Paragon Weapons Pipeline for Rainbow Six Siege X
Problem
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege was evolving into Siege X, a new version demanding higher visual fidelity for its "elite-plus" cosmetic sets, known as Paragon bundles. The existing asset pipeline was not equipped to deliver the advanced visuals required for these premium items, creating a bottleneck for content creation. And as a pipeline that was built not to expand because they were not expecting this game to become on of their main source of income for the company, some parts were inefficient, and some uv sets and textures were being missused.
Solution
I collaborated with my colleagues and the talented team at Ubisoft Montréal, including Leonor Cuesta Molinero and weapon artist Nahum Alonso, under the guidance of David Marchessault. We partially re-engineered the weapon pipeline to support the creation of high-fidelity cosmetics. This involved optimizing the number of UV sets and materials used—without breaking compatibility with existing in-game skins—creating template files to help artists transition to the new pipeline, updating and consolidating all documentation, and coordinating with multiple studios throughout the process.
Outcome
The revamped pipeline successfully produced stunning results, with the Valkyrie Paragon D50 skin serving as a prime example of the improved visual quality. This initiative not only enhanced the visual appeal of premium content but also set a new standard for future asset creation in Siege X. The collaboration with the art team was key to the success of this project.
Link to Nahum's original post: Artstation Project
D-50 Unloaded
D-50 Closeup