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Rookie moves you've corrected over time

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insane polycounter
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[Deleted User] insane polycounter
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  • JordanN
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    JordanN interpolator
    A billion edge loops. 


  • RyanB
    Most of my mistakes were communication style.  Coming from a trades/construction environment, it took me about five years to figure out that I couldn't communicate with game industry people the way I did in my previous career.  And vice versa.
  • Sunray
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    Sunray polycounter lvl 7
    Jesus dude "I used to: Use Red Wax for all my zbrush sculpts" That's terrible, I used to use MAH_Shiny. 
  • beefaroni
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    beefaroni sublime tool
    I used to: Lay out my UVs sloppy for maximum texel density
    I now: Lay out my UVs for easy hand edits in Photoshop and other directional texture work.


  • [Deleted User]
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    [Deleted User] insane polycounter
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  • throttlekitty
    I used to: Position my camera and selectively camera map my UVs across entire models. Then manually move and stitch.

    Now I: Use an appropriate mapping if needed, seam marking, and actually use the unfold tools. I am now verysmart.

    I had organization impressed on me long before 3d, so it wasn't really a rookie mistake for me, but I see it all the damn time. Seriously, keep your scenes clean, organized and name everything while you work or at the end of sessions; especially if you're going to be working with other people.
  • Kwramm
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    Kwramm interpolator
    I used to: have a black background for my normal maps, causing errors in the MIP maps
    Now I: use neutral normal map color

    I used to: be bad at note taking. My bosses were also bad at it. At review time nobody knew what should have been fixed and what's going on.
    Now: I always carry mote notebook

    I used to: save .mb files
    Now: I use .ma - there's at least a remote chance of restoring stuff

    I used to: ...think that all that's required of me is great art
    Now: I realize that there are also technical things which my job description says I need to take care of. I ensure that all scenes are well laid out, that the settings are correct, that models are technically solid (merged verys, freeze transform/reset xform, etc) and that I better QA my own stuff before the next person in the pipeline gets angry at me.

    Actually I don't work as artist any more, but those are some things I learned in my career.  

  • Stinger88
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    Stinger88 polycounter
    Burn and Dodge.
    Press the merge verts hotkey in Maya before remembering to save. Roll the crash dice!
    Collect 1000's of photoshop and ZBrush brushes/textures/materials only to find the defaults works just fine :P
  • Anchang-Style
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    Anchang-Style polycounter lvl 7
    Trying to model everything into one mesh
    I don't know what that was about. I guess the fear, that shit start to flicker or look weird when two meshes just merge without a clear visible cue (soldering line or something).
  • thomasp
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    thomasp hero character
    haha, burn and dodge indeed! don't use that.
    also starting without proper reference and working with different reference per angle.
    micro detail in the sculpt, taking endlessly long to create and causing huge file sizes when it can also be done as a simple overlay in the texture.
  • [Deleted User]
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    [Deleted User] insane polycounter
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  • Jonas Ronnegard
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    Jonas Ronnegard polycount sponsor
    Not being an asshole,
  • Spoon
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    Spoon polycounter lvl 11
    I used to: Be too cool to use Red Wax for my zbrush sculpts
    Now I: Use it 

    Fixed :D
  • throttlekitty
    @Stinger88 - I am probably still guilty of being a hoarder of stuff I never really use.  Knowing that download links might go down someday I feel I have to download and catalog everything on my external and web drive.  And I really only use 3-4 brushes... :|
    Also guilty. Actually this kind of goes back to organization here. I used to hoard maya scripts in some big random folder. You know, the "go on a download spree and check things out later" deal, and use like none of them. Later, I'd find a thread with a cool trick for doing a particular thing using a particular script, and get that overwrite prompt. Hell, I could have been using this neat little trinket the whole time?

    So last year, I went and organized the whole thing, riced up my Maya install and spent some serious time evaluating my workflows and marking menus. I've been thinking about packing it up for others in some big post if there's any interest in it.
  • Spiffy
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    Spiffy polycounter lvl 12
    I used to: Use the Photoshop/Nvidia normal filters on everything.

    Now: Bake or create with nDo/Substance normal maps if needed.

