Netflixs 3 Body Problemwon over audiences withits sci-fi mysteries,complex characters, andstartling visuals.
io9: What was your starting point when designing the world within the VR game?
The process involved several key steps:
1.
Image: Netflix/Scanline VFX
These discussions set the foundation for the entire design process.
This helped me understand the desired visual style, environment layout, and overall tone of the game world.
In some cases we used Generative AI to gather additional reference.
Eve Ridley as the Follower and Jess Hong as Jin in 3 Body Problem.Image: Netflix
Building the virtual environment:
Once we had a clear plan, we began building the virtual environments.
This involved creating environments, 3D models, texturing, lighting, complex FX setups, crowds, etc.
From this point on we continuously refined the design through iterative review meetings and client feedback.
Image: Netflix
How did you approach creating that particular series of effects?
We also rolled up the character rig itself to allow for a coordinated unrolling effect.
We controlled the timing of these simulations with 3D gradients and noises to get a more precise artistic direction.
Image: Netflix
The shader transitions were based on the surface curvature and simulation attributes.
We used a stress map that showed where the characters skin was stretched or compressed to create additional effects.
The hair was simulated separately, with guide splines created in Houdini and then transferred to Maya.
Jonathan Pryce as Mike Evans, shortly before meeting his demise on Judgment Day.Image: Netflix
We decided to render all shader variations and transitions separate to give full control in compositing.
FX provided additional aeration simulations and air bubbles that were emitted from the character.
Like always, the final look was dialed by adding compositing love.
Image: Netflix
io9: The VR world also, at once point, experiences a total loss of gravity.
Our animation team came up with great ideas for the horse movements in zero gravity, e.g.
For midground and far distant characters we used a mix of animated, motion captured and ragdoll-simulated characters.
What did you have to take into consideration, to make it feel as realistic as possible?
Mathews expertise and his creative vision were crucial to achieve such impressive results.
The realism of the sequence was achieved through a combination of elements.
Here are a few key components that were essential.
Our reference was the Culebra Cut section of the canal, known for its distinct terrace features.
We also took on the task of building and helping to design the tanker named Judgment Day.
One of the challenging aspects was illustrating the nano filaments, which operate on an atomic scale.
The cuts they produce are not visible until the pieces begin to slide.
Our look development and lighting teams played a crucial role in tying everything together.
Kudos to our FX team and all the other departments creating this awesome sequence.
io9: Which sequence took the longest or the most work to complete, and why?
Other scenes also demanded extended development periods.
Additionally, there was the challenge of creating the human calculator.
The gruesome scene where Turing and Newton are sliced by Khan required precise attention to detail.
you’ve got the option to watch 3 Body Problemon Netflix.
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