Andrew Scrimshaw
Avatars & Animation
At Virtualspeech I have managed and optimised the app’s avatar systems, utilising Iclone & Character Creator 4 to create and render high-quality animations, thus enhancing avatars' realism and visual appeal and contributing to a more immersive user experience. I have scripted the interaction systems including the emotion system and implemented the animations of the avatars in the app. Take a look at some of my work below:
Environments
Working on level designs and creating Environments has always fascinated me since my first project at university (Video of this project below). I have always found myself able to become engrossed in meticulously placing assets. I enjoy making an environment look as immersive and detailed as possible, down to each stone and tuft of grass, even rotating and scaling repeating assets to give them a unique random appearance.
Below are some examples of environments I have created for previously released titles, as I have become more experienced I feel I have gotten better at creating more believable and dense environments. I am always trying to make the world feel as if it goes on forever, I use a multitude of tricks to achieve this in a performance freindly way. This way of thinking may be a symptom of developing mobile games and having very limited resources, both performance wise and when it comes to the projects overall size (I always try to keep the titles below 100mb).
I am particularly proud of the environments I created for Posh Toffee Games latest release "Soldiers Of Vietnam".
Environment Showreel
2014
"Ghost Battalion"
Game Concept
2017
This was a concept I created in 2017. I became fascinated with creating a game that depicted war and its realities, not just another dumb action game simplifying the horrific nature of conflict. I felt I myself had fed into this dumbing down, simplification of war and its horrors with previously released titles.
This is still something I struggle with to this day, torn between trying to depict these struggles in a way that would want to be played or creating something closer to my original vision.
Elements from this concept where added to Medal Of Valor D-Day such as the concept of having a mental health bar as well as a standard health bar.
2015
"3D4"
Game Concept
3D4 was not meant to just be a concept, we where targeting a full release. 3D4 was going to be Posh Toffee Games first none mobile release primarily targeting console, it would of been a mind bending four player couch co-op experience.
I had been in communication with Nintendo about developing it for the Nintendo Switch but unfortunately after many emails back and forth I never heard back. A prototype was also submitted to Microsoft who showed some interest but wanted a more complete version before moving forward, this was not financially viable at the time.
I still believe this concept and dimensional shifting element to be very unique and have not seen it replicated in a similar way to this day.
Please see the footage below:
3D Modelling
I have been using 3D modelling software since I started university, I first learnt how to 3D model with Autodesk Softimage but have since become familiar with Blender. Modelling 3D assets became a very useful skill when me and my brother founded Posh Toffee Games, although my models started off rather basic I honed my skills practically while always keeping polygon count in mind as to not impact our games performance in engine.
As Posh Toffee Games became more successful and it became financially viable I did begin integrating outsourced models, this helped with making such large scale games with such a small (two man) team. Although some assets began to be outsourced I did not let my 3D modelling skills stagnate and to this day I still model the more bespoke assets.
The work you see below varies from 2012 to now.
Concept Art
I have always been interested in art since school, following this up with A levels. I have used concept art to aid me with my 3D modelling as well as just for fun.
Sculpture
"My Family"
2011
2017
Public sculpture ‘Our Family’ commissioned by Immingham Town Council in 2011. A seven foot abstract figurative sculpture, in mild steel, depicting a family to represent community. I designed, negotiated, developed and created this sculpture alongside my art BTEC, using practical welding and metalworking skills learned from my sculptor father. It now stands as Immingham’s first public sculpture for twenty five years and is a much loved feature of the town.