Using basemesh, is it fake?

focus_method

Hello,
if you use basmesh ,is it considered as a fake (if you know how to sculpt it on your own anyway)?
i would use it because it's a huge time saviour.
Also , if you import some 3d props/models on your character is that considered as a fake (but again, if you know well you can model exact model like it. So you do it just to save some time).

Alex_J

If you are making a game for commercial purpose, you want to get the work done as efficiently as possible. Time is money.

If you are trying to get a job, you want to prove you can produce solutions to problems from scratch.

Ruz

nahh, using a base mesh is almost a essential in production, who has got time to model everything from a sphere?

slosh

For production purposes, it's totally common practice.  It's incredibly useful for personal work as well.  But your portfolio better demonstrate that you know how to do this stuff without using someone else's basemesh.

kanga

Hmmmmmm, making the basemesh is part of the fun. Specially if you are doing folio work, why miss out on that?

Torch

@Kanga making the base is cool but often in production you need to get forms down pretty quickly. We have a bunch of base sculpts we use at work (from previous characters made) for either the base or kitbashing to make new chars... Have to get to the refining and testing in-engine stage as soon as possible. In terms of personal work, go nuts  

kanga

@Torch

sacboi

Couple of rigger/animators I know, especially when working on personal stuff would always help themselves too stock sets of whatever realtime assets from the UE store, for prototyping purposes and yeah those dudes are nuts...drink like fish O_o

Eric Chadwick

If you're going to use someone else's basemesh, be sure to credit them.

Some good models here
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/BaseMesh

If you're importing premade props, just label your work as kitbash, and let us know whatever you did yourself.

FourtyNights

I always use a basemesh for sculpting full body anatomy. The starting point is very low poly, proportionally a bit weird, looks ugly and only resembles a human... but with a great sculptable topology working with subdivisions. After weeks to months of sculpting it, the end result is unrecognizable from the starting point, obviously. It's A LOT of work, and definitely not cheating or "faking".

Pretty much what polycount's wiki above at Eric's post offer.

cookepuss

1. If you're using a pre-made base of somebody else's making then try to credit. Even if the final work looks nothing like the base, it's only fair. The original artist deserves to be recognized for their contribution.

2. No. Using a base isn't "fake" or cheating. The fact remains that time is money and you always want to save both. Early in your CG education, you'll probably make a lot of base mesh type models. That's fine. It's part of the learning process. A single great chair is built atop the carcasses of countless terrible ones.

However, as productivity takes priority over learning, you're going to want to get down to business quickly. That's why most artists make one really good (or serviceable) base mesh and then beat it to death for all subsequent projects. Let's put it another way. Is kitbashing cheating? Hell no. There's no shame in reuse. If you ever want to get anything done on time or just want to hit the ground running with realizing your concept, this is how you do it.

On a personal note, I draw the line when it comes to (re)using Daz or Poser type models in projects. I've seen a lot of amazing work done with that stuff, but the models often carry a signature look to them. Just my opinion, but I feel this sucks a bit of the creativity out of the process. I'm okay with using them as part of a pre-vis process though.

Ruz

I have used daz 3d models in jobs before, purely for speed. it was for fashion related stuff  not vid games though

ned_poreyra

focus_method said:

Hello,
if you use basmesh ,is it considered as a fake (if you know how to sculpt it on your own anyway)?

On production - no; as a personal work - yes. Unless it's your basemesh/kitbash of course.

Model is a proof. Saying that "you could make it anyway" is just a saying.

Biomag

Here a personal rule of thumb - if you even wonder if it is cheating than probably you are at a point in your development where you need to practise it anyway.

In production enviroment its not a question if. The whole pipeline is often build on it. No point in discussion it there. For private projects I would recommend to do your own and improve it over the years. Once you get a regular job in the industry and lack the time to constantly go back to the basics use whatever helps you doing your project.

Honestly, until you get a job you are probably too raw to claim you don't need the practise.

Just my 2 cents.

DavidCruz

I always make my stuff from scratch, however my resent pimp / post i show a new type of base mesh that will pretty much negate the need to ever create another ever again, all you got to do is scale it to the design you are creating and boom you are off to the races. (You still need an eye for "copying" the style) but otherwise you get a pair for both stylized and realistic and you are set, i wonder if studios have a process like the one i shown.  I think its monumentally strong in that regard and learning about it by pure practice was a giant reward in it of its self, pretty proud of it tbh.

Looking forward to your posts soon hopefully, want to see some works.

DrunkShaman

If you are wondering that using basemesh for multiple character projects, then you're not ready for the industry. Many artists use their own sets of basemeshes which speeds up their work, many buy them.

I mean you can take a harder route and create a character from scratch for good practice but that's it.