Texturing workflow question, crazy or common?

aaronaton

Just a quick one, can't really search for this on google.

If you are working towards a low poly game asset but aiming for a highly realistic diffuse only texture, could you use this workflow or is it overkill?:

lets say the asset if a huge statue,

1. make high poly statue in zbrush
2. export high poly for low poly retopo
3. UV lowpoly
4. Export AO data from high poly to low poly as a basis for high realistic diffuse.

Would that be common place or not?

cryrid

I wouldn't spend a lot of time on the sculpt, but if you were to quickly work in some general shapes then it should at least give you a nice guide.

Shogun3d

Of course. You can use the AO the add some depth, and I would even user a normal map and convert it to a cavity map and adjust levels.

Whatever workflow works for you. Some folks are perfectly fine using guides and hand painting.

Snader

You could use that method, sure. It's an expansion of the old method of baking the lowpoly AO to itself and then painting on it. Sculpting will get you some more realistic/accurate AO than handpainting the maps, and if you're not too anal about the sculpt it might save you some time.

I say give it a whirl and see if it feels good.