Major Project 2
02/02/2026 - 29/03/2026 / Week 1 - Week 8
Lim En Yu / 0354452
Major Project 2/ Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor’s University
Major Project 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Instructions
Fig 1.1 Module Information
Major Project 2
Overview
For our group project, we have continued what we did last
year during Major Project 1, "Quest of Twelve". Quest of Twelve is a VR storytelling experience
based on the Chinese Zodiac. It lets users explore a dreamlike
world guided by the Jade Emperor, learning the story through
interaction and experience instead of just watching. The focus
is on immersion and emotion, so users can feel and understand
the story in a more engaging way.
My Role– Character Artist, Prop Artist
& Animator
- Focus in Dragon, Jade Emperor Character Building, Narration Animation and Back-up Version of Introduction Scene Building
- Focus in Scroll props building
- Promotional Video
- 3D character modelling
- Character rigging and 3D animation
- 2D animation
- Texturing & lighting setup
- Storyboarding
- Assist in Godot engine development and scene building
- Voice acting & audio design
- Presentation Deck
Storyboarding
Another role I had in this project was storyboarding.
Before we started building the scenes, my teammates and I
discussed the whole storyline together. We planned how the
story flows, what the player will experience, and how each
scene connects and how the player interact with the
dragon.
After that, I was in charge of drawing the storyboard. I
used Procreate to create all the panels. I chose a cute
and simple drawing style to match our target audience,
which is mainly children. I also added colours to make the
scenes clearer and easier to understand.
Fig 2.1 & Fig 2.2 Storyboards in Procreate
Fig 2.3 Quest of Twelve Storyboard
Character Modelling Challenges Faced (Animals)
Before starting the final models, I had actually created
several animal models earlier during Major Project 1 last
year, including the goat, rat,
rooster, and ox. These were originally made
with more details and higher polygon count. However, when
we tried to use them in this project, we realised they
were not suitable for VR.
The main problem was that the file size was too large and
the models were too high poly, which caused performance
issues in VR. The system could not handle them smoothly.
On top of that, the shading nodes I used in Blender did
not transfer properly into Godot, so the textures were not
working as expected.
Fig 2.4 Animals modelled before
However, even after deciding to optimise my models, I still faced more technical issues during the process. I tried to bake texture paint onto a decimated mesh, but it did not work properly because the decimate mesh has a vey bad and messy UV map. The texture results were inconsistent and sometimes completely failed. I also attempted to use MeshLab to decimate the high-poly models, but it was not effective for very complex meshes.
Fig 2.5 Broken texture & UV map
Because of these issues, I had to adjust my workflow
again. Instead of relying on heavy models and trying to
fix them, I chose to remodel the animals directly in
low-poly form. This gave me better control over the
geometry and made the models cleaner and more suitable
for VR.
Character Modelling (Dragon)
For my first dragon model, I made a mistake during rigging
because I did not fully understand the correct process at
that time. I rigged the model in pose mode instead of rest
pose, which caused the animation to look very unnatural,
distorted, and laggy. The movement did not behave
properly, and the overall result looked quite messy.
I have even draw a curve animation for myself as a
reference for animation as I really have no idea how to
animate it moving smoothly in place. After visualizing it
I have a clearer idea on animating the dragon naturally.
Fig 2.6 First version dragon rigging and
animation
Fig 2.7 Self drawn curve animation
Fig 2.8 First dragon animation trial
Later, I realised that the armature should be set up in a
proper rest pose, usually in a straight and clean
structure before starting animation. After facing issues with the first dragon model, I decided
to remodel it from scratch instead of trying to fix the
existing one. This time, I focused on creating a cleaner and
more organised mesh with a proper low-poly structure. I
simplified the shape and made sure the topology was suitable
for rigging and animation.
While remodelling, I also paid attention to the proportions
and ensured the body flow was smoother, especially for the
wings and joints where movement is important. Once the new
model was completed, it became much easier to rig correctly
in rest pose, and the animation looked more stable and
natural.
Fig 2.9 Remodel dragon body#1
Fig 2.10 Remodel dragon body#2
For the dragon texturing, I could not find a suitable
texture online that matched the style I wanted. Because of
that, I decided to create the texture myself. I manually
drew the texture in Blender, adding colours and shadows to
give the model more depth.
Fig 2.11 Image texture applied
Fig 2.12 Rearrange the image texture
To avoid the model looking too flat, I also applied a
normal map, which helped enhance the surface details
and made the dragon look more visually interesting. On
top of that, I added glowing patterns on the dragon’s
body using texture painting. This gave the dragon a
more magical and stylised appearance that fits the
overall theme of our project.
Fig 2.13 Normal map image applied
For the dragon animation, I used a more controlled
rigging and animation setup to make the movement
smoother and more natural. Instead of animating every
bone manually, I created several control bones such as
the head control, upper spine control, lowerspine
control and tail control to manage the overall
movement of the dragon. Green bone is the bone copying
the rotation of control bone, while yellow bone is
bone with IK constraint to make sure smoother
movement.
