Environment & Hard-Surface Art for Space Engineers
From 2015 to 2021, I worked on Space Engineers as an Environment & Hard-Surface Artist and Art Lead, combining hands-on 3D production with responsibility for visual quality and art-team workflows.
My production work covered modular hard-surface assets, environment elements and game-ready models – from early sketches and blockouts through modeling, texturing and optimization to final implementation in Keen Software House’s proprietary VRAGE engine.
Client: Keen Software House
Role: Senior Environment & Hard-Surface Artist
Project: Space Engineers
Date: August 2015 – 2021
A major part of the work was building assets as components of a modular construction system which consisted of Large Grid (250cm grid) and Small Grid (50cm grid). Models had to share consistent scale, proportions, visual language and functional rules while remaining readable and reusable in a sandbox environment where players could construct their own spaces and structures.
What I worked on:
My hands-on production work included:
• Creating modular hard-surface and environment assets for Space Engineers construction system
• Developing assets from initial concept and blockout through final game-ready models
• Maintaining consistent scale, proportions, functionality and visual language across multiple modular asset sets
• Creating complete LOD chains, including simplified low-poly variants for distant rendering
• Creating and configuring collision models in the internal game editor (VRAGE2)
• Optimizing geometry and assets for real-time performance
• Implementing and testing assets directly in the proprietary VRAGE game engine
• Creating terrain and planetary environment features and evaluating them in-game
• Collaborating with level designers on planetary locations based on heightmaps
• Working with gameplay, player navigation, visual readability and tech constraints in mind
• Collaborating with programmers, designers and QA throughout production
• Providing visual feedback, mentoring junior artists and maintaining visual quality across the project
From Concept & Blockout to Final Asset
My asset work often started with quick sketches, paint-overs and blockouts used to explore form, function and gameplay requirements together with designers and other artists. These concepts then served as a foundation for production-ready 3D assets and their final in-game implementation.
Game-Ready Hard-Surface Modular Assets
I created numerous production-ready assets for Space Engineers, from initial blockouts to final textured models implemented directly in-game. Because Space Engineers is built around player construction, assets had to function as parts of a consistent modular system rather than isolated models. Production included modeling, texturing, optimization, LOD creation, collision setup and implementation in the internal game editor, with particular attention to scale, readability, modular compatibility and real-time performance.
Modular Armors
I was responsible for creating modular Armor texture surfaces for both Large and Small grid armor blocks used throughout Space Engineers game. The panel patterns were carefully designed to remain visually seamless and avoid obvious repetition when hundreds of armor blocks were placed side by side, allowing them to cover very large surfaces while still reading as a coherent structure.
Creating all kinds of Promotional Materials
I was also responsible for creating all kinds of promotional materials such as Hero Banners and official Screenshots needed for marketing Space Engineers game along with all of its DLCs on all platforms such as Steam, Playstation and Xbox (Microsoft) stores as well as preparing promo materials for dedicated Live Streams providing visual presence on all social networks. Marketing materials included: Hero Banners and their adaptations, Screenshots and Promo Banners showcasing key parts and premium items of the game and DLCs, Promotional Banners for Release Live Streams and external Ads.
Credits
All of this wouldn’t be possible without Keen’s Great Team of incredibly talented and passionate Artists, Coders, Designers, QA Testers and many other talented people who contributed their time, skills and passion to make the end product looking as awesome as possible.
All rights belong to © Keen Software House
