The Making of MX vs ATV Reflex: Vehicles

Ever wonder how to make a video game? A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make everything look, play, and feel as real as possible to ensure that MX vs ATV Reflex is the most authentic experience out there. We wanted to open our doors to our community and let you know, “Just how does Rainbow make a bike for MX vs ATV Reflex?” ...read more Luckily for you guys, RBW_Jaspony was willing to let the tricks be known and tell you how the bikes of Reflex came to be. First we find the real life reference and take photos of the specific model from multiple angles. After processing the images, we will take the manufacturers specs and create a template that can then be used as a background in our 3D modeling application. Once the image is in, we can start matching up a basic model with the manufacturer’s specifications and sizes. When the detail modeling pass has started, we ensure that all of the proportions and dimensions remain faithful to the original model. After all the modeling is complete, we skin the bike. Skinning, or texturing, means placing all of the images or textures on the model. There are several different images that end up on the model, ones to describe the color and stickers (Color Map), others to describe where the reflective areas are (Specular Map) and what texture or how rough the surface is (Normal Map) to name a few. We split the work into three areas, the plastics, the engine, and the frame. After completing the mapping and texture work, we make sure the model rig works with our physics by tagging the moving parts (suspension, steering and wheel rotations). We also ensure that the model contains the correct tags that position the rider on the bike. The complete model package finally gets handed to the coders who implement the bike into the game. Any custom parts work off a modular system which allows them to be constructed later and fit perfectly. Adding new graphics kits and colors can be as simple as changing the Color Map. As you can tell from the final results, Jaspony and the rest of the character artists take their job seriously, and always aim to represent every bike, ATV, and machine vehicle to feel as authentic as possible. Check out the images in full resolution here!

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