Fig 2.14 Dragon bone arrangement
These control bones helped me animate more
efficiently because I could move larger parts of the
body in a more organised way. For example, adjusting
the head control would naturally affect the direction
of the dragon, while the upper spine control helped
create a smooth body flow during flight.
Yellow bone which are IK constraints for certain
parts of the rig to make the movement more stable and
easier to control. This was especially useful for
maintaining consistent motion without needing to
manually adjust every joint. In addition, I used copy
rotation constraints so that some bones could follow
the movement of others. This helped create a more
connected and natural motion throughout the dragon’s
body.
Fig 2.15 Dragon animation progression
To guide the overall movement, I used a curve as a path
for the animation. Instead of moving the dragon freely,
I let it follow a predefined curve, which acted as a
flight path. This made the animation more controlled and
consistent, especially for the VR experience where
smooth motion is very important. The curve helped me
plan the direction, speed, and flow of the dragon’s
movement more clearly.
Fig 2.16 Dragon view in Blender
By combining control bones, constraints, and
curve-based animation, I was able to create a smoother
and more stable flying animation. This workflow also
made it easier to adjust the animation later without
breaking the entire rig.
Fig 2.17 Dragon detailed view
For the dragon animation, I created two versions, which
are mild and extreme movements. The mild animation is
used for normal flying, where the movement is smoother
and more stable to ensure a comfortable experience in
VR. On the other hand, the extreme animation has
stronger and more dynamic movements, such as sharper
turns and larger body motion, to make the dragon feel
more powerful and expressive.
Fig 2.18 Extreme animation
Fig 2.19 Mild animation
Fig 2.20 Dragon animation
Character Modelling (Jade Emperor)
Fig 2.21 Jade Emperor Sketches
First version of Jade Emperor
For the Jade Emperor, my first version was already
fully rigged, but I later realised that it was not
suitable for auto rigging. The structure of the
model caused issues when using automatic weights,
and the deformation was not working properly.
Because of that, I could not rely on auto rig and
had to switch to manual weight painting.
This process was much more time-consuming because I needed to paint the weights vertex by vertex according to each bone. At first, I faced a lot of problems, such as parts of the mesh moving incorrectly or certain areas not responding to the bones at all. I had to keep testing, adjusting, and repainting multiple times to get a better result.
Fig 2.22 First time rigging using weight
painting
In the end, I decided to remodel the Jade Emperor to
achieve a cleaner topology. The previous model had
too many issues, so starting again allowed me to fix
the structure properly from the beginning.
Fig 2.23 Remodel the Jade Emperor
After remodelling, I reapplied the image textures,
adjusted the material properties, and added a normal
map to enhance the surface details so that the model
would not look too flat. With the improved topology
and cleaner structure, the model became much more
suitable for auto rigging.
Fig 2.24 Apply image texture and normal
map
This time, the rigging process worked much better,
and the deformation was smoother and more natural
during animation. I also had better control over
how each part of the character moved, which made
the animation process easier and more efficient.
Fig 2.25 Jade Emperor animation
Fig 2.26 Jade Emperor wireframe, pose &
armature
Fig 2.27 Jade Emperor talking animation
Fig 2.28 Jade Emperor scroll smacking
animation
Starting Island
Due to time constraints, I utilised the existing
assets we had and focused on arranging the starting
island scene, which is the place where the player is
first transferred into the world. Instead of creating
everything from scratch, I worked on combining and
positioning the assets to form a complete and visually
appealing environment.
I was also responsible for setting up the environment
background, adjusting the camera angle, and applying
lighting to create the right mood for the scene. This
helped establish the first impression of the
experience and ensured that the transition into the VR
world feels smooth and immersive.
Fig 2.29 Setting up starting island
Fig 2.30 Starting island detailed view
Fig 2.31 Starting island overview
Fig 2.32 Starting island video
Props Modelling (Scroll)
For props modelling, I worked on creating the
scroll, which plays an important role in the
introduction scene. I first modelled the scroll
base, including the handles and the paper. To
achieve the rolling effect, I applied a curve
modifier to the scroll paper and set the object to
follow a spiral curve.
By animating the spiral curve, the paper is able
to curl and unroll smoothly, creating a more
dynamic and natural movement. This technique
allowed me to control the shape and motion of the
scroll more easily compared to manually animating
it. The animation also helps enhance the magical
feeling of the scene, especially when the scroll
transforms into a portal.
Fig 2.33 Spiral curve animation
After completing the animation, I applied
image textures to improve the visual details
and ensure it fits the overall style of the
project. In addition, I also worked on setting
up the camera direction, environment
background, and lighting. These elements were
important in creating a clear composition and
establishing the mood of the scene, making the
introduction feel more immersive and visually
engaging for the player.
