Hand painted game assets help wanted
polycounter lvl 8
Hi,
I am in the process of learning to create low poly, hand painted game assets. I have worked as a modeler creating 3D animated TV commercials for more than 10 years, and would like to try something new.
What I really like are low poly, hand painted game assets (like in World of Warcraft ect), thats what I'd love to try to create.
Unfortunately, I have only very little experience creating low poly game assets. I'm used to models that will be converted to subdivision surfaces, and poly counts that don't have to work in real time. What poly count is reasonable, where do I add bevels, how do I create good smoothing groups, where do I add the hard edges, and where not.
I have started to model a simple asset today. I was looking for something simple, not overly complex to start with (so it wouldn't take longer than a couple of hours to model for me), and found an axe design by Maeve B. here that I liked: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/6yZox
It is my first ever attempt to create a model that might be used in a real time game engine. What do you think of my model, the topology? Does it work? What areas could be improved, and in what way? I'm thinking for example that the polygon count of those little marbles (attached to the strings) and the feathers (I'm planning to just map the planes with alpha transparency) could probably be reduced.
I am in the process of learning to create low poly, hand painted game assets. I have worked as a modeler creating 3D animated TV commercials for more than 10 years, and would like to try something new.
What I really like are low poly, hand painted game assets (like in World of Warcraft ect), thats what I'd love to try to create.
Unfortunately, I have only very little experience creating low poly game assets. I'm used to models that will be converted to subdivision surfaces, and poly counts that don't have to work in real time. What poly count is reasonable, where do I add bevels, how do I create good smoothing groups, where do I add the hard edges, and where not.
I have started to model a simple asset today. I was looking for something simple, not overly complex to start with (so it wouldn't take longer than a couple of hours to model for me), and found an axe design by Maeve B. here that I liked: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/6yZox
It is my first ever attempt to create a model that might be used in a real time game engine. What do you think of my model, the topology? Does it work? What areas could be improved, and in what way? I'm thinking for example that the polygon count of those little marbles (attached to the strings) and the feathers (I'm planning to just map the planes with alpha transparency) could probably be reduced.
Replies
I think your axe head could use more polys to smooth out it's outer edge.
I'm not sure about smoothing groups for this kind of art style. From what I understand smoothing groups and hard/soft edges are necessary for clean normal maps, specular maps, and lighting, but for some of these art styles they just paint all of the detail into the diffuse map. What you do with your smoothing groups, might depend on how you decide to texture and light the prop.
Also these might help:
https://80.lv/articles/001agt-stylized-3d-art-philosophy-from-dylan-mellott/
https://80.lv/articles/recreating-a-warhammer-weapon-in-hand-painted-style-001agt-002mrs-004adk/
https://80.lv/articles/matt-mcdaid-mastering-the-stylized-art/
(In this last one, if you can get the marmoset viewer to load, you can click on the \\\ icon to take a look at their topology and texture layers. Although, I think the topology on the eyes and glowing balls is a bit high)
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/PoEZm4