Game character modeling workflow

hogehoge

When creating a game character, which of the following two can clean the normal map more beautifully?

1. Low-poly modeling → UV unwrap → High-poly sculpting detail → High Low bake
2. High-poly modeling and sculpting detail → Retopology → UV unwrap → High Low bake

I am creating at my company in method 1. The reason is that it makes it easy to create multiple character variations.
However, as far as I have confirmed, every tutorial site, such as pluralsight and Udemy, creates it all in method 2.
In the tutorial site, the company and the career are various, but the lecturer create it by the method 2.
So I thought that working time and quality are better than 1.

I want to hear your opinion.

oglu

Both are valid workflows that will end in a clean Final Char.

I like todo a good low blocking model first.
Do a Highpoly and create my lowpoyl out of my blocking. Some parts will created with retopo.
But Retopo is sometimes slower and not that clean.

hogehoge

Thank you for your reply.

I saw a zombie of Vimeo!

It was Method 1 as a workflow.
The merit of Method 1 is that you can give models to the motion team quickly.
It is the flow of detail sculpting and texture creation while UV unwrap · setting Weights and hand it to the motion team.
I would like to know the merits of Method 2.

oglu

If you use method 2 you can focus totally on the design no limits or guides by the basemesh. And you can do everything in Zbrush.
A lot of junger Artists like that workflow cause they dont know how to model something from scratch in maya. Or they dont like that workflow.
Its not allways faster or cleaner todo everything in Z.

In the end its best to use both workflows depending on the object you have to create.

musashidan

Method 1 is very common in a studio pipeline because there might be a pre-built base mesh with a specific rig that all characters might be based on. However, where method 2 comes in is with unorthodox/unique characters or creatures or even complex clothing that needs its own custom topology. Both methods are good and each can be chosen on its own merits/suitability  for the character or project in question.