Environment modelling on Grid

Low

Hello Folks,


At school I took the character specialization class (which was a mistake but whatever). I want to try myself at environment modelling for games so I watched some tutorials about...environment modelling for games (obviously).

They all said to work on grid for easier workflow, but I can't use myself to get it done properly. Since I'm trying to work with the grid (I'm used to model mostly in perspective view...bad bad me), I'm working slowly and stupidly.

I'm having bad time modelling snapped on grid. Do you guys have any tips, work around for me to get used to it?


[Could it be moved to Technical Talk?]

Matroskin

The whole point of working on the grid is to have assets (which r mostly architecture modules) that can nicely snap and fit to each other when building the level in some game engine.
It also helps to create simple visual guidelines for various dimentions, some sort of array of standartized sizes of your assets (say, 1m, 2m, 5m etc.)
Basically its like deciding fixed size incrementations for your "building lego blocks" :P

In order to "work on the grid" u need:

1) set the some grid in your viewports (that will depend on the engine u r using, but for example UDK by default uses grid of powers of 2 such as 32; 64;128 etc);

2) in case if the grid that u r using is not metrical but in generic units (such as what UDK is using) make sure u figure out how those units relate to real life dimentions (for example, how many units in approx. 1 meter) in order to give you idea about how big things should be in your viewport.

3) use snaps in order to snap some vertexes to the grid lines which will guarantee that iportant shapes are on the grid lines (and therefore "saty on the grid");

4) make sure that objects' pivots are on the grid as well

5) try to avoid too small grid size (for example if working with meters, 50cm should be ok for large scale architecture; or if working with UDK units 32 is quite good etc.)
The smaller is the grid size the more precision and attention u need to have parts of meshes fit together and u can get lost quikcly in your dimentions

Low

Thanks a lot Matroskin,

So if I understand correctly, it's only some part of the meshes you need to snap on grid (the part you need to fit perfectly with the others).

I was trying to build everything on grid spacing.

Wesley

It's mostly relating to where things join. The most important thing about working on the grid is the mindset of understanding how it's going to be used. Thinking about it in terms of Lego is pretty useful for most people.

Matroskin

Low wrote: »

Thanks a lot Matroskin,

So if I understand correctly, it's only some part of the meshes you need to snap on grid (the part you need to fit perfectly with the others).

I was trying to build everything on grid spacing.

exactly, only snap the vertexes that will "meet" with other objects' vertexes

BARDLER

Am I the only one that was expecting to see art from the game Grid? lol.

Low

Thanks again, I'll give it a try.

@Bardler: sorry I totally posted in the wrong section.