[Question] Modularity and Effeciency, Environment Art Workflow

ZisUp

Hey Guys! First post here, thanks for having a look. I've got some general questions about executing modularity in models/textures.

I'm currently working on a small town Main St. style environment and have an opportunity to work with a lot of modular assets.

Right now I'm working specifically on the courthouse pictured. When modeling I plan on breaking the structure down into smaller pieces, importing those set pieces into UE4, and then building Prefabs of sections that can be repeated as necessary.

Pretty basic stuff, but I have some questions for you all about the most efficient way of executing all of this. In particular how small should sections be when brought into engine, at what point do assets become so small that it is just overkill? Also, when is it better to use tileable textures vs flatpacking everything?



Example of smaller set pieces for this courthouse.



Example of larger set piece size.

Additionally, pieces of this building (but not all) could potentially be used to help create other buildings in in the environment. Knowing that, would texture space be more efficiently used by flatpacking assets or applying tileable textures? I'll be focusing on PBR if that makes a difference.

pixelpatron

Hey Zis,

I have never had a game project that would allow me to bring that many modular pieces into the scene. The node count would get high pretty quick if all the structures in the scene were built to that level of granularity. I'd suggest making bigger sections. Break it down something like this:

stair piece
stair end piece (large concrete sides)
base foundation pieces: pillar and window pieces
wall pieces: pillar and window pieces I'd make a separate piece that I could use at the top to cap the pillar and window pieces. *this would allow flexibility if I wanted the structure to be 3 stories.

In essence I'd say your better off with your *larger set piece size. It'll make things match up better. I'd also say you could have a mix of tiling and one off textures. Example I'd tile the brick for sure, the base concrete at the bottom, yet the stairs and the end caps for the stairs could be a one off sculpt. (this I assume would be the closest thing visible to the player). There is no real wrong way to go about it, yet in real working conditions, you have other considerations when working something for a shipping product, collision, node count, material count, vert count...etc. Those things usually dictate how you go about assembling something. If it's a portfolio piece, it doesn't matter much, but it would be good to follow industry standards. Look at what others have done, look through a bunch of portfolios and make a call.

ZisUp

Hey Pixel! Thanks for the information. That makes a lot of sense. It is going to be a portfolio piece, so that should make it more open. I'm really tying to pick up on where the line is draw between in-engine flexibility and efficiency for hardware.

Thanks again!

Deathrey

It depends on how much screen space will the asset occupy. I'd say for background or a bird eye view you could get away with one mesh with unique UVs.
Making it modular is probably a good idea if you plan to re-use the parts to create variations of this building. If it is unique landmark prop, then making it modular would probably be not worth the hassle(I'd gladly hear opinions of industry professionals on this one though).
However, if this thing is supposed to be viewed up close, and re-used elsewhere, i would break it up like this:


I would tile brick texture for sure.

yodude87

i agree, but id make it a bit different, just in case i wanted to make it more storeys, or reuse it around in different manners

ZisUp

Awesome Guys, thanks for the notes! This certainly has me headed in the right direction. The asset is suppose to be viewed from fairly close. I think sectioning it up with the idea of potentially expanding the number of floors the building has is a great point.