Help a beginner in 3D game art
Hey guys, I'm new in 3D art in general and I want to focus on games, I really don't know what to learn first with all the "maps", so can you guys help me on that and what program should I learn?(Beside 3DS Max)
And one more thing, it's better to learn the basics of character and environment modeling and then focus on one?
And one more thing, it's better to learn the basics of character and environment modeling and then focus on one?
Replies
Hmmm, if you can do both then it would be awesome. But realistically speaking, picking one would be best. I heard Envo artists are easier to find jobs in studios. While character artists mostly are freelancing. Just do what you love most !
http://wiki.polycount.com/
By maps do you mean textures? If you want to learn about the latest "next-gen" texture maps, here's 2 good articles.
http://www.marmoset.co/toolbag/learn/pbr-practice
https://www.marmoset.co/toolbag/learn/pbr-theory
Along with 3ds Max you might want to learn a sculpting program like zbrush or mudbox, a texturing application like substance designer, and dDo, along with photoshop, and a end target game engine or viewport shader you are designing art for. Unreal Engine 4, Toolbag 2, CryEngine 3, Unity, or something like 3point shader for 3ds max.
There's also a ton of little programs for things like UV mapping, and baking textures, but you should try those as you need them.
About zbrush, it's better to sculp then retopology with max?
If you want to make progress, just focus on one.
I made the mistake of learning both and it just confuses everything.
When you make character art, you have to have strong anatomy. Remember these are characters you'll be looking at the whole time in a video game. Gamers will freak out if the proportions look wacky or if the character looks generic and bland.
Environment art is awesome but it requires a lot of work and patience. Remember your job is to model anything from boxes to the skyscrapers of New York City. You might also be tasked with lighting so you better understand how each real world material works. With character art, it's mostly skin and cloth. Environment art requires you to know metals and non-metals and such and HDR etc.
Thanks, I guess I'll focus on characters!!
Edit: I'm not saying this in a patronizing way. I was just pointing out how environment artists have to be responsible for entire scenes of a game.
http://flippednormals.com/introduction-3d/
Best of luck!
I kinda laughed when I read this. I am sure back in 1985, someone played Mario Brothers and said, to make a character all you need to know how to do is use Red, Tan & Brown.
In today's games I would say characters tend to use any and all materials, I tip my hat to a talented character artist, cause anyone can make a character, however a memorable, and amazing character who you want to be is rare even today.
From one person who started out from nothing to another who is starting out from nothing, because I didn't go to college I started working with props & weapons. Yes it is done all to hell, and everyone and their monther has made a sword, a penis(gun) and a box/crate.
But that is because for people who are beginner's it is often the most modulated portion of the game, that can look complete without having to have a cityscape or full forest, or complex rigging and animations to be impressive.
Start small, take it in steps, tackle each portion of the workflow piece by piece, time yourself when you work to, so if you start freelancing you can estimate what to charge people for your time by knowing how long something will take.
I hope that is helpful, other than that there are plenty of talented people who know even more than I do, and I look forward to their post in this thread. I might even learn something from this, even after 7 years of working in the industry.
I wouldn't use Max or Maya to retop... Topogun is my go-to app for that... 3D Coat isn't bad either.
And, no, character artists gotta know more about materials than just skin and hair. To name a few; cloth, linen, leather, wool, metal, steel, brass, and etc etc. Because you have to dress up the characters too. And this covers everything from medieval armors to futuristic sci-fi nanofiber-suit. As well as understanding how those material behaves. Leather ain't gonna fold or wrinkle like clothe. And so on.
It will look like a lumpy turd with alphas on it.
Always take your time with each subdivision level and only go up when you truly need to.