\u003cbr/>Drawing inspiration from sonic pioneers like the Arctic Monkeys, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Sticky Fingers, and Rage Against the Machine (just to name a few), these up and coming rockers in their first year have taken their home state by storm. Their ascension has been punctuated by launching “There’s a Witch in My Bed Fest” and “MARSVILLE,” their own festivals they headlined, as well as performing at Fête du Void, Louisiana’s premier camping music festival.\u003cbr/>\u003cbr/>Blue Widow excels by spinning a mesmerizing narrative through potent lyrical storytelling, crunchy unapologetic guitar, and exploratory synth and keyboard elements. These pieces culminate into their organic yet futuristic garage rock identity.\n"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"BlogPosting","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Marc Aubanel","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/academics-faculty"},"datePublished":"2024-12-16T23:00:00-06:00","dateModified":"2024-12-16T23:00:00-06:00","headline":"Holding On to Hope","image":"https://img.youtube.com/vi/LK6jKJQSGPE/hqdefault.jpg","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/projects/2024/2024-12-16-HoldingOnToHope","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"LSU Digital Media Arts & Engineering","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/icons/icon-192x192.png"}},"description":"\n# 2024 Unreal Fall Class\n\nThis project is from a Digital Art undergraduate student in our fall Unreal class. The student partnered with a computer science student to create some of the game play mechanics such as climbing. She modelled, rigged and animated the monkey as well as built a large environment featuring a hero's journey. This was a multi semester undertaking that started at the Chillennium Game Jam and grew into a much more ambitious project. I am always amazed by what a student can do on their own with a short amount of time!\n\nFor gameplay footage check out [Holding on Hope Reimagined - Gameplay Footage](https://youtu.be/_t9XpPht7qU?si=JPEZ_7ho9XV0h5gp)\n"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"BlogPosting","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Marc Aubanel","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/academics-faculty"},"datePublished":"2024-12-15T23:00:00-06:00","dateModified":"2024-12-15T23:00:00-06:00","headline":"Time Trial Racer","image":"https://img.youtube.com/vi/jTPO1pT4CmE/maxresdefault.jpg","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/projects/2024/2024-12-15-time-trial-racer","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"LSU Digital Media Arts & Engineering","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/icons/icon-192x192.png"}},"description":"\n# 2024 Unreal Fall Class\n\nThis project is from a DMAE grad student in our fall Unreal class. He heavily leaned on acquired content and learned a lot about the Chaos physics system for vehicles and using procedural landscape tools.\n\n> This project delivers a dynamic time trial racing experience set against a procedurally generated landscape with natural elements like trees and a lake. The track is sculpted using landscape splines, producing a mountainous road with carefully banked turns designed to improve handling and maintain traction. Under the hood, the system leverages Unreal Engine’s Chaos Vehicle physics, tuned for arcade-style controls and featuring a lowered, forward-shifted center of gravity to minimize oversteer.\u003cbr/>\u003cbr/>On the audio side, engine sound design employs FMOD to reflect changes in engine load, wind noise, and RPM variations, creating a more immersive driving atmosphere. A unique AI driver system records the player’s best laps and improves over time, ensuring each new record is challenged by a more competitive opponent. This combination of procedural environments, refined vehicle physics, adaptive AI, and reactive audio design delivers a captivating and evolving time trial racing experience. - Kourosh"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"BlogPosting","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Marc Aubanel","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/academics-faculty"},"datePublished":"2024-04-24T23:00:00-05:00","dateModified":"2024-04-24T23:00:00-05:00","headline":"Substance Designer","image":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/images/blog/2023/Final3-1200.jpg","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/projects/2024/2024-04-24-substance-designer","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"LSU Digital Media Arts & Engineering","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/icons/icon-192x192.png"}},"description":"\n# Substance Designer Course\n\nThis is the first year that we have taught a course on **Substance Designer**. It was nice to see students adapt to a procedural non-destructive workflow so handily. Rebecca Hutto created it for her final project. Enjoy her work using two materials that are blended between a darker and lighter bone texture using a UV layer set. \n\n\n\nHere is a breakdown of the skeleton textures created in Designer.\n\n\n\n> \"Growth From Decay\" is a digital sculpture representing the duel nature of life and death, with one always leading to the other in an endless cycle. The fox, while a clever creature, can never escape its fate. The amanita mushroom, while deadly itself, is a fresh sign of life starting anew. The ruby, though uncut and in its natural state, has long been seen as a symbol of protection, and so, this balance of nature must be protected.\u003cbr/>\u003cbr/>All of the models were sculpted in Blender, and the materials were created in Substance 3D Designer using fully procedural design techniques. Special thanks to Poly Haven for providing the background HDRI.\n\n\n\n\u003cbr/>Mushroom stalk textures:\n\n\n\u003cbr/>Mushroom cap textures:\n\n\n\n\n\u003cbr/>Ground Textures:\n"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"BlogPosting","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Marc Aubanel","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/academics-faculty"},"datePublished":"2024-01-30T19:00:00-06:00","dateModified":"2024-01-30T19:00:00-06:00","headline":"Keepsake!","image":"https://img.youtube.com/vi/A2LcujcXNYc/maxresdefault.jpg","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/projects/2024/2024-01-30-keepsake-1","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"LSU Digital Media Arts & Engineering","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://dmae.lsu.edu/icons/icon-192x192.png"}},"description":"\n# vVirtual Production at LSU\n\nThe XR Studio is producing a new children's television show called \"Keepsake!\"\nStudents and faculty create 3D models, game environments, lighting, cinematography, animations, and more.\nCheck out the first original music video from Episode 1, \"The Bakery Song.\""}}]}}