It's way easier to make the textures first for a prop like this unless you want some very stylized and unique geometry (thats difficult to use on other variations).
It's mostly for stylized work, these characters are always going to be lit from above and they want the characters dark on bottom and light on top, that map helps with both those requirements.
stylized / anime = bad imo if your learning. Focus on real anatomy. Master that, then move to your anime. Zbrush will not take you a life time to learn. Keep at it!
I really liked this stylization of tinkerbell that Dan did a few months ago, super adorable http://www.polycount.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1507439&postcount=1084
This is shaping up well guys, I wasn't a fan of the initial simplification of the wheels, but now that I see the more stylized cartoony style with the character it works well.
There are side scrollers being made like this! The team that made Alien Hominid is now making a stylized fantasy beat-em-up that is similar to this, it's looking really sweet!
Looks good, man. The only nit-picky thing that bothers me is the skull. Even though Diablo is somewhat stylized, the skulls in their artwork are still realistically proportioned.
yes. but its rare i would love to have it on more projects having control over the color of reflections besides using metalness is so much nicer for stylized stuff