Creating a Mu Dan Lun Dragon in Blender

Victoria VR
4 min readJul 19, 2024

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Creating spectacular, lifelike objects in virtual reality requires not only technical skills, but also a deep understanding of the development process and the interaction of game elements. Our project to create a dragon “Mu Dan Lun” for a VR game was a great example of an integrated approach to modeling in Unreal Engine 5 and Blender. This article is intended to educate and familiarize you with the key stages of creating a game model from idea to final product.

1. Defining Context

The sketch of the game environment context

The first step in creating a model is to understand its role in the game world. Our dragon is meant to be a large, flying element that fills a significant part of the background for the entire map. This determines not only the design, but also the functionality of the object. Understanding the context defines how all subsequent steps, from sketch to animation, will be developed.

2. Finding References

Form reference

During this phase, information is gathered that will help create a unique and memorable image. For the dragon “Mu Dan Lun”, we searched for inspiration in historical artifacts, cultural symbols, and modern dragon representations. Studying references not only helps to bring the model to life, but also to make it recognizable and logically fit into the game world.

Texture reference

3. Sketch in VR

Creating an initial sketch in VR allows for a more realistic assessment of the model’s proportions and dynamics. This is important when creating interactive models that must look believable from any angle and in any motion.

The shape and proportions drawn in Oculus Quill

4. Detailed modeling in Blender

High poly model

At this stage, the dragon model is modeled to the highest level of detail. Working in Blender requires in-depth knowledge of modeling and texturing, as this is the foundation for all further steps. Every part of the model must be thought out for optimal performance and visual quality.

12000000 polygons model

5. Retopology

18900 polygons model

Retopology is necessary to optimize the function of the model in the game engine without sacrificing quality. This includes rebuilding the polygon mesh, simplifying models, and improving animation without significant performance cost.

11981100 polygons less than the high poly model.

6. Colorization

The final step is to paint and texture the model to achieve maximum realism and visual consistency. At this stage, it is also important to consider how lighting and other visual effects in the game will affect the appearance of the model.

Conclusion

Mastering the process of creating game models in modern conditions is a complex process that requires not only artistic talent, but also technical knowledge. Understanding each stage will allow you to work effectively on your project and ensure its success among your target audience. You can read more about the process of creating the Mu Dan Lun dragon and get tips on working in Unreal Engine and Blender in our article on Telegraph, where we share our experience and technical details of the project.

About Victoria VR — www.victoriavr.com

Victoria VR is a revolutionary Blockchain-based Virtual Reality Metaverse. Powered by Unreal Engine and featuring realistic, highly detailed graphics, it combines a massively-multiplayer-online role-playing game (MMORPG) with a unique Social Experience Playground.

Like never before, players will be immersed in a virtual reality world where they get to live their digital life. Whether you want to Play games, Develop your digital real estate (VR Land), Own a business, Work up or Get some entertainment, your imagination is the only limitation.

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Victoria VR

Victoria VR is the first Blockchain-based MMORPG in Virtual Reality with Realistic Graphics built and owned by its users.