Difference between pages "3D Asset Workflow: Tile Textures and Trimsheets" and "3D Asset Workflow: Concepting"

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= Summary =
 
= Summary =
−
* [[3D Asset Workflow: Blocksets]]
+
* '''Concepts aren't marketing art per se - it's enough to just communicate the idea'''
−
* If you have a big/long surface of something like wall/rope/floor/ground, it's probably best to make '''a tile texture''' or '''a trimsheet'''
+
* The general goal of concepting a 3D asset first is to make sure that '''the assets are as usable and efficient to the level artists as possible'''
−
** A tile texture is a texture that tiles seamlessly in either vertically/horizontally, or both
+
* '''Concepting a 3D asset is an umbrella term for:'''
−
** A texture map that has multiple, separate tiling textures (all tiling to the same direction, e.g. vertically only), is called a trimsheet
+
# Sketching a concept in 2D
 +
# Photobashing
 +
# Making a '''base mesh''', i.e. blocking the asset roughly in 3D
 +
#* '''Can also be done as a second step for either of the above''', to help the [[3D Asset Workflow: Sculpting|sculpting]] and [[3D Asset Workflow: Retopology|retopoing]] process later on
  
−
== Limitations ==
+
= Concepting Workflow Steps =
−
* With tile textures, you can stretch UV islands to go outside of the UV space, but '''don't go overboard''' with it
+
== First and Foremost ==
−
** There are some technical limitations if the UV islands are stretched very far from the 0...1 UV coordinates
+
* If the asset is a blockset (consists of a larger set of pieces, that are used together to build big areas), make sure to follow the guidelines in [[3D Asset Workflow: Blocksets]]
−
*** The engine supports max. 64k maps, and can display them at that size accurately when the UVs are within the 0...1 range - when the UVs go outside this range, the maximum supported resolution starts dropping
+
* For bigger sets that use e.g. [[3D Asset Workflow: Tile Textures and Trimsheets|tile textures and trimsheets]], '''they should be planned at this stage already'''
−
*** Generally this will not be a problem, but to make sure if your chosen tile texture size is supported, you can calculate the maximum supported resolution by dividing 64000 by the maximum area of the UVs
 
−
**** '''Example:'''
 
−
# You have a tiling rope texture that stretches from -7...5 in UV coordinates, making the area 12 UV tiles
 
−
# The maximum texture resolution for the rope is: 64 000 / 12 = 5333,333...
 
−
# In this case, the rope can have 4k textures and still be displayed accurately, but 8k textures will be too large (for many other reasons as well)
 
  
−
= Tile Textures =
+
== Research ==  
−
* With a tiling material, the size of the mesh no longer matters when it comes to texture size
+
# If there aren't any existing plans or concepts for the asset, '''discuss with the AD and the level artists about what is wanted'''
−
* Large and small models can both use the same texture map, since the UVs don't need to be limited to the 0...1 range
+
#* Research any materials related to the asset
−
* When UV mapping, all you need to do is create the UVs so that the texture is properly aligned, and the UV islands are in correct proportions to each other
+
#* If there are existing concepts, use them as a starting point
−
** Then it is a matter of just scaling them with the Texel Density Tool
+
# Look through the level's wiki page to '''get a good idea of the context where the asset will be used'''
−
* The size of the UVs can extend greatly beyond the 0...1 boundaries, or they can go smaller, as long as the Texel Density is correct
+
#* Pay attention to the '''the general shape language''' of the level
−
** [[3D_Asset_Workflow:_Tile_Textures_and_Trimsheets#Limitations|Limitations]]
+
#** Are the forms curvy, straight, round, sharp, angular, thick, thin, horizontal, vertical?
 +
#** How are the decorative details on different concepts, if there are any?
 +
# If there is an actual level already created, or '''assets that are made for that same level''', check them
 +
#* You can also try to see if there are already similar assets that you might have planned to make for your asset set, to make sure you're not making 1:1 duplicates of them
 +
#** This can be done e.g. in the Editor by searching some general asset name from the TypeTree
 +
# Think about the '''story of the asset'''
 +
#* Is it old or young/new, what is the nature of it, the environment it will be used in etc?
 +
#* What's the history of the asset, how does all this affect to the look of the asset?
 +
# Search for '''reference images''' online
 +
#* Analyze the reference images, '''combine ideas''', and come up with a general idea for the asset
 +
#* Pick images that have any nice usable ideas that you like - they don’t have to be perfect and often aren't. That's where the concept art steps in!
  