Fig 2.34 Image texture for scroll
Fig 2.35 Scroll animation
2D Animations (Narration Animation)
For the 2D animation, I worked on the
narration scene by drawing frame by frame
using my iPad. I created each frame manually
to match the storytelling and flow of the
narration. This process required careful
timing and consistency to ensure the animation
looks smooth.
I used a simple and cute drawing style to
match the overall theme of the project and
make it suitable for our target audience.
Compared to 3D animation, this process was
more time-consuming, but it helped me improve
my understanding of movement, timing, and
storytelling through visuals.
Fig 2.36 Frame by frame animation
Fig 2.37 Progression in Procreate
Fig 2.38 Final narration
animation
2D Illustrations (Loading Scene)
As what Mr Ronald suggested, I also created a
loading scene to act as a transition, informing
the audience that the remaining scenes are still
in development. Instead of leaving the screen
empty, we designed a simple animation to keep
the experience engaging during this moment.
There will be a cute loop animation of 12
Chinese Zodiac Animals walking.
Fig 2.39 Progression of loading
scene
Fig 2.40 Loading scene animation
Voice Acting & Audio Design
I was responsible for handling the voice
recording for the child and mother characters.
I recorded the audio based on the script
written by Kar Yee, making sure the tone and
pacing match the narration of the story. After
recording, I compiled and arranged the audio
clips so that they flow smoothly within the
scene.
Fig 2.41 Recordings for child
and mum
Fig 2.42 Compilation of
both recording
Fig 2.43 Editing of Jade
Emperor in Adobe Audition
Promotional Video Editing
For the promotional video editing, one of the
most time-consuming parts was rendering every
scene, as each render took a very long time to
complete. For the main environment scene, I
have set the route around the map using curve.
Fig 2.44 Setting route for camera
in the map
Fig 2.45 Setting up camera using empty
and follow path of curve
Fig 2.46 Attach a bird in front of
camera
Fig 2.47 View in Blender
For the video editing process, I also worked
closely with Li Vern on refining the overall
presentation. We collaborated on sound
editing, ensuring that the audio matches the
visuals and creates a better atmosphere. In
addition, we planned the video transitions,
overall sequence, and pacing to make sure the
flow feels smooth and natural. This teamwork
helped us achieve a more cohesive and polished
final video, where both visuals and audio work
well together to deliver the intended feeling.
Fig 2.48 Promotional Video
editing
Fig 2.49 Final Promotional Video
Final Demo Video
As Kar Yee responsible for the VR part, she handled the recording
of the VR headset demo footage. She recorded the demo directly through the VR headset, showing the
experience exactly as the player would see it.
Fig 2.50 Final Demo Video
Documentation
Fig 3.1 Group Documentation
Reflection
This project has been one of the most challenging but
meaningful and interesting experiences for me. My role was
mainly focused on character modelling, rigging, animation, and
texturing, especially for the dragon and Jade Emperor. I also
worked on props like the scroll, 2D animation for the starting
narration, and helped with video editing and scene setup.
Because of this, I was involved in many different parts of the
pipeline, not just one area.
At the beginning, I thought I could reuse my models from Major
Project 1, but I quickly realised they were too high poly and
not suitable for VR. This forced me to completely change my
workflow. I had to learn how to simplify my models, reduce
polygon count, and focus more on shape instead of details. This
was quite frustrating at first, because I had to redo some of my
work, but it helped me understand how important optimization is
in VR.
And rigging and animation were also quite difficult for me as I
was totally new to this but thankful for this project, I have
the chance to try and develop new skills and also challenge
myself. I faced many issues like bone heat errors, mesh not
moving properly, and animation failing because the rig was not
set correctly. There were moments where I felt stuck and didn’t
know what went wrong. But through testing, asking questions, and
trying different methods, I slowly understood the process
better. These problems actually helped me improve my technical
skills and become more patient.
Another challenge was working between Blender and Godot. Some
things that worked in Blender did not work in Godot, especially
shaders and textures. I had to learn how to use image textures
instead and adjust everything again in the engine. It was tiring
to keep fixing problems, but it also made me realise that real
projects are not just about creating, but also about
adapting.
Emotionally, there were definitely stressful moments,
especially when time was limited and there were still many
things to fix. Also this is actually the first time I have had a
communication problem with my teammate as I have always been
helpful and responsible to all tasks given. I think most of us
did our parts very well and even have to take care of other
parts as not everyone of us is doing our work. But I am very
thankful that I was not alone. I really appreciate my teammates,
especially Kar Yee and Li Vern, for always supporting each other
and pushing through together. Even when things were difficult,
we still tried our best to complete the project. I am also very
grateful to Mr Ronald for guiding us throughout the project. His
guidance this semester was really helpful and we even know him
better as we almost spend everyday with him at E101.
Overall, this project really changed the way I see my work. I
realised that creating something is not just about how it looks,
but whether it can actually function properly in a real
environment like VR. There were many moments where I struggled
and felt frustrated, but looking back, those were the moments
that helped me improve the most. I feel satisfied to see how my
creation works in real life!! This is the meaning of studying
design!
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