Well yeah thats like ThE one famous hack :P Good to hear you found out about it! Also make a dummy printer set as default, instead of the network one you might be using. It will make file opening like 5 times faster.
I usually add the model to a layer, and set black as the layer color. White model would just be a material setting. You could also change the default wireframe color via preferences. Also, it looks like nice and clean work there, but the pics are a bit small!
If you find it difficult working at the fov, you can change what the editor displays by changing the value in BaseEngine.ini (C:\UDK\UDK-*version number*\Engine\Config) Just search for fovangle. Default is 90 methinks, but about 45 should match the ref pic.
awesome model, it inspired me to do one of my own. i suck at rigging so its just default pose. 1300 tris and 512 diffuse. I hope you dont mind but i used your technique for making hands low poly.
they had it already in place before I came, changed it though after I complained ;) nah sub folders for file types is a horrible thing, fine if you use the thumbnail view in windows all the time, but not a option with lots of files and if the default view is the list view.
I set it to z-up in Maya, most game tools seem to be set to that by default. Don't like having to fiddle with orientation outside the modeling app. I model to real world units (english, not metric), that way all my models are to scale with each other.
your normals on the low poly render aren't really showing. if you are rendering in maya, make sure to set the filter type for each map to "OFF" and also make sure to set the mode to "tangent space" on the bump node. I believe it is set to "bump" by default.
Looks like shattered UVs. Common issue that was fixed with the Guruware exporter, then broken again once Autodesk put it into max as a default exporter. If you have a file before you exported from Max, use that low poly and your uv's should't be broken anymore.
where do you export your lowpoly? from zbrush? you also bake the normalmap tbere? lets say thats not the ideal way... anyways default export from zbrush is facetted. you can turn on smooth shading in the export options at the bottom of the tool panel.
I have made this pluging for blender: https://joseconseco.github.io/WeightPaintToolsDocs/main_pie/ It is quite simple, but gets the job done. And there is this addon form another dev: https://blendermarket.com/products/voxel-heat-diffuse-skinning That gives you better starting weights, compared to default blender…