Life on Earth

What the talk is about

Matthias Develtere talks about his approach to hard surface design and to building vehicles and robots for games, using examples from Wolfenstein. His core idea is to start with small details (bolts, hatches, fuse boxes, cables) and assemble the big shapes last, like building from Lego. It builds momentum, stops you getting stuck on the main form, and helps under tight deadlines. Second, vehicles should tell a story: one model is varied through add-ons and silhouettes, designed with gameplay roles in mind (cover, blocker, ammo point), and the detail budget goes where the player actually looks. He also advises clean topology, testing animation early, keeping personal projects separate from work, and setting regular goals such as monthly portfolio pieces. Useful for 3D artists, especially beginners, and anyone doing vehicles or hard surface work.