own perspective and highlights different aspects of the environment, enhancing the player's understanding of the game world.

If the relief of the game level is uneven, it is important to choose the right place for matte painting, focusing on the middle vertical point. If the scene is positioned too high or too low, it will distort the perspective at one or more viewpoints. In this example, the midpoint of the location was chosen because it offers a view of the cliff at a right angle to the future plane. This approach ensures realism and harmony in the game's visual perception.

The next step is to create a rough blocking rendering. Patrick used 3D modeling tools in Unreal Engine for this process. Using these tools, he quickly assembled a rough blocking shape that reflects the outline of the future composition. This approach allows for effective space planning and compositional decisions to be made early on in the development process.

At this stage, it is critical to evaluate the result from various angles at all previously marked points of the location. It's important to pay attention to the sizes of rough objects, the parallax effect, the proportions of details relative to each other, and the distance between them. If any elements look unflattering, refrain from moving on to the next step until the desired result is achieved.

At this stage, it's necessary to establish the basic lighting settings for the future scene. In the current project, light rays create harmonious highlights and shadows on objects, which helps determine the optimal placement of scene elements. This approach also allows for the reproduction of reflection and shadow effects in a 3D environment with concept art. Proper lighting setup is a key aspect of successful matte painting. The more carefully the artist approaches this stage, the better the final result will be. 3D blocking acts as a proof of concept: if the desired effect is not achieved at this stage, it will be difficult to achieve later.

Concept art is usually created in 2D, but in some cases it may be necessary to create a 3D background model based on this art. This allows for a more accurate conveyance of the atmosphere and details of the scene and facilitates the further development process. 3D visualization based on 2D concepts helps designers and artists better understand perspective, lighting, and composition, which ultimately improves the quality of the final product.

As a concept artist, Patrick creates concept art himself. He exports level geometry, camera, and blocking from the game engine to a 3D program. Patrick then compares the blocking with the finished 3D concept, regularly switching scenes. At this stage, it is critical to ensure that the resulting image meets the original expectations. This approach allows for a high degree of detail and precision in concept visualization, which is an important aspect in game development.

If you're unsure about the placement of the matte painting, Patrick recommends returning to the previous step to double-check viewing angles and experiment with the perspective, distance, and placement of individual objects, including elements in the 3D concept itself. Once the 3D concept is complete, such changes can take as little as half a day, or in other cases, a day or two. Due to the simplicity of this technique, the result can be quickly improved iteratively.

At this stage, you should not strive for perfect execution - small details in concept art are mainly intended for Identifying additional elements that will be incorporated into the final matte painting iterations. For example, it's important to show how the space elevator interacts with the sky, and what light beams, fog, or signal lights on the structure look like. This will help create a more complete understanding of the project and improve the final result.

The presented concept features mountains and hills framing the scene. These elements will ensure a smooth transition between the stage level and the background, as additional geometry will be created based on them. All elements present in the current render will also be integrated into the matte painting through the development of new shapes and shaders. Once the concept is finalized, the projection adjustment process will begin, ensuring a harmonious blend of all visual components.

At this stage, it's necessary to adjust the camera angle for the upcoming render in 3D software. Patrick zoomed in on the composition, changing the focus to visually increase the size of the structure. He then added a level map to the frame, which allowed him to precisely match the scene's angle to the planned center point of the game location. This is an important step, as the correct camera angle significantly affects the perception of the final image and can improve the player's interaction with the game world.

At this stage, it is usually necessary to reposition the camera and adjust its settings to achieve the desired render of the 3D scene for matte painting. After this, a duplicate of the scene is created, from which the geometry of the space 3D scene is removed and replaced with a plane. The size of this plane should be related to the dimensions of the concept art, after which the texture can be applied using UV projection based on the camera position. This approach allows us to achieve high-quality visualization and more accurate compliance with the artistic concept.

The low-poly plane will display the same visualization as the high-poly 3D scene render. The artist imported the resulting settings and the new asset back into the engine, which ensured the preservation of image quality and improved the project's performance.

The video shows the intermediate result of the project. Although the matte painting is currently only a plane, the object already displays numerous details. This highlights one of the main advantages of this technique, which allows for the creation of visually rich and detailed images.

Work on the composition is still ongoing, but at this stage it is possible to accurately assess how well the concept matches the level scene. If there is a discrepancy, alternative options should be considered. If the perspective looks unsuccessful at this stage, subsequent iterations are unlikely to improve it, since the main cycle of creating matte painting is already complete. After this, the artist moves on to the stage of additional iterations, adding a variety of accents to enhance the immersive effect. Therefore, it is important to monitor the quality and harmony of the elements to achieve the best result in the final version.

