How to Create Realistic Weapon Design

What the talk is about

Evgeny Petrov explains how to design weapons that look realistic and make logical sense. He outlines three kinds of concepts: stylized weapons that support a game's visual style, sci-fi weapons, and weapons that recognizably echo real models. For the internals of firearms, the key rule is that the body must fit a magazine, a barrel with a chamber, and a bolt mechanism with room to travel. He shows this on examples from the AR-15 and AK to a shotgun and a pistol, and on concepts where the logic breaks down. On the exterior, real weapons balance ergonomics, cost and effectiveness, so every element has a function, as seen in the Thompson versus M3 and in military versus civilian versions. He also advises avoiding tiny fragile details. Useful for weapon artists and concept artists.