Creating assets for Street Boy marked the beginning of my 3D journey. It was a project filled with trial and error, but ultimately, it helped me grow as an artist.
This game challenged me to push boundaries, refine my skills, and create assets that authentically represent my culture.
My brother, Akeem Pennicooke, created Jamaica's first cultural video game, Street Boy. The game follows the story of a 14-year-old boy navigating his place in his community.
This was one of my earliest projects and remains one of my longest ongoing endeavors. Being the lead 3D artist for this game has been a journey of experimentation and growth, allowing me to create something authentic that doesn’t exist anywhere else on the internet. I feel like a pioneer in representing my culture within the 3D art community.
What I learned from creating this:
- Mass-producing assets for games
- Low- and high-poly workflows
- Asset optimization
- PBR workflows
- Asset creation pipelines for Unity and Unreal Engine
- UDIM workflows for Unreal Engine
- UV mapping and layout improvements
- Texture optimization
- Proper scaling
- UCX collision setup for Unreal Engine
This project set the foundation for my growth as a 3D artist and gave me the opportunity to create meaningful work that celebrates my culture.
Check out the Street Boy website: https://www.streetboyja.com