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Matthew Birkett-Smith
Lead Artist & Art Director in the games industry
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Rigs - Macau

Macau was one of the later levels for Rigs (2016) that we pushed through to final art quality. The key idea of this map was that you were in one giant casino. The interior section was all about large areas of black, red and gold to give a feeling of opulence. The exterior blue end had much cooler colours to contrast with this.
We originally experimented with a sunset for this level but discovered that moonlight gave a much clearer split between the blue and red ends.

Here you can see where tried to push a lot of warm light spilling into the interiors. As well as all the red bounce from the panelling the large red logo is emitting quite a lot of light. This helps the surrounding curved shapes look less flat.

Here you can see where tried to push a lot of warm light spilling into the interiors. As well as all the red bounce from the panelling the large red logo is emitting quite a lot of light. This helps the surrounding curved shapes look less flat.

Where possible important areas of flooring were made a bright colour so that the players eye was drawn towards key routes.

Where possible important areas of flooring were made a bright colour so that the players eye was drawn towards key routes.

We pushed a lot of yellow and gold in the middle of the map as this helps improve the consistency of our colour language. Yellow is always connected to being near the powerslam goal.

We pushed a lot of yellow and gold in the middle of the map as this helps improve the consistency of our colour language. Yellow is always connected to being near the powerslam goal.

The small blue accent lights here help break up all the yellow. We tended not to use small lights like this too often as they could end up as just distracting bright spots.

The small blue accent lights here help break up all the yellow. We tended not to use small lights like this too often as they could end up as just distracting bright spots.

We needed to signify there was an important route here so the side of the pillar is lit up. However the interior areas are brighter still to help guide the player through, this reinforces an interior/exterior transition.

We needed to signify there was an important route here so the side of the pillar is lit up. However the interior areas are brighter still to help guide the player through, this reinforces an interior/exterior transition.

Here you can see a very clear transition from the red to blue zone, there is also a strong burst of yellow showing a key route to the powerslam goal.

Here you can see a very clear transition from the red to blue zone, there is also a strong burst of yellow showing a key route to the powerslam goal.

Here is a fairly good example of where we tried to use pockets of light for all major routes and exits. There are lots of routing options here so we need to make them as clear as possible.

Here is a fairly good example of where we tried to use pockets of light for all major routes and exits. There are lots of routing options here so we need to make them as clear as possible.

The outdoor area was hard to light. Initially there was more moonlight and much less artificial light. However it felt weird to play a sport like this as you would imagine they would turn the lights on. On the flip side this meant shadows were faint.

The outdoor area was hard to light. Initially there was more moonlight and much less artificial light. However it felt weird to play a sport like this as you would imagine they would turn the lights on. On the flip side this meant shadows were faint.

The stadium was built into a fairly impressive and outrageously large casino structure. Unfortunately this was more difficult to appreciate from a gameplay level view.

The stadium was built into a fairly impressive and outrageously large casino structure. Unfortunately this was more difficult to appreciate from a gameplay level view.

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