Introduction
After completing my previous project, I wanted to create another gun model -- but this time with more environmental storytelling and complementary assets to support it. That’s when I chose the Evoker from Persona 3 Reload.
The Evoker is a pistol that isn’t actually a pistol, but a device used to summon a Persona!
The full project took about three months to model and another three months to make the animations (and this blog). In the next sections, I’ll walk through the planning process, modeling pipeline, animation setup, and rendering stages.
Planning & Setup
During the planning phase, I used Notion for task management and Figma for reference gathering (and design in the production stage). I will usually give myself a set timeframe to gather references (about two weeks for this project). While gathering references, I also asked myself some questions...
1. Is the Evoker based on any real-world firearm?
Initially, I came across a replica model developed by Cerevo, which served as a great reference for overall proportions. However, I wanted to approach it more technically -- not to the extent of modeling all the internals, but just enough to make the visible parts believable in close-up renders. Further research revealed that the Evoker’s design was inspired by the Ruger Mk. III, which provided a solid foundation for realistic scale and detailing.
2. What other assets should I make too?
Aside from the Evoker, I wanted to create a case to go with it. Since I’d been practicing clothing wrinkles and organic sculpting on the side, I decided to make the P3 protagonist's jacket, armband, and gloves. Also made some cute gun charms to tie everything together! These would go well for close-up render shots.
3. What kind of overall presentation do I want in my portfolio?
I envisioned showcasing these assets in Persona 3's world -- either through its UI aesthetic or deep within the dark, moody levels of Tartarus.
One last thing to note about the planning process -- I’ll still find new references along the way, but I make sure to keep them closely related to the original batch. That way, I stay focused on the core idea and avoid unnecessary scope creep 👻
High Poly
For all 3D assets, it followed a similar structure: blockouts → high poly → low poly → uv layouts → texturing → rigging
For this project, I expanded more on rigging. It's still somewhat basic, but definitely a step up from my previous projects. I limited transformation and rotation values to specific thresholds, which made it easier to control how far the bolt travels, how switches move, and how buttons press. Funny enough, I never actually used the trigger in my final renders 😳 I still have ideas for additional animations, but I might save those for a future revisit to this project.
I also added nHair physics to make small details (gun charms) for subtle wiggles during animation. It really brings a lot of life to the piece :)
Once the model assets were complete, it was time for animation and rendering.
Rendering
Static poses and animations were done in Maya which were then sent to Marmoset for lighting, camera work, and rendering.
The Persona series (especially after Persona 5) set a new standard for stylish ui motion graphics and presentation, and I mostly wanted my renders to reflect that. My goal was to create showcase, turnaround, and diagram videos.
3.1 ⬩ Showcase
For the Showcase Video, I envisioned a variety of camera shots of the gun and complimentary items within the dark, green lit backdrop of Tartarus. Also added some floaty particle effects using Maya nParticles for some visual flare!
3.2 ⬩ Turnaround
The Turnaround video focused on customization -- it's essentially a mockup "gameplay" video of the Evoker being customized with gun charms, energy colors, and weapon skins. During the planning process I was looking around the game to see where the player would hypothetically customize their evoker…I thought maybe they could speak to Mitsuru Kirijo…but then I eventually landed on Officer Kurosawa’s "shop" in Paulownia Mall (the music is just too good to pass up 🎶). In my version, I added a “Modify Evoker” tab underneath "Buy Accessory" and then adjusted the other ui design elements accordingly. This was one of the most complex and enjoyable AE project’s I’ve worked on!
All graphical assets were rebuilt from the ground up in Figma and then sent over to After Effects via Overlord (the best AE plugin ever). There are minor differences in my design in terms of color and typography (I don't have access to all typefaces) but I think it's quite close!
The After Effects project contains lots of precomps, layers, and effects! I also made certain components like the select menu controllable to allow for easier keyframe timing!
3.3 ⬩ Diagram
Finally, the Diagram was my homage to Persona 3 Reload’s pause menu. I wanted this animation to be a seamless loop that highlights the Evoker’s details in a dynamic and stylish format.
Like the Turnaround animation, graphic design elements were made in Figma and animated in After Effects for this piece.
Reflecting
4.1 ⬩ Software Usage
While I’m happy of the results from Maya and Zbrush, I do want to use more Plasticity for hard-surface modeling in the future. I only used it to create the egg carton style foam for the weapon case but then imported into Maya for cleanup 😆 It will take some time as I continue to get used to the software....baby steps!
4.2 ⬩ Maybe Next Time?
This project let me explore more organic elements, like clothing and even the arm and hand, which was new for me. For my next piece, I'd love to create a character -- though I’m still deciding whether to go for something stylized or semi-realistic. I'm thinking a 3D anime character hmm hmm. So excited of the possibilities :D
4.3 ⬩ Conclusion
This project has definitely helped strengthen my fundamentals and provide the opportunity to create something new outside my comfort zone. I’m proud of how it turned out and even more so that it let me show love to a series I deeply cherish.
Thank You to those who've inspired me throughout the course of this project - Atlus, Sega, Cerevo, Eepums, Khayeet, Fontan, Paktric, internet friends, and loved ones.
On to the next project!
