Dev Insight: The Bad Batch
Greetings all and welcome to our first post for our new series, Dev Insight!
This series will focus on the development of the game, how it is made, and the challenges that we face during the course of the project.
This Insight we will be focusing on the creation of the Bad Batch gear sets as well as our newest YouTube video “The Cavalry”.
Guiding us through this Insight will be Content Team Lead, Chowder.
Creating The Bad Batch
Development on The Bad Batch gear sets started in early July of 2019 with Tech’s helmet.
Here is one of the early images of the model for Tech’s helmet. This was one of the first helmet models that I had created after learning the basics of 3D modelling.
The process was tedious and took many attempts to get it right. Even then, it wasn’t really enough, but more on that later.
This was the first finished texture for Hunter. Another member of the team at the time had experience with Substance Painter, however I decided to texture it myself using my trusty image editing software, Paint.net.
Here is one of the first updates I made after finishing the models for Bad Batch, on the right is the first texture that was made on Substance Painter by a former team member. On the left is the updated version I created before I started texturing the body.
For every member other than Tech, I started with the original game’s Clone Commando set and rescaled it to better fit the design of each Bad Batch member. I then added onto the models with attachments such as hunter’s knife, and Crosshair’s Pauldron.
Once the models were completed, it was time to texture. At first the process was fairly daunting since I had never really textured anything other than a box. All pieces were textured on Paint.net, a free (and simplified) alternative to photoshop. I had access to Photoshop then, and I still do now, however I was comfortable using Paint.net and I still use it for most image editing I do today.
Upgrading The Bad Batch
After around 6 months I had advanced in 3D art, so I decided to go back and revise some of the models and redo the textures from scratch using Substance Painter. Since there were official images of the Bad Batch out, I was able to recreate them more accurately to their look in Season 7 of The Clone Wars.
Here are the before and after renders of the upgraded Bad Batch.
These pictures show updates in the helmet models as well as the textures for each Bad Batch member. The textures have a lot more detail, as well as additional maps (normal, opacity, emission) to get it even closer to their appearances in the show.
Here is a closer look at the Hunter texture.
You can see the small details like scratches, and paint fading. I also added a layer over the top of the basic color and shapes that provided a “cross pattern” which I had seen quite commonly throughout the designs in the show.
Each member also seemed to have parts of their armor painted with a navy blue brush, however it seemed to have mostly faded on their armour. You can see an example of this on the right side of Hunter’s chestplate and under his visor.
By this time, I had learned how to use Substance Painter which allowed me to look at the model while I painted onto it. Substance also made adding wear a much easier and less time consuming process.
Creating "The Cavalry"
I wanted to create an animation to show off The Bad Batch, however, I only expected it to be that one shot of them fighting on the ground. Then I added in the LAAT getting shot down for context as to why they were on the ground in the first place. However, there was still something missing from the video and that’s when I showed it to my fellow Content Developer, Core Hawk. Here is Core to tell you a little bit about how he helped with the finished video.
Big thanks to Core for helping with the video.
For the title, I wanted to make it 3D, but I also wanted it to be textured. This wasn’t the first time I had created a 3D title/logo, but it was my first experience with texturing one. Just like any other 3D model, I unwrapped it and imported it into Substance Painter.
I decided to create what’s called a Smart Material in Substance with all the layers that I used on the Bad Batch armour. I wanted the logo to look like Bad Batch, so that’s exactly what I did. I then added a layer to give the title heavy scratches and wear.
After creating the title for the bad batch, I realised that it looked a lot better than the 3D logo I had made for the game a few months earlier that used the old design. At first, I really just wanted to take out the “Star Wars” from the logo since it wasn’t in our name to begin with. Then I asked Mark (Gmjjr) about it and he gave me the go ahead to design a new logo entirely.
This was the first concept for the new logo that I came up with, which ended up being pretty close to the finished design. With some help from Core (again) we came up with the final design for the new CWAEmu logo, and ultimately one that fit better with our name
This was the final concept for the new logo before I took it to 3DS Max to model it
Safe to say that myself and many others are pleased with how the new logo turned out. As well as the animation that I created for future videos.
Until Next Time
With Dev Insight, we wanna take YOUR questions and answer them here! We will be opening up sections for everyone to ask questions on our Discord! Feel free to also tweet us your questions on Twitter with the hashtag #AskCWAE!
So with that, we call it a close on our first Dev Insight! We thank everyone in the community again for their continuing patience and support while we create the emulator. It’s been a long road and we still have a ways ahead of us. Stay tuned for more Dev Insights to come in the future covering more behind the scene topics!
This series will focus on the development of the game, how it is made, and the challenges that we face during the course of the project.
This Insight we will be focusing on the creation of the Bad Batch gear sets as well as our newest YouTube video “The Cavalry”.