    That was when I was really just discovering texturing. Didn't even know what baking was or how normal maps worked, just knew those mysterious purple pink textures make things look detailed.
  • Ruz
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    Ruz polycount lvl 666
    keeping old/working on old files is my bug bear and not focusing on the overall picture when sculpting etc
    hey I still use dodge and burn :)
  • Prime8
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    Prime8 interpolator
    I used to: not use and tris or ngons when modelling high-poly using subdivision surfaces.
    Now: I use them as long as the result is what I want
    (I know this has been discussed to death but should be in this list)

    I used to: never change the focal length of the camera when looking at my models in perspective mode
    Now: change between the settings to get a better feeling of the result

    I used to: think that stuff rendered in green wireframes looks super futuristic.
    Now: I think it looks classic
  • Lazerus Reborn
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    Lazerus Reborn polycounter lvl 8
    I used to: Throw out a quote without really working it out properly
    Now: Consider that I need to eat and work out realistic quotes (not just 3D!)

    I used to: Spend my times in forums and look busy, even Polycount
    Now: I make sure I keep busy!
  • [Deleted User]
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    [Deleted User] insane polycounter
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  • Chimp
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    Chimp interpolator
    Just cos I can technically do it, doesn't mean I necessarily should. If you go full-retard visuals on one area, you have to do that everywhere else too, which can be unsustainable/unfeasible/bad tbh. Work smart not hard, make the right decision for the project, not your artistic ego.
  • Scizz
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    Scizz polycounter lvl 11
    I used to: Try and do as much with my normal map as possible. Even when it was probably better to model that hole, or those buttons.
    Now I: Stopped being so damn stingy with my polys. If it helps the silhouette, and doesn't take an unnecessary amount of time to model in, I should model it. The asset will turn out much better. 
  • Mark Dygert
    I used to: Automatic unwrap and then stitch all of the fractured islands together.
    Now: I use all of the UV tools...
  • GrevSev
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    GrevSev polycounter lvl 9
    I use to: Spend more time Studying WHY I suck instead of getting to the grind. 

    Now: I just keep shitting out work and I grow. No slow growth because I work smart. Thanks to the lovely Artstation plugin for chrome I'm randomly given something cool to work on so no need to ever decide or ponder on projects. 

    I use to upload work. Now on top of working another job and project output I just dont care to pump out images.


  • Mstankow
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    Mstankow polycounter lvl 11
    Some of these rookie things people are mentioning are more like professional things that existed cause the tools to do better didn't really exist but now they do.

    NDO/Nvidia filter normals were super common until fairly recent. Substance Painter/Designer/Quixel as well photogrammetry made that process obsolete.
  • [Deleted User]
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    [Deleted User] insane polycounter
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  • Ruflse
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    Ruflse polycounter lvl 6
    I used to: Model using almost only extrusions and some bevels due to fear of having bad topology, avoiding triangles and ngons like plague.
    Now: I use chamfers, booleans, bevels and every tool and modifier I know to break the shape, prioritizing form over topology and making my life a lot easier when unwrapping.

    I used to: Try to unwrap every piece with one Unwrap UVW modifier applied to diferent objects, making 3ds Max lag a lot and having a harder time finding which UV shell belongs to which piece.
    Now: I unwrap every piece separately and then merge them into one object to pack them, then explode the mesh for baking.

    I used to: Use Red Wax too.
    Now: I stopped using it a week ago after realizing I couldn't see shit with it (it's really bad)

    I used to: Unwrap using planar, cubical and cylindrical projections in 3ds Max (and without shortcuts).
    Now: I use Flatten Mapping to break the mesh and stitch the pieces selecting the edges in the viewport and make seams manually. I also now use Quick Planar Map to reproject the pieces I have stitched together and relax or peel them. I use a lot of shortcuts I have in a paper in case I forget them. I also straighten shells that could lay flat but have some distortion, so I relax them and straighten manually the borders so the interior of the shells stays with less distortion.

    I used to: Look at the distorsion checkers all the time when unwraping, lagging 3ds Max and ending with distortion anyways during packing (not sure why tho)
    Now: I think I'm gonna start using texture checkers more instead of realing that much into distorsion checkers.

