PERANCANGAN DAN IMPLEMENTASI VISUAL ENVIRONMENT DAN ASSET 3D LOW POLY PADA GAME “BAJAU ISLAND” BERTEMA SUKU BAJAU

The representation of local culture in digital games remains limited, particularly the maritime culture of the Bajau Tribe. This study aims to design and implement low-poly 3D visual environments and assets in the game Bajau Island as a medium for cultural representation and introduction. The research is based on theories of 3D environment design, low-poly modeling, cultural representation in games, and the Design Thinking approach. The Design Thinking method was applied through five stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. Data were collected through literature review, visual reference analysis, and questionnaire-based evaluations using a Likert scale. The implementation process resulted in various low-poly 3D assets, including floating houses, traditional Bajau boats, fishing spears, coral reefs, marine life, NPC characters, and supporting user interface elements. All assets were created using Blender and integrated into the Unity game engine. Testing involved 20 respondents consisting of general users and one expert respondent. The evaluation achieved an average score of 85.8%, indicating that the visual design successfully represented the cultural characteristics of the Bajau Tribe while maintaining visual quality and technical efficiency. The study concludes that low-poly techniques are effective for producing optimized game assets and can serve as an engaging medium for introducing and preserving Bajau cultural identity through digital games.
Keywords: 3D Asset, Bajau Tribe, Game Design, Low Poly, Visual Environment

Representasi budaya lokal dalam game digital masih terbatas, khususnya budaya bahari Suku Bajau. Penelitian ini bertujuan merancang dan mengimplementasikan visual environment serta aset 3D bergaya low poly pada game Bajau Island sebagai media representasi dan pengenalan budaya Suku Bajau. Penelitian ini menggunakan landasan teori berupa desain environment 3D, pemodelan low poly, representasi budaya dalam game, dan pendekatan Design Thinking. Metode yang digunakan adalah Design Thinking dengan lima tahapan, yaitu empathize, define, ideate, prototype, dan test. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui studi pustaka, analisis referensi visual, dan evaluasi menggunakan kuesioner skala Likert. Hasil implementasi menghasilkan berbagai aset 3D low poly, seperti rumah terapung, perahu tradisional Bajau, tombak ikan, terumbu karang, biota laut, karakter NPC, dan elemen antarmuka pendukung. Seluruh aset dikembangkan menggunakan Blender dan diintegrasikan ke dalam Unity. Pengujian melibatkan 11 responden yang terdiri atas pengguna umum dan responden ahli. Hasil evaluasi memperoleh nilai rata-rata 85,8%, yang menunjukkan bahwa visual yang dirancang mampu merepresentasikan karakteristik budaya Suku Bajau dengan baik serta tetap mempertahankan kualitas visual dan efisiensi teknis. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa teknik low poly efektif untuk menghasilkan aset game yang optimal sekaligus menjadi media yang menarik dalam memperkenalkan dan melestarikan identitas budaya Suku Bajau.
Kata Kunci: Aset 3D, Game Design, Low Poly, Suku Bajau, Visual Environment