I am a Senior Environment Artist, and I created all the environments for the AAA mobile game Titanfall Assault. The video above exhibits some of those worlds; each one is unique and rich in depth and immersive details. I packed the levels with ambient animations, windy foliage, particle systems, ambient creatures, and reactive destructible props and buildings. I designed the environments to feel alive and full of personality at all times.

Unless otherwise noted, I created and was responsible for all the models, textures, and environment art in these levels. (Occasionally, I optimized and repurposed iconic or useful models from the main Titanfall and Titanfall 2 titles, and these objects will be specifically pointed out.)

It was an exciting challenge to reimagine the spirit and defining imagery of the console games, and create fresh new environments in a mobile-friendly visual style which aligned with the more casual feel of Titanfall Assault. I created all the textures and models for every level, and was fully responsible for the entire level layout and final look and feel for each level in Titanfall Assault.

Angel City

➤Angel City is a futuristic city square with a little cyberpunk flare. In addition to the world geometry, I created a lot of animated glowing neon signs and screens to bring color and movement into this level. I achieved the feeling of wind blowing through the city with particle systems of blowing newspapers, dust, and falling leaves and blossoms.

Animated UV scrolling is a technique I use extensively through all the levels to bring motion into the world. The misty clouds, screens, neon, water ripples, and blinking lights all use this workflow.

The Bay was a fun corner of the level to create. The cargo ship model and textures are simplified and repurposed from the original game. Sign imagery, metal crates, and pallet cover objects were also simplified and repurposed from the original title.

Crash Site

➤Crash Site was one of my favorite levels to work on. It was rewarding to get a jungle environment running smoothly on mobile, complete with dense foliage, relaxing waterfalls, and lazy rivers. I used blending textures to create the soft transitions in the ground and road visuals. The crashed ship, as well as the modular cliff models, are significantly simplified and repurposed models from the console game.

I created a flapping group of birds which occasionally fly through the level from various directions. (Birds always make environments better.) Cover objects were designed to look like debris from the crashed ship.

Keeping the plants low-poly was key in allowing a large number of them to be drawn on screen. All the plants in the level also sway in the wind.

The water falls and rivers were created with UV scrolling textures and particle systems. Animated water ripples expand out from the base of the waterfalls and a wispy mist circles the level. I simplified the Prowler creature from the main game, then placed it in the level and set up paths for it to run through.

Boneyard

➤Boneyard is a harsh, sandy, rocky environment which employs a shield in the center that blocks missiles and explosive damage. Alien skeletal remains give the level its name. I also took the dragon creature, created a simplified skeleton for it, and re-animated its flying cycle. I then created flight paths for it to follow over the level.

Skull and bone models, radar dish, and the flying dragon creature were repurposed from the main game.

The center shield dome was a lot of fun to work on. I used particles, a displacement material, and lots of scrolling UVs to achieve the final effect. I also created a power-down animation and destruction hit FX for the shield.

Colony

➤Colony is a level with a moody atmosphere. I built a rain FX particle system, and this was the first level to have a weather change in it. I animated a weather change that goes from rainy and blue-tinted, to sunny with warmer lighting, and also added sun rays.

It was fun creating background farming areas on the outskirts of Colony. Modular cliff rocks of various sizes help to visually transition the tall background cliffs into the ground.

I recreated the iconic “SOS” building top from the main title, complete with burning flares. Antennas and on the outer walls and clothing lines sway in the wind.

I created a water spillway in the level which overflows at a certain point in the match. The yellow warning lights were a simple technical achievement, leveraging an additive material and scrolling UVs. Yellow rooftop textures are modified from the main game, and the background cliff tiling texture was modified from an existing texture.

I am particularly proud of the aqueduct pool and flowing water FX. I used a combination of particles, ripple geometry strips, distortion materials, and water edge cards.

Training Ground

➤Training Grounds is a desert combat training facility. Flags, trees, and bushes sway in the windy environment while dusty particle systems add to the dry mood.

I also created a friendly tumbleweed which randomly spawns and bounces throughout the world.

Environment Destructibles and FX

In setting up environment destructibles, I added another layer of immersion to the worlds. I helped design our destructible systems with the team, and then incorporated the systems in diverse ways throughout all of our levels.

Destructibles include walls and parts of buildings which can be destroyed with weapons and explosions. When neon signs or electronics are damaged, sparks spit out and cool on the ground. Trees react to explosions by swaying back, and shedding puffs of leaves or blossoms. Small bushes burst into flame, then burn out. Cracks and explosion marks appear on rooftops or the ground when damaged. I often use physics-based particle systems to achieve chunky-looking concrete explosions.



(Concrete destructible and sparks from electronics in Angel City, and subtle asphalt cracks appear on the street.)

(Trees and wall reacting to an explosion in Angel City.)

(Corner rock face destructible in Crash Site.)

(Trees sway and shed leaves from explosions in Crash Site.)

(Shield damage flicker glitch effect in Boneyard.)

(Building damage destructible and torched bush in Boneyard.)

(Tree explosion reaction and concrete wall destructible in Colony.)

(Special pumpkin destructibles for our Halloween event.)

Base Explosions

I also set up larger environmental destruction events for each level, which are triggered when the main turret is destroyed. I created the environmental damage and physics explosion objects and FX, while our FX artist created the large fiery explosions for these events. I broke off pieces of the environment to create these FX, and caused chunks of concrete, crates, and small props fly and bounce around dynamically from the explosion.

(Building breaking apart in Boneyard physics explosion.)

(Various structures breaking apart, and tree swaying and catching on fire in Training Grounds, as a result of the turret destruction.)

In creating all the environments for Titanfall Assault, I was able to design and create intricate yet optimized worlds with a lot of personality. My love for ambient details and reactive elements works to breath life into my environments in delightful and unexpected ways, resulting in a rich, immersive experience.

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