At this stage, the key task is to create additional geometry around the projection. This is necessary in order to give the scene depth and a parallax effect using a 3D environment that frames a stationary plane. This approach significantly improves visual perception and creates a more realistic environment, allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the scene.

Parallax allows for a more dynamic perspective that is perceived differently from different viewing angles. The video demonstrates how, as the camera moves, the mountain elements shift relative to the plane of the space structure. This illusion improves the perception of matte painting in the game world, making it more realistic and visually appealing.

When adding new elements to a 3D environment, it's important to remember to maintain the composition. Overdoing it with new vertices can disrupt the visual balance. At this stage, it's recommended to maintain a matte painting level of around 80%. This will allow you to quickly undo changes and consider alternatives if needed, while maintaining the integrity of the project.

Once the desired parallax effect is achieved, you can move on to creating additional elements, such as weather effects. In Unreal Engine, Patrick replaced the standard sky texture with an HDRI texture, which more accurately conveys the atmosphere of the concept art displayed on a plane. This significantly improves visual perception and adds depth to scenes, creating a more realistic and immersive gaming environment. The use of high-quality HDRI textures not only enhances the atmosphere but also contributes to player immersion.

The sky plays a key role in creating the parallax effect thanks to its dynamic elements. The artist uses animations with flow maps, enhancing the sense of depth. To ensure the cloud movement harmonizes with the overall composition, Patrick applies a noise texture that simulates shadows in a 3D matte-painted environment. This texture moves at a set speed, adding realism. The combination of these effects creates the illusion of global illumination and a fully-fledged game environment, transforming a static image into a vibrant, dynamic experience.

On the surface of the structure, where the signal lights are expected to flicker, Patrick placed light sources that function as an additional plane. The lights are animated using a script that ensures their cyclical state changes. This solution allows for the creation of a dynamic lighting effect, improving the visual perception of the structure and increasing its safety.

The result was a scene that will give the player the impression of a carefully crafted 3D environment. In fact, it is quite a cost-effective and quickly assembled asset, which allows developers to use resources efficiently while maintaining high visual quality.

In the final stage, Patrick added additional geometry to emphasize the hangars surrounding the structure. He refined the sky texture and adjusted the dynamic elements so that the cloud animation speed matched the movement of the shadows. To better integrate the matte painting into the scene, planes with cloud maps of various types were loaded. These changes allowed for a more realistic and atmospheric composition, significantly enhancing the visual experience.

The main goal of the final refinement is to hide all seams between the plane and the projection from the player's eye. In Patrick's work, the seam is located on the shadowed edge, making it invisible. In other cases, the edges of the plane can be split so that they intersect neatly with the surrounding geometry. Alternative methods of masking the seam also exist, such as using tree maps to cover it or applying alpha blending to the texture, which achieves a translucent effect. These approaches contribute to the creation of a more realistic and visually appealing environment in the game.

The final result is an improved blockout, complemented with textures and refined. In theory, all elements could be created by a single artist. Patrick emphasizes that developing such a scene typically takes one to two weeks, sometimes less. It depends on the level complexity and composition.

Matte Painting and Performance

Performance is one of the key topics in game development. In this context, the use of matte painting is less resource-intensive compared to the creation of full-fledged 3D environments. As noted earlier, the asset, which is a plane, has a low polygon count and uses an unlit shader. This allows for a significant reduction in the system load while maintaining high visual quality. Using matte painting in game projects not only optimizes performance but also allows developers to focus on other aspects of game design, such as the plot and game mechanics.

Textures are the heaviest elements in graphics, and their characteristics can vary significantly depending on the specific scene. Additional geometry can range in size from hundreds to thousands of polygons, depending on the complexity of the rendering. To optimize performance, you can exclude geometry that uses alpha channels, i.e. elements with transparency. This will reduce the load on the system and improve overall rendering efficiency.

Summary

Matte painting in video games is an effective method that allows artists to convey their imagination and create visually impressive game worlds. This approach not only speeds up the development process but also enriches the visual content, making it more appealing to players. Matte painting helps create detailed backgrounds and landscapes that enhance the game's atmosphere and immerse users in unique game universes. As a result, the use of this technique significantly improves the quality of graphics and the overall perception of the game, which is an important aspect in the competitive video game industry.

The secret of this technique lies in the correct texture settings. Once configured, you can add various elements, such as 3D objects, animated textures, and photobashing, allowing you to create impressive images with depth. The main limiting factor, however, remains the texture size, which affects the quality and detail of the final image. The right combination of textures and additional elements allows you to achieve high-quality results in creating visual projects.

It is important to consider that when creating matte painting, an excess of details can negatively affect the overall perception. If too many elements are added to the image, it may appear more detailed than the game world itself, which will break the immersive experience. Maintaining harmony and integrity of the scene is a key aspect to achieving a high-quality result.