Game Asset Workflow?
I'm wondering what the game asset workflow is exactly?
Currently, I can make a low poly shape, uv map it, photoshop, and export.
I've seen people sculpt in zbrush, retepologize in maya, and things of that nature. The results are really great.
I was hoping for a good detailed explanation/guide on this.
I have Zbrush, and the Student Version of Maya2015. I would really love to know the industry standard on modeling/mapping workflow for video game assets.
I'm sorry if this is in the wrong forum, or if there is a well known article on this forum about my issue, I didn't come up with anything by searching.
Currently, I can make a low poly shape, uv map it, photoshop, and export.
I've seen people sculpt in zbrush, retepologize in maya, and things of that nature. The results are really great.
I was hoping for a good detailed explanation/guide on this.
I have Zbrush, and the Student Version of Maya2015. I would really love to know the industry standard on modeling/mapping workflow for video game assets.
I'm sorry if this is in the wrong forum, or if there is a well known article on this forum about my issue, I didn't come up with anything by searching.
Replies
In the end I guess there isn't just one way to approach it. The thing is, before you start worring about this high poly to low poly workflows, you have to completely understand the basics of low poly as well as of high poly modelling/sculpting. Once you know both sides, finding the best approach for your own workflow isn't that hard.
What lies in between is baking and you can find here Earthquake's brilliant post:
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107196
The whole workflow is actually based on making a functioning low poly game asset, whose rough shape fits the high poly version of that asset, so that you can bake the normal maps and other ones that you need for your low poly asset.
Now it might confuse you, why I am not giving you any more specific explanation on how to do it. The answer is simple - it depends on how you feel most confortable working on those low and high poly versions. If you are a vivid user of zBrush's dynamesh then you will need a different approach compared to someone who starts with a low poly object.
It also might vary on what you are supposed to do. For example, I prefere working with low poly meshes optimized for zBrush when I work on a character. On the other hand if I should make a rock for an enviorment I would be probably start with a dynamesh and for the low poly version I would just remesh it in zBrush and clean up in Topogun/Maya/whatever retopo tool.
Also you might not even want to use zBrush if you are working on a hard surface object. Or just add details to it.
To summarize:
- There isn't the ONE approach to this
- You need to understand how to optimize game assets and how to create high poly models/sculpts
- You need to learn the basics of baking because for students that's the one most underestimated part of the process
Everything else will come to you naturally if you know the basics of these things.
As examples of my workflow:
Character:
1. Low poly mesh in maya - focus on getting a mesh optimized for zBrush
2. Anatomy in zBrush - reexport 1st subdivision level to Maya
3. Extrude objects for clothing from the base mesh and export them to zBrush as subtools
4. Sculpt all the details.
5. Re-topo to game mesh (here I use the 1st subdivision levels of the subtools and simply combine them as well as retopo tools to optimize parts for baking).
6. UV layouts of the game mesh versions
7. Bake the high poly to low poly
8. Texturing
For hard surface assets:
1. Blocking in Maya
2. Creating a in between that I could use as a starting point for the game mesh and a copy for the high poly
3. Making the high poly of the asset
4. Export asset as subtools to zBrush if parts need scuplting.
5. Finishing the game mesh (or retopo the high poly)
6. UV layout
7. Baking
8. Texturing.
But I guess people differ and that's just my way of approaching it.
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Category:Character
It's worth digging around a little bit. You'll find gems like this:
http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Roguedevelopmentdiary
I then just subdivide up and start to detail. Eventually when done, the low poly version (from just after 'Make Adaptive Skin' and a few sub-d's up) and my high poly version go into max where I UV and then make a cage and get them ready for x-normal where I will generate my maps.
After that I then start the diffuse work in either zbrush or photoshop.