Normal Map process for Starcraft 2 Units

Brian "Panda" Choi

Process question:

http://phillgonzo.deviantart.com/art/Terran-Warhound-358687805

So for the typical Starcraft 2 unit, are they actually sculpting high-res sculpts and baking it down, or are they just doing nDo-like operations?

Or do they actually sculpt a high poly version that matches the very low poly asset they're making? It's just that it's been subdivded "per plane" so they can do all the crevices, etc.?

ZacD

Looks more like nDo/crazybump/etc details, and I believe I read something that said Blizzard did not make highpolys for most units (not counting the in game cinematics).

Ace-Angel

Didn't someone actually say that in a post? I think it was a topic in General Discussion called NDO2 vs CB?

Brian "Panda" Choi

I'll go hunting.

Brian "Panda" Choi

Found the thread that literally said nDo vs Crazybump, nothing on SC2.

Ace-Angel

Nevermind, my bad, it was this thread: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124133

ZacD

The quote in question.

For StarCraft2, my friend said he used mostly crazybump for their normal maps (or some other normal map generator). Said it was cleaner and quicker then baking it out (this was i think a year ago, so it might have changed a little since then?).

Brian "Panda" Choi

danke!