    I used to: Try to clean hard surface in Zbrush in one subtool.
    Now: I mask parts after having ended sketching, separate them into different subtools and retopo them.

    I used to: Use obj. with Optimize options on, which sometimes gave me a bad export.
    Now: I stopped using them.

    I used to: Model things like small holes into the low poly that will give a lot of problems with the cage overlapping itself due to the normals of the superior and inferior part of the hole.
    Now: I bake those holes, use floaters or use Substance Painter to bake without a cage.

    I used to: Sculpt in Zbrush without worring about shape.
    Now: I separate primary, secondary and terciary shapes and sculpt them by order.

    I used to: Rotate shells with straight borders trying to make the straight border lay horizontal or vertically.
    Now: I select that edge and use the align option in Textools (blessed be Textools).

    I used to: Didn't give a fuck about smoothing groups.
    Now: I set them manually or use also the "Smoothing groups by UV shells" option in Textools after packing.

    I used to: Use only support edge loops to make the HP with TurboSmooth.
    Now: I use the modifier Chamfer in Quad Chamfer with "Smoothing edges" and "All edges" and set smoothing groups with a shortcut in AutoSmooth to then apply a Turbosmooth, or use Opensubdiv and Crease Set to set creases by angle.

    I used to: Forget removing the edge loop that appears after using Symmetry in Max.
    Now: I remove it if needed.

    I used to: Paint a lot of the things in Substance Painter manually.
    Now: I try to make a more inteligent use of masks and use an ID map to help me appliying materials.

    I used to: Use a lot of shader presets without even knowing what they really do.
    Now: I try to categorize a lot of elements by shaders, like Hair -> Anisotropic, Skin ->SSS, etc.

    I used to: Get lost in Twitter while baking or rendering something instead of making a better use of my time setting up shaders, lights, materials...
    Now: Still working on it.

    I was to say more but I forgot. I really hope this saves someone some frustation, because I think this could be an amazingly useful thread if some pros put some time on giving some tips here.
  • vertex_
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    vertex_ polycounter lvl 7
    Used to orbit in 3ds Max with the cube gizmo as opposed to holding ALT + left mouse
  • Mithdia
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    Mithdia polycounter lvl 8
    GrevSev said:
    I use to: Spend more time Studying WHY I suck instead of getting to the grind. 

    Now: I just keep shitting out work and I grow. No slow growth because I work smart. Thanks to the lovely Artstation plugin for chrome I'm randomly given something cool to work on so no need to ever decide or ponder on projects. 

    I use to upload work. Now on top of working another job and project output I just dont care to pump out images.


    I feel this so much.. Still need to learn this properly.
  • VickiVampiress
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    VickiVampiress polycounter lvl 3
    I realize I'm a little late, but I just had to share my experience.

    What's funny is that so far, I haven't really had any bad habits in terms of modeling. Not even in Zbrush. I skipped most of them and taught myself everything I know so far correctly from the start. Although when I started with high poly to low poly baking, what I did at first was insert a ton of edge loops, making the whole mesh way too dense, because nobody told me about the Crease tool. Thankfully I corrected that very mistake very quickly before exploding from frustration.

    When it comes to what's inside my head though, "bad habit" is my middle name.
    GrevSev said:
    I use to: Spend more time Studying WHY I suck instead of getting to the grind. 

    Now: I just keep shitting out work and I grow. No slow growth because I work smart. Thanks to the lovely Artstation plugin for chrome I'm randomly given something cool to work on so no need to ever decide or ponder on projects. 

    I use to upload work. Now on top of working another job and project output I just dont care to pump out images.

    This feeling is very real to me too. I ponder way too much and get frustrated and depressed over regrets from the past and how I'm not good enough for my own standards, even though I know it takes time and effort. So instead of actually doing something about the bad feelings I experience, I end up pondering and getting depressed.

    Slowly improving though!


