Most efficient subd workflow for game models?

VonDoom

Hi

At what point in my workflow should I lay the grounds for the inevitable bake of my model?

Is it viable to make the lowpoly by doing the highpoly first, copy it and remove details, edgeloops etc?
Or is the fastest way just to retopo the whole thing with the freeform modeling tools?

I am making hardsurface models in Max by the way.

oglu

depends on the object....
we often do proxy objects and create the low and the high from it...

musashidan

This really is an asset specific and artist specific question. How fast are you at modeling? How fast can you retop a model? How fast can you build in Zbrush? 

Proxy/blockout and simultaneous high low can be lightning fast.
Zbrush high sculpt or boolean and retop can also be fast.
As Oglu says, it really depends. It's something you learn by doing. The more assets you create and the many, many ways of getting to a baked result you learn, the more intuitive/second nature it becomes.

VonDoom

Thanks for your replies guys, I guess I just need more practice and experience to judge what the most sensible approach is

micropolius

oglu said:

depends on the object....
we often do proxy objects and create the low and the high from it...

Hi, may I ask you what you mean with proxy objects? Do you mean shells / temporary objects / place holders?

musashidan

micropolius said:

oglu said:

depends on the object....
we often do proxy objects and create the low and the high from it...

Hi, may I ask you what you mean with proxy objects? Do you mean shells / temporary objects / place holders?

A blockout mesh to establish proportions/forms/etc, which can then be refined. It's a way of getting everything in place quickly and means not a lot of rework has to be done if the block out/concept changes before being further refined.