Advice for Low Poly Character Topology for Games?

robotinfluence

Hi Polycount this is my ~2000 tri model

Having some issues with character I am modeling, cannot seem to get deformation right. I've made several adjustments to the topology and cannot seem to get my joints or mesh in general to deform the way I want even after multiple attempts at skinning. Is there some best practices I'm missing? I've viewed many posts but they seem to conflict and when put in practice haven't worked for me!

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

DavidCruz

I am no rigger animator, i've dabbled for fun but idk if i am doing it right cause i learned by doing.
Looks like you need to soften the bending/flexing parts.
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Animation Just if modeling is a concern still for you below.
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/ReTopologyModeling

^Links might help, also don't know your application i gues blender.

robotinfluence

So I was really having issues with the topology, haven't really worked with low poly but I do have experience with high poly. Was pretty much able to sort the issues with joints created by deleting with "edge loops"

This helped a lot https://64.media.tumblr.com/fec2b8d3a5e7a696ba36b98a9f431129/tumblr_inline_npp0qfswpF1qb9x1g_500.gifv

Eric Chadwick

Your shoulders could use more loops. Try "raising the roof" with the arms. You could remove the toes, make the feet into paddles, to conserve total triangle count.

More visual examples of lowpoly limb options
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Limb_Topology

See also 
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/ShoulderTopology
Which has some good links up top, in particular the "shoulders from japan" thread.

Eric Chadwick

Oh also, within the 2000-tri budget, here's an example topology to study, as a downloadable OBJ.

http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/BaseMesh

robotinfluence

Very helpful thank you, I'll keep working on it