Everyone knows it’s easy to start a project, but getting back to it when the excitement fades? That’s where the real struggle is. In this episode, I’m looking at how hard it is to maintain momentum—whether it’s podcasting or working in Unreal Engine—and how easily we get distracted by "shiny object syndrome," playing with Metahumans instead of actually building the world.

I also break down how I navigated this year’s Black Friday sales. I’ve realized that my materialism has shifted; I don't want physical objects anymore, I want digital ones. I want the satisfaction of owning 3D scans and building a virtual library, even if I never use half of it. I finally dipped into my wishlist to buy the Scans Factory Rome Italian Town pack. After using the Matrix City Sample for so long, I realized I needed to get away from that cold, cruel New York vibe and find something cozier—inspired by those beautiful Mediterranean levels in Hitman.

But building this movie brought me to a frustrating roadblock: Metahumans don’t have clothes. The new system is great, but unless you want a character in underwear or a sci-fi warrior suit, you’re out of luck. I rant a bit about the state of the marketplace—where a pair of virtual jeans costs €41 (which is what I’d pay for real trousers)—and why I refuse to spend €150 just to dress one background character.

This pushed me to a new solution: I picked up a license for Marvelous Designer. It’s a steep learning curve, but I’m excited to start stitching my own custom assets, even if it means working on a MacBook on the train. I also touch on the "hidden costs" of virtual production, including the "black magic" of Windows Firewalls blocking my new iPhone head rig for facial capture. Finally, to keep myself accountable, I committed to a four-year hosting deal with Hostinger—so now I have no excuse not to share the work I’m creating.

Takeaways:

• It's easy to start a project, but maintaining excitement and commitment is much harder over time.
• Black Friday can be a great opportunity to save money, but it's crucial to avoid impulse buying and stick to a wishlist.
• When creating virtual environments in Unreal Engine, managing asset clutter is essential for maintaining efficiency and creativity.
• The transition from physical to digital assets changes our perception of ownership and necessity, especially in creative projects.
• Investing in quality digital assets can enhance a project significantly, but it requires careful consideration of budget and utility.
• Finding appropriate outfits for digital characters can be surprisingly expensive and time-consuming, highlighting the challenges in digital fashion.

Links referenced in this episode:

• My personal podcast (cMonkX Podcast)
• hostinger.com
• fab.com
• Rome - Italian City - Unreal Engine Asset (Environment from Scans Factory)
• Face Motion Capture Head rig
• Hitman Game
• Unreal Engine :)

Email me at cmonkxxx@gmail.com

Keywords:

podcasting, Unreal Engine, Black Friday deals, digital assets, environment design, metahuman outfits,...