Settling on program workflow for Unreal

kieranjazy

Been messing around with 3D Modelling software for a good few months now but trying to settle on a workflow to bring assets from Blender to Unreal Engine. However, I've been having trouble sort of integrating the programs I want to use together; I'm planning on using Blender, ZBrush, and Substance Painter before importing but not sure of what order to do things. I've been trying to mix them together but usually ends up in some sort of error along the way. Does anyone know of a solid workflow for using these three programs together to make 3D game assets?

Zalek4

There is no blanket answer for this as it largely depends on what you're doing with each of these programs. That would be my question to you: what are you doing with each of them before you import into UE4? What kind of errors are you getting? What have you tried to fix those errors? The more specific you are, the better answers you will get.

It also sounds like you may be wondering about what a game-oriented 3D pipeline looks like. I would direct you here: 
https://polycount.com/discussion/133729/game-art-pipeline

kieranjazy

Zalek4 said:

There is no blanket answer for this as it largely depends on what you're doing with each of these programs. That would be my question to you: what are you doing with each of them before you import into UE4? What kind of errors are you getting? What have you tried to fix those errors? The more specific you are, the better answers you will get.

It also sounds like you may be wondering about what a game-oriented 3D pipeline looks like. I would direct you here: 
https://polycount.com/discussion/133729/game-art-pipeline

What I'm trying to do is build the low-poly mesh in Blender by just blocking out the outline of it, then exporting it as a .obj for Substance and ZBrush. I also triangulate it pre-export which I'm not too sure on, and I'm not sure if I should be making an ID map in Blender and if I should do materials in Blender. I usually sculpt on it in ZBrush then export the high-poly as a .obj for Substance. After, I start a project in Substance with the low poly as a base then bake the high poly onto it without an ID map. However, like 60% of the time a large portion of the high-poly detail doesn't get baked onto it properly, which makes me feel as if I'm using all the tools wrong.

kieranjazy

For example, when I followed this process, the end result looked like this (Blender -> ZBrush -> Substance Painter) 

ZBrush

Substance

Blender

musashidan

How are you going about your unwrapping/packing? This is one of the most vital steps in the workflow. It looks like you haven't unwrapped the mesh properly. 

kieranjazy

Ah, think I was neglecting learning about UVs in Blender since I started in Maya and it came back to haunt me. It looks a bit better but not sure if my bad UVs are causing large errors in my final mesh. One other question, is it necessary to triangulate the faces before export for Unreal? Also not sure what to export from Substance Painter and what to import to Unreal to use the mesh as it looks in Substance. 

zachagreg

You have the same mesh duplicated 4 times, so the UVs are going to duplicate 4 times which is what you are seeing. Those logs should be one mesh, one UV sheet, one highpoly.

You're going to continue to run into problems if you don't understand UVs. Get that sorted first do a fairly simple hero prop all the way to completion into engine. Blender lowpoly and UV, Zbrush high, bake in substance painter and then texture and bring it all into engine with materials setup. Hell you can even screen record the entire process and watch it back to see what you did wrong and what you did right.

Find some good tutorials on UVing since UVs are mainly about the practice and theory of doing it rather than any tool dependent thing. Each software does it differently but the outcome always has the same reasoning behind it.

Checkout the wiki: http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Uv
@musashidan has a great prop tutorial on his youtube channel although he uses max it is still extremely useful. As is ChamferZone's UV series on youtube.

Tackle unique UVs first before tackling modular layouts and the like. IMO its easier to learn that way as modular pieces present unique situations and tricks that require a firm understanding of UVs to be able to grasp.