Well usually people just use a turbosmooth modifier and place edge loops to control the smoothing. This might be useful http://cgi.tutsplus.com/tutorials/next-gen-weapon-creation-part-1-the-high-poly-model--cg-782
Here is the retop for the crabdozer, I tried to stay close to the polycount limit of the next gen console games. It current polycount is 21,090 tris. I used topogun and Maya to retopologize it. I will now move on to UV mapping the crabdozer.
Alright, final question to bug all of you guys again. Should I go for Eat 3D's Zbrush Bundle. 3D Totals Next-gen character tutorial. Or Digital tutors series on character modeling, detailing and texturing??
I don't own a next gen console but I watched a youtuber let's play and yes the neon effects were defintely the part were I was like, WWWWWHHHUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTTTT Never have seen anything like it anywhere else!
SVOGI might look good and perform in a testscene for a siggraph paper but its not feasible for lighting a real game environment. Many have tried but failed. Maybe the next next-gen can figure out a way to use this tech. : )
You might want to take a look at this tutorial. It is just about exactly what you want to archive. http://cg.tutsplus.com/tutorials/autodesk-3ds-max/how-to-create-a-video-game-dumpster-the-complete-current-gen-workflow/
CG Tuts has started publishing my video's on the creation process, if anybody would be interested: http://cg.tutsplus.com/tutorials/3d-art/creating-a-next-gen-video-game-hot-rod-the-complete-workflow-day-1
Hey man, been following your progess here on polycount. Awsome job, and you are improving by leaps and bounds. Seeing this makes me wanna quite working on my handheld projects and get back into next gen. Nice!
Dang, I need to get on more. Great stuff malcolm. Really like the levels in the game. They all came out pretty pimp especially with the limitations. Can't wait to start seeing next gen pimps in a few months.
Just did a check for you, the Half-Life2 Manhacks are 1200 triangles, Scanners are 1500. I guess next-gen is about twice as many triangles, so 9000 is a bit much. This might help you save triangles.