−
=== General Design Guidelines ===
+
[[File:How to use reference images in concepting.jpg|300px|center]]
−
<!--
 
−
* Directionality
 
−
* Avoid large distinctive shapes
 
−
* Scale
 
−
-->
 
−
; Be careful with directionality in the material
 
−
: In some cases, directionality can be used to make certain textures more interesting
 
−
:* For example, having hanging moss grow on a stone brick wall
 
−
:* However, directionality can limit the asset's usage depending on its shape
 
−
:**A formless wall blob could be used in any orientation by the level artists, but directional textures can severely limit this
 
  
−
; When tiled enough times, all textures will eventually show repetition - however, it can be minimized through scale and detail
+
== Make the concept ==
−
: Managing detail
+
# Use the best ideas from the possible existing concepts, your reference images, and your imagination - '''never copy stuff 1:1''' from existing reference images
−
:* Avoid large distinctive shapes
+
# '''3D asset concept art is not marketing art, so don't use time to polish it unnecessarily'''
−
:** Any singular detail that stands out from the rest of the texture will be immediately picked up by the viewer as repetitive, if the texture tiles more than once
+
#* It's just to share the idea of the asset with the AD, before using a lot of time to make the final asset
−
:* All detail levels and elements should be evenly distributed across the texture
+
# Concentrate on the '''big forms, silhouette, proportions and the overall design'''
−
:** Doesn't necessarily mean completely uniform textures - just making sure that every detail has counterparts elsewhere in the texture to not focus attention on any single one
+
# Keep the detail level and distribution in balance - have '''small, medium, and large''' detail
 +
#* The details can be further specified during the sculpting process (use reference images for this part of the process as well)
 +
# Think about the colors of the asset - remember the '''importance of the values'''
 +
#* If it's hard to read in [http://www.artofscholes.com/checkingvalues/ true black & white], it'll be hard to read in color as well
 +
#* A good concept will make sculpting and texturing easier, and also lets the AD and the team know what you are up to
 +
# You can ask for opinions and feedback at any point, but at the very latest '''before you start working on the final sculpt'''
  
−
: Pay attention to scale
+
<gallery widths=600px heights=800px mode="nolines">
−
:* Scale determines how many times the texture will have to be tiled, so plan it accordingly in advance
+
File:trine_concept_tips_02.jpg|An example of how to take the idea of the concept further
−
:* Export resolution and scale are also interlinked, due to the [[3D_Asset_Workflow:_UV_Mapping#While_UV_Mapping.2C_keep_the_following_things_in_mind|Texel Density guidelines]]
+
File:trine_concept_tips_01.jpg|3D asset process from the concept to the final asset
−
:** The current texel density for environmental Trine assets is 200px/m
 
−
:** This means that a 1k texture will be 5m across in-game, and a 2k will be 10m across
 
−
:*** A larger texture can fit in more unique detail, while still retaining the same scale
 
−
:*** It will also have a negative effect on performance
 
−
:** Changing the resolution can be used for a rough scale change after the material is done, but it is not ideal - better to have the scale in mind before starting
 
−
:* When planning the scale, think about how much uninterrupted area will be covered by the texture
 
−
:** For example, a terrain texture can cover a large area without any meshes interrupting it, so a 2k material (10x10m plane) with denser detail would work well to minimize tiling
 
−
:** A wall texture on the other hand could work with a 1k size (5x5m plane) with larger details, since it can be broken up with additional architectural meshes to hide the tiling better
 
−
 
 
−
=== Using Substance Designer ===
 
−
* In general, every material made with Substance Designer is already tiling, so this is a short section
 
−
** However, the Transform2D node can break tiling if used carelessly
 
−
** If you need to scale, rotate or offset the texture, it is best to use the Safe Transform node, as that retains the tiling
 
−
 
 
−
=== Using Zbrush ===
 
−
{{#ev:youtube|https://youtu.be/Pdh0peG4oys}}
 
−
 
 
−
=== Complementing Tiling Textures with Geometry ===
 
−
* Completely flat surfaces can be easily noticed by players and aren't nice visually, especially if the texture has a lot of depth
 
