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wesleyemmert · 20 days ago

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DFX452 | Blog Post 4 | 4/15/2025

Wrapping Up Pocket Goblins

Final Logo Fixes and Finishing Touches

After getting some thoughtful peer feedback, I made one last update to the Pocket Goblins logo. A few classmates mentioned the goblins’ hands were blending in too much with their heads, which made them hard to read at first glance.

To fix this, I jumped back into Illustrator and:

Slightly rearranged the goblins' positions

Improved visual clarity while keeping the original design intact

After that, I swapped in the updated logo, re-exported the video through Media Encoder, and locked it in for good.

youtube

Creating the Key Art and Final Shots

With the ad complete, I focused on building supporting visuals and key art to bring the whole project together. I started by taking high-quality screenshots from the finished video and used them to establish a basic visual guideline. For consistency, I decided:

My name would go in the bottom-left corner

The Pocket Goblins logo would stay in the top-right

I returned to Unreal Engine to render new turnarounds of the goblins, using a simple 3-point light setup. I also created a subtle animated turnaround of the treasure chest with the lid gently swaying—bringing back the flowing energy effect I had cut from the final ad. It added a nice finishing touch.

Wireframes and Workarounds

One piece of feedback I kept hearing: show your wireframes. But Unreal’s built-in wireframe material wasn’t ideal—it displays everything in triangles and doesn’t handle animation well.

I wanted animated wireframes in-engine, but due to time and complexity (many pieces per character), I pivoted. Instead, I:

Returned to Maya and used Arnold to render static wireframe images

Used an AO pass underneath to give them subtle depth

Learned the importance of baking wireframes earlier in the process

Was it my original plan? No—but it was a clean, readable solution.

Texture Breakdowns and Extra Content

To round things out, I created texture breakdowns for each goblin and the treasure chest, showcasing the 2048x2048 texture setup used across the board.

On top of that, I created:

Key art for the Illustrator logo

Layouts for the storyboard and early concept art

A fun “Collect Them All!” poster in Photoshop using PNGs from the final video

These final touches gave the project that finished, campaign-ready look I was aiming for.

Upload and Reflection

Once everything was complete, I uploaded the full project to ArtStation.

This project was a major step forward in my CG journey. Compared to my previous work, Board to Death, the growth is clear. That cinematic had no real beauty shots or marketing content—I lacked the confidence and workflow to take it that far at the time.

But with Pocket Goblins, I delivered:

A polished ad

Clean turnarounds

Wireframes, textures, and marketing art

A fully branded presentation

It’s proof that my skills—and my trust in my own process—have grown massively.

What’s Next?

This may be the end of Pocket Goblins, but it’s only the beginning of what’s next. I’ve learned so much through this journey, and I’m more excited than ever to step into the next chapter of my creative work.

Thanks for coming along for the ride.