Need help about the creation workflow of game assets
polycounter lvl 6
Hi all !
I'm a french game developper, I've worked on a Unity game for over a year. The game is fully functionnal but I have no graphics. My friend graphic designer wan't to create a game without spending time and sacrifice some weekends.
So I've decided to find a simple graphic style ... made by me ^^
I only know 3DSMax and photoshop ... technicaly, but making an entire mesh is really hard for me, I have learn many things, like occlusion baking, normal map baking, some ingame lightning rules, unwraping, optimizing my meshs and other things.
Despite this methods, I still don't know how optimize my workflow and some other rules, this is why I open this thread, I need help.
I search to create a futuristic design, like really more simply to design and modelize. I recently learn to bake a high poly model to a low poly model, but :
_ Will I start with the low or the high poly model ?
_ Do you map the high poly model to bake the entire texture or do you only bake the normal map and the occlusion texture to finish the final diffuse texture with photoshop ?
_ When baking the occlusion or anithing else, do you use Mental ray ? With the default settings ? (of the renderer, not the occlusion material).
The first model I've trying to create was a little tank (I know, classic
), but ingame, the tank is far of the camera, like a strategy game, so my normal map create many artifacts and my details aren't visible.
_ Do you think the normal map was really usefull with a small model ?
_ Have you some rules about the details precision needed for the model depending on the scale ?
And finaly, just one question about modeling : I often chamfer my high poly edges to add a little lighning on them, is it really usefull ?
Thank you, thank you very much for your help.
Shudrum.
(sorry for my engligh)
I'm a french game developper, I've worked on a Unity game for over a year. The game is fully functionnal but I have no graphics. My friend graphic designer wan't to create a game without spending time and sacrifice some weekends.
So I've decided to find a simple graphic style ... made by me ^^
I only know 3DSMax and photoshop ... technicaly, but making an entire mesh is really hard for me, I have learn many things, like occlusion baking, normal map baking, some ingame lightning rules, unwraping, optimizing my meshs and other things.
Despite this methods, I still don't know how optimize my workflow and some other rules, this is why I open this thread, I need help.
I search to create a futuristic design, like really more simply to design and modelize. I recently learn to bake a high poly model to a low poly model, but :
_ Will I start with the low or the high poly model ?
_ Do you map the high poly model to bake the entire texture or do you only bake the normal map and the occlusion texture to finish the final diffuse texture with photoshop ?
_ When baking the occlusion or anithing else, do you use Mental ray ? With the default settings ? (of the renderer, not the occlusion material).
The first model I've trying to create was a little tank (I know, classic
), but ingame, the tank is far of the camera, like a strategy game, so my normal map create many artifacts and my details aren't visible._ Do you think the normal map was really usefull with a small model ?
_ Have you some rules about the details precision needed for the model depending on the scale ?
And finaly, just one question about modeling : I often chamfer my high poly edges to add a little lighning on them, is it really usefull ?
Thank you, thank you very much for your help.
Shudrum.
(sorry for my engligh)
Replies
For that tank in the strategy game you mentioned it would have been better to go without normals because at that distance you could paint in detail in the diffuse and would have looked fine.
As for baking, you'll see a majority of artists here use xNormals for baking the myriad of maps it allows you to bake.
The best thing to do is find something that inspires you and start making it and start posting as soon as possible so everyone here can guide you along and provide help.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Thank you for your answers !
I'm still practicing and testing many things. Art is really hard without rules like developping ^^
It comforts me to read that there was no rules between starting with the high or low poly model. Actually, I start with the high poly model, but create the good low poly model for a good render and a good baking was really really hard ^^
I've other problems to get a harmony between my little tank and a flat ground. Maybe this can be a good renderer with vetegations and more objects on the screen.
I can't work from now to the next week, I'll show you some tests, renderer and test models to get your critics and maybe some advices
And I will search and test xNormal, maybe this can help me !
Really thank you !