−
* Cheap and easy way to combat this issue is to model out / extrude out shapes from the tiling texture
 
−
 
 
−
<gallery widths=300px heights=300px mode="nolines">
 
−
File:Modular_MountBladeMod_02.jpg|Breaking flat surfaces / fake displacement with mesh. Source: http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/ModularMountAndBlade
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
−
* In the case that you have a planar mesh and a tiling texture with a height map that needs depth, but too detailed to extrude by hand in a reasonable timeframe, a quick and dirty way is to take the plane to ZBrush and apply the height map as a displacement map
+
== Concepting Examples ==
−
** Then you can decimate it until the polygon density seems appropriate, take the mesh back to Modo for cleanup, and apply planar UV projection with the dimensions of the original plane
+
* Below in the collapsibles there are a few concepting examples for reference
−
** Checking projection rotation is also important!
+
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="background-color: #f3e9f5; border-width:2px; border-radius:10px; margin: 5px;">
−
 
+
Concepting Example: Modular Fountain Set Concept Process
−
= Trim Sheets =
+
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
−
* The term trim sheet applies to '''a resource that includes pieces, that can be easily extracted from the sheet, and tiled'''
+
<gallery widths=600px heights=800px mode="nolines">
−
* Usually a trim sheet works best with mostly planar geometry, or geometry that can be extruded from a plane
+
File:How to use reference images in concepting.jpg
−
** Anything more complex is better done as a unique model
+
File:Fountain pegasus1.jpg
−
* In a trim sheet, there are multiple tiling textures on a single texture atlas, which are then '''mapped to a mesh in a way that makes it seem like it has multiple textures'''
+
File:Fountain goat1.jpg
−
** This saves memory and improves performance, since the engine has to load fewer textures, and thus needs fewer drawcalls
 
−
* '''In a way, making a trim sheet is the reverse workflow compared to normal: you create a texture first, and then make a mesh to fit it afterwards'''
 
−
* With a good trim sheet texture you can make almost anything for modular set
 
−
** Making new assets from it is easy too: it's just a matter of mapping UVs of a new mesh to the trim sheet map
 
−
*** Keeping the trim sheet textures as simple rectangular shapes helps mapping UVs to them
 
−
* If you will add some unique (meaning, not tiling) models to the modular blocksets which use trim sheets, it might be better to make a separate texture for them, and not try to fit them into the trim sheet texture atlas - even if they'd fit there
 
−
** That way, if those models are used on their own, or as a part of another set, they don't load a large, mostly unused texture with them
 
−
 
 
−
<gallery widths=300px heights=300px mode="nolines">
 
−
T4_dream_wall_kit_1_texture.jpg
 
−
File:T4_dream_wall_kit_1_sculpt.PNG
 
−
File:T4_dream_wall_kit_final_editor.png|Parts made from previous trim sheet material
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 +
<small><i>How to use reference images in concepting</i><br>
 +
<i>PHOTO:Multiple [[3D_Asset_Workflow:_Concepting#Sources|Sources]]</i></small>
 +
</div></div>
  
−
=== Creating Trim Sheets ===
+
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="background-color: #f3e9f5; border-width:2px; border-radius:10px; margin: 5px;">
 +
Concepting Example 2: Modular Tree Set Concept Process
 +
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
 +
'''Planning the separate Assets'''
 +
* A good way to start planning an asset is to collect all the info you have first, and then start concepting. The more complicated and big the asset task is, the more preparations are needed in the planning phase
 +
** First you can just concept different things you think would be useful
 +
** Once you think you have everything down, you can check if some of the stuff could be recycled between your different models to save time
 +
** There is no point in having different models for something that would work as well with just one model in every situation needed, so only make variations that are different enough
 +
[[File:Modular tree trunk set plan.jpg|1200px]]<br>
 +
'''Making Quick Rough Models for Testing Before Finalizing the Assets'''
 +
* Sometimes it can be hard for the level artists to say if some assets will be useful or not, and how they could be improved based on only the 2D concept image
 +
** For complicated sets it's a very effective method to first make the planned pieces very quickly and roughly and let the level artists test them
 +
** Testing the assets before finalizing them can be a life saver, as some assets might end up being totally useless
 +
* Here is an example of super rough models that were first made, but decided not to be used as level artists noticed it would be better to have whole tree trunk pieces instead of these smaller pieces
 +
[[File:Modular tree trunk set trash models.jpg|600px]]<br>
 +
* After level artists' feedback the pieces were scrapped and new ones created, not much time was lost as the pieces were done very quickly
 +
[[File:Modular tree trunk set trash models2.jpg|600px]]<br>
 +
* Once these were tested and confirmed working the finalized detailed assets could be made
 +
** Also similar test models of the branches were added for the same purpose
 +
** Here are the test pieces and how the level artist tested them
 +
[[File:Modular tree trunk set trash models3.jpg|600px]]<br>
 +
[[File:Trine4 modular tree set wip pieces level artist test.png|600px]]<br>
 +
* These ended up being the final pieces needed for the set
 +
[[File:Modular tree trunk set trash models sculpt 3.jpg|600px]]<br>
 +
</div></div>
  