  • PixelMasher
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    PixelMasher veteran polycounter
    not touching the bar to my chest when benching.....

    oh you mean art wise.

    the biggest one and one so many people struggle with: not constantly using reference throughout the entire asset/scene production. Modeling stuff from memory or how you think it should look is one of the worst causes of half cooked art out there.
  • claydough
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    claydough polycounter lvl 10
    JordanN said:
    A billion edge loops. 


    use to: The same! In the mid 90's!
    ( but with my first attempts at character modeling in "NURBS" which I was told was for organic modeling. This left hand looks just like my first attempt figuring out a head )

    Avid editors retreat licking their wounds and
    settle for gitn' their fix modeling flying logos instead. :)

    I made 800 dupes of my media Composer reel So I would be covered forever!
    On 3/4 inch and Betacam SP.
    :(
    ( anyone in the market for an Apple Quadra 950 with AVID Media Suite Pro System )
    I use to do work for hardware or software licenses that I perceived were worth more than the cash I was getting.
    ( SGI 02 R500... The slow one. Anyone? Actually it's the only nic my copy of Mirai will run on. So probably wouldn't part with it )

    Speaking of Mirai...
    That was also evidence of my business acumen:
    As I picked the $7000 lic deal over less cash,
    on the Software investment that I was absolutely sure was going to take over the industry!
    F*ckin' Industry...
    What da hell dju all know!

    Now: I am old, defeated  n retired but still painfully pretty.
  • chrisradsby
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    chrisradsby polycounter lvl 14
    As a wannabe artist I remember that I used to have a crippling fear of doing thing wrong.
    Example: "Meshes shouldn't clip into each other, they need to  be properly welded onto each other with good topology"

    This fear really made trees with lots of branches a big pain in the butt back then haha xD
  • Macebo
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    Macebo hero character
    I used to: blindly trust the "ignore backfaces" checkbox when selecting sub objects and realising, 50 saves later, that i messed up the entire other side of the model.
    Now i: never trust it -- consequently, never use it.
  • Jakob Gavelli
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    Jakob Gavelli interpolator
    I used to: Start sculpting on a highly subdivided sphere or go up in subdivs or too high resolution dynamesh in Zbrush.
    Now I: Start low and try to stay as low as possible until I'm satisfied and have clean shapes!
  • [Deleted User]
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    [Deleted User] insane polycounter
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  • Bletzkarn
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    Bletzkarn polycounter lvl 6
    JordanN said:
    A billion edge loops. 



    As a newb I still do this. Can you explain what you've done to make it so much cleaner? 
  • JordanN
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    JordanN interpolator
    Bletzkarn said:
    As a newb I still do this. Can you explain what you've done to make it so much cleaner? 
    I mostly got started by looking at the polycount wiki's subdivision page. I just learned to be more efficient with how many loops I put down and I weld extra vertices together until I get something resembling the bottom image.

    It also helps to use symmetry or array modifiers, so I can mirror all topology changes perfectly, instead of having to clean up an entire mesh by hand. 


  • Bletzkarn
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    Bletzkarn polycounter lvl 6
    JordanN said:
    A billion edge loops. 



    As a newb I still do this. Can you explain what you've done to make it so much cleaner? 
  • Bletzkarn
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    Bletzkarn polycounter lvl 6
    JordanN said:
    Bletzkarn said:
    As a newb I still do this. Can you explain what you've done to make it so much cleaner? 
    I mostly got started by looking at the polycount wiki's subdivision page. I just learned to be more efficient with how many loops I put down and I weld extra vertices together until I get something resembling the bottom image.

    It also helps to use symmetry or array modifiers, so I can mirror all topology changes perfectly, instead of having to clean up an entire mesh by hand. 


    Thank you for your quick reply! I will definitely check this out. Also ignore my duplicate comment im an idiot haha.
  • JordanN
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    JordanN interpolator
    Bumping this thread for another bad habit I've finally done away with.

    I'm ashamed to admit I use to move every single vertex in a scene BY HAND. This was actually giving me problems like visible holes because vertices were slightly off from one another.

    But now I discovered there's actually a snap tool that locks vertices dead on to another object. So everything is accurate. 




  • sacboi
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    sacboi high dynamic range
    Back when starting out, relied heavily on the modifier stack compensating for poor self knowledge as too the wherewithal optimising topology design on a high frequency mesh. 

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