Babu Frik (SW: the Rise of Skywalker) - Real-time in Unreal Engine

[FoxHound1984]

UPDATE: Most recent images are at the bottom of the page! Everything before then is just WIP stuff
Here’s a pic in case you don’t want to scroll

Hi everyone!

I recently started working on a model of Babu Frik (as seen in the Rise of Skywalker). Here’s a quick turntable of the current state of the model:

On to adding stitching and smaller cloth details. I’ll also be sculpting more little tools for his tool belt.
Sorry the render is a little noisy, but I just wanted to put together something quick

[FoxHound1984]

Quick little pose to bring out some character. Did some more color and material work.

Going back to his legs, because they don’t quite have as much surface definition as the rest of him

[FoxHound1984]

While he certainly was cute® before, he was quite off from what we saw on screen. He should be much closer now.

So I just went in and made more major proportional changes to his overall anatomy. I’ve also built all of his assets.

Only thing left to do on the sculpting side of things is some skin features. Then off to Substance for final textures.

What do you think, should I rig this little guy too?

[FoxHound1984]

Scale reference Makes him that much cuter somehow.

[MEC4D]

Hey Hey ! nicely done ! very cute

[FoxHound1984]

Thanks so much!!

Here are the latest few images, and will probably be the last update until I get him rigged and have his roughness, spec and normals baked. But he’s posed using a very simple rough rig in these images.

Went a little too crazy in post, but I like some of the compositions and the color contrasts that resulted More soon!

[PixoPaul]

Very cool. I’m liking this one a lot.

[FoxHound1984]

Thanks so much, Paul!!
I appreciate that!

[FoxHound1984]

It just occurred to me that I never posted pictures of the raw, finished Babu sculpt without any color. So here are a few snaps!

He has since been rigged, and I actually already have him in an Unreal Engine environment where he is controllable Stay tuned!

More after my RTX gets here!

[FoxHound1984]

In the process of importing Babu into Unreal. I recently was lucky enough to get an RTX 3090, and wow!! Does it make Unreal even better.

Here’s a quick render with all RTX-based effects enabled. I love it!

Here’s a link to some footage of it. It truly is amazing to see what it can do in real-time!

Ralph Sutter (FoxHound1984)

Finishing up some materials and rigging him next

[FoxHound1984]

Babu Frik in Unreal Engine progress.

Babu’s materials and textures are done! I really wanted to get that silicone feel for his overall skin (to match the puppet).

Off to rigging! Will more than likely stream that process a bit this afternoon.

Ralph Sutter (FoxHound1984)

[SaraWildeArt]

Awesome progress! He’s looking so good!

[FoxHound1984]

Thanks so much, @SaraWildeArt!

Here are is some more Unreal progress I’ve got him rigged and moving

Ralph Sutter (FoxHound1984)

Ralph Sutter (FoxHound1984)

[FoxHound1984]

Going to call this one done!

Real-time Babu Frik (from the Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker) in Unreal Engine

Modeled in Zbrush and 3ds MAX
Textured in Substance
Rigged in 3ds MAX & Unreal Engine using Advanced Locomotion system

He has some basic AI that tracks the camera now. It’s really neat to see your own character stare back at you

Really helps bring him to life. That was fun! On to the next project!

Video of him live in Unreal:

[FoxHound1984]

Fixed the groom issues with the eyebrows and tweaked his shaders Now he is completely done