−
* Trim sheets are created mostly the same way as any tiling texture or model
+
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="background-color: #f3e9f5; border-width:2px; border-radius:10px; margin: 5px;">
−
** You can use e.g. Zbrush, Modo, Substance Designer, or all of them
+
Determining the Assets of a Set Based on Existing Concept Art
−
* '''The main idea is that individual pieces tile in at least one direction - vertically or horizontally'''
+
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
−
* You can also include seams and corners, and even create tiling pseudo-decals using alpha test material
+
[[File:3d_workflow_determining_asset_set_pieces_based_on_concepts.png|1000px]]
−
** Alpha blend is not recommended, since it changes the rendering mode for the whole trim sheet
+
</div></div>
  
−
* '''To start:'''
+
= Frozenbyte concept art examples =
−
# Plan out your trim sheet in Modo by dividing a plane into a uniform square grid
+
* These are all concepts made by the 3D artists who also created the final game model so it's up to each artist how far they feel like they want to design in the concept phase
−
#* The plane doesn't have to be a square either, but the '''aspect ratio needs to be the same as the texture will be''' (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 2:1, etc.)
 
−
# Keep the segments divisible by 10, as it will make UV mapping easier down the line
 
−
# Separate or divide sections of the grid where different trims should go
 
−
# After that, you can model some trims in Modo, and/or export that as a base to ZBrush for more complicated ornaments
 
−
#* In ZBrush, 'Auto Groups' and 'Mask by Polygroups' will make it easier to work on the trims without affecting the ones next to them
 
−
# The finished sculpt/hipoly will be baked to a flat plane, so the sculpt depth doesn't really matter
 
−
#* Normal map won't pick up how far from the 0-level a surface extends
 
−
#* However, if you want to make a trim that blends with the underlying mesh, remember to keep its edges as flat as possible
 
−
# There should be at least a small part near the blending edge that points directly outwards (or is R128, G128, B255 on the normal map)
 
  
−
=== Using Trim Sheets ===
+
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="background-color: #e6f2ff; border-width:2px; border-radius:10px; margin: 5px;">
 +
Concept art gallery
 +
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
 +
<gallery widths=300px heights=300px mode="nolines">
 +
File:Amadeus concept.png | Here only the front of the character was designed during the concepting, the rest was figured out during the sculpting
 +
File:Mistymountainsboss sketch.jpg | Here only the look of the character was decided in the concept art and the colors for the final model were designed during the texturing phase
 +
File:Siamese warlock concept.png| Here only the front of the character was designed during the concepting, the rest was figured out during the sculpting
 +
File:Healer wizard concept.jpg | Here only the front of the character was designed during the concepting, the rest was figured out during the sculpting
 +
File:Ice wizard concept.png | Here both the front and back of the character are designed so the sculpting process was faster for that part
 +
File:Hanging lantern concept 3.jpg | Often a simple concept gets the job done
  