Guiding us through this Insight will be Content Team Lead, Chowder.
Creating The Bad Batch
Development on The Bad Batch gear sets started in early July of 2019 with Tech’s helmet.
The process was tedious and took many attempts to get it right. Even then, it wasn’t really enough, but more on that later.
Upgrading The Bad Batch
After around 6 months I had advanced in 3D art, so I decided to go back and revise some of the models and redo the textures from scratch using Substance Painter. Since there were official images of the Bad Batch out, I was able to recreate them more accurately to their look in Season 7 of The Clone Wars.
Here are the before and after renders of the upgraded Bad Batch.
Here is a closer look at the Hunter texture.
You can see the small details like scratches, and paint fading. I also added a layer over the top of the basic color and shapes that provided a “cross pattern” which I had seen quite commonly throughout the designs in the show.
Each member also seemed to have parts of their armor painted with a navy blue brush, however it seemed to have mostly faded on their armour. You can see an example of this on the right side of Hunter’s chestplate and under his visor.
By this time, I had learned how to use Substance Painter which allowed me to look at the model while I painted onto it. Substance also made adding wear a much easier and less time consuming process.
Creating "The Cavalry"
I wanted to create an animation to show off The Bad Batch, however, I only expected it to be that one shot of them fighting on the ground. Then I added in the LAAT getting shot down for context as to why they were on the ground in the first place. However, there was still something missing from the video and that’s when I showed it to my fellow Content Developer, Core Hawk. Here is Core to tell you a little bit about how he helped with the finished video.
CORE HAWK: Thanks Chowder, when I first saw the video I just didn’t feel any emotions. I didn’t feel excited for them coming to the emulator and that’s the exact opposite reaction we wanted. So I advised in adding a tease of them all before the grand finale in the end.
We went through several versions and ideas on how to go about this until we landed on them being within the LAAT with the flashing glow of red. This was to give a snippet of what they’d look like until we had the big finish.
With the ending we went through a similar process, we went back and forth with the original ending where Crosshair would shoot the camera ending the video there. Instead we changed it to where he would shoot over the camera where we gaze upon the stars and introduce the title. Speaking of the title, let’s head back to Chowder as he talks us through the process of making the title.
We went through several versions and ideas on how to go about this until we landed on them being within the LAAT with the flashing glow of red. This was to give a snippet of what they’d look like until we had the big finish.
With the ending we went through a similar process, we went back and forth with the original ending where Crosshair would shoot the camera ending the video there. Instead we changed it to where he would shoot over the camera where we gaze upon the stars and introduce the title. Speaking of the title, let’s head back to Chowder as he talks us through the process of making the title.
Big thanks to Core for helping with the video.
For the title, I wanted to make it 3D, but I also wanted it to be textured. This wasn’t the first time I had created a 3D title/logo, but it was my first experience with texturing one. Just like any other 3D model, I unwrapped it and imported it into Substance Painter.
I decided to create what’s called a Smart Material in Substance with all the layers that I used on the Bad Batch armour. I wanted the logo to look like Bad Batch, so that’s exactly what I did. I then added a layer to give the title heavy scratches and wear.
After creating the title for the bad batch, I realised that it looked a lot better than the 3D logo I had made for the game a few months earlier that used the old design. At first, I really just wanted to take out the “Star Wars” from the logo since it wasn’t in our name to begin with. Then I asked Mark (Gmjjr) about it and he gave me the go ahead to design a new logo entirely.
This was the first concept for the new logo that I came up with, which ended up being pretty close to the finished design. With some help from Core (again) we came up with the final design for the new CWAEmu logo, and ultimately one that fit better with our name
This was the final concept for the new logo before I took it to 3DS Max to model it
Safe to say that myself and many others are pleased with how the new logo turned out. As well as the animation that I created for future videos.
Until Next Time
With Dev Insight, we wanna take YOUR questions and answer them here! We will be opening up sections for everyone to ask questions on our Discord! Feel free to also tweet us your questions on Twitter with the hashtag #AskCWAE!
So with that, we call it a close on our first Dev Insight! We thank everyone in the community again for their continuing patience and support while we create the emulator. It’s been a long road and we still have a ways ahead of us. Stay tuned for more Dev Insights to come in the future covering more behind the scene topics!
This emulator project is not affiliated with nor endorsed by Daybreak Games, Lucasfilm Entertainment, Electronic Arts or Walt Disney.
From this point forward you do not hold Walt Disney, it's affiliates/subsidiaries or CWAEmu liable for damages or loss that may occur.
Inside the game we don't have advertisements, micro-transactions or anything else that would allow revenue.
All original assets (3d models, music, sound etc.) were made by DayBreak with the help of Lucasfilm. We do not accept any monetary donations, everything is payed from our own pockets.
