I think modularity is a bigger category than a lego sort of set up
Modularity includes tileable textures on different geometry, assets used multiple times in a scene just placed differently, grid systems, assets that combine in various ways to make different assets
As far as I understand it modularity aims to make creating maps/levels easier and more efficient.
Maybe modularity could be measured in a percentage or something.
Warcraft III's map editor enables players to create their own maps without needing to create any assets themselves. They create the rhythm and composition by placing premade assets in a grid like space
Dishonored on the other hand has a lot of unique sections of buildings(Like the broken walls and such). So i think they created a lot more unique geometry and used tileable textures and some shared between maps assets (Like planks) to get this across
It would be a lot harder for a player to make a dishonored map without 3D skills
A lot of games have repeating assets like the food in skyrim, the hay bales in assassins creed, and every single block in minecraft xD
As for your project I would suggest you use a lot of tileable textures on unique geometry(Since houses can vary in width and length), reuse assets like doors and windows and fences, and make unique assets for letterboxes or any other thing specific to a house. It really depends on how similar the neighborhood houses are too each other too. In my neighborhood all the houses look different
Draw calls have to do with geometry as much as texture. So something more lego like is best, but not specifically that granular.
Essentially you want to create a building set for your environment. They should all share the same material, and preferably textures also. You save on memory due to instancing, and things render more quickly as they can all be batched to the same draw call, allowing the GPU to make the most of itself.
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Modularity includes tileable textures on different geometry, assets used multiple times in a scene just placed differently, grid systems, assets that combine in various ways to make different assets
As far as I understand it modularity aims to make creating maps/levels easier and more efficient.
Maybe modularity could be measured in a percentage or something.
Warcraft III's map editor enables players to create their own maps without needing to create any assets themselves. They create the rhythm and composition by placing premade assets in a grid like space
Dishonored on the other hand has a lot of unique sections of buildings(Like the broken walls and such). So i think they created a lot more unique geometry and used tileable textures and some shared between maps assets (Like planks) to get this across
It would be a lot harder for a player to make a dishonored map without 3D skills
A lot of games have repeating assets like the food in skyrim, the hay bales in assassins creed, and every single block in minecraft xD
As for your project I would suggest you use a lot of tileable textures on unique geometry(Since houses can vary in width and length), reuse assets like doors and windows and fences, and make unique assets for letterboxes or any other thing specific to a house. It really depends on how similar the neighborhood houses are too each other too. In my neighborhood all the houses look different
Essentially you want to create a building set for your environment. They should all share the same material, and preferably textures also. You save on memory due to instancing, and things render more quickly as they can all be batched to the same draw call, allowing the GPU to make the most of itself.
I think this just about covers it. Excellent write up of Skyrim's Modular Level Design by Joel Burgess.