−
* With a finished trim sheet you can now create polygons and UV amp them to correct parts of the sheet
+
File:Deer concept 01.png | Sometimes it's ok to take the concept further, then it can be used possibly in marketing too
−
* If your base mesh was a grid that was divisible by 10, you can easily determine where a trim section starts and ends
+
File:Possessed boss concept.png | With a complicated asset it's useful to solve most of the design problems in the concept phase
−
** For example, 0.0-0.5 on U axis, 0.4-0.5 on V axis
+
File:Christmas sarek.jpg | In some cases the mood and feeling of the character can be brought out more than the actual details
−
* When UV mapping strips of quads, you can use the 'rectangle' function in Modo's UV tools to quickly straighten it
+
File:Goody good concept.jpg | Different ideas for the character
−
* After that, it is trivial to cut and stack the UV islands to overlap each other, and fit on to the allocated trim sheet section
+
File:Kappa concepts 2.png | Here are different ideas for the character, the one on the left was chosen to be made into the final game asset
−
* If your trim sheet is non-square, remember to scale the UVs down on the longer axis to match the texture's aspect ratio
+
File:Redwood logs shot.png | Here you can see the concept and the final asset set based on that
−
** The UVs remain always as a 0...1 square, so for example with a 2048x1024px texture, you need to scale the UVs to 50% on U axis (or to 200% on V axis)
+
File:Orrery sketch.png | Scale is important, here the asset seems a little bit too small compared to the character but it can be fixed before sculpting phase and time is saved
 +
File:Broomstick watering can bucket concepts.png | It's very much recommended to keep the scale of the assets in mind right from the beginning of the design process
 +
File:Book lift concept.jpg |A concept for an environment asset can be just a crude scribble over a screenshot
  
−
;Example of a trim sheet in use
+
</gallery>
−
# Trimsheet itself
+
</div></div>
−
# Mesh and UVs
 
−
# Mesh and UVs without the tiling material
 
−
[[File:blockset_trimsheet_example_1.png|300px]]
 
  
−
=== Example Trim Sheets ===
+
=Sources=
−
<gallery widths=300px heights=300px mode="nolines">
+
<small>
−
File:cliff-schonewill-woodtrims.jpg|source: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/XZ2L0
+
[PHOTO: How to use reference images in concepting.jpg] - Source list :<br>
−
File:LionsArchStoneTrim TextureSheet.jpg|Sculpted trim sheet. source: http://nathanbaerwald.blogspot.com/2015/08/lions-arch.html
+
*Img. 1. [(311) Pinterest] https://fi.pinterest.com/pin/557883472571184162/ (accessed June 5, 2018)<br>
−
File:trimsheetExample.jpg|source: https://polycount.com/discussion/185468/the-hero-tomb/p2
+
*Img. 2. [Garda Three Tier Pond Fountain] https://www.outdoorartpros.com/collections/tiered-outdoor-fountains/products/garda-three-tier-pond-fountain (accessed June 6, 2018)
−
</gallery>
+
*Img. 3. [Water Fountains, Front Yard and Backyard Designs] http://www.lushome.com/water-fountains-front-yard-backyard-designs/52334 (accessed June 6, 2018)
 +
*Img. 4. [Bronze Fountain Statuary] http://www.specialtyfountains.com/bronze_fountains.html (accessed June 6, 2018)
 +
*Img. 5. [FONTAINES POUR JARDIN ROMANA – FFBarbecues] https://www.ffbarbecues.com/produit/fontaines-pour-jardin-romana/ (accessed June 6, 2018)
 +
*Img. 6. [Nyc Public Library Photo, Stock Photo of NYC Public Library, Phillip Colla Natural History Photography] http://www.oceanlight.com/spotlight.php?img=11155 (accessed June 5, 2018)
 +
*Img. 7. [Robed angel looking down | Monceau | Flickr] https://www.flickr.com/photos/monceau/6291672868 (accessed June 6, 2018)
 +
*Img. 8. [Giant lion sculpture] http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-05/08/content_868100.htm (accessed June 6, 2018)
 +
*Img. 9. [(NO NAME)] no website (accessed June 5, 2018)
 +
*Img. 10. [Palermo e dintorni ma anche...: maggio 2009] http://palermodintorni.blogspot.com/2009/05/ (accessed June 6, 2018)
 +
</small>

Revision as of 10:13, 1 August 2023

⬑ 3D Asset Workflow

Summary

  • Concepts aren't marketing art per se - it's enough to just communicate the idea
  • The general goal of concepting a 3D asset first is to make sure that the assets are as usable and efficient to the level artists as possible
  • Concepting a 3D asset is an umbrella term for:
  1. Sketching a concept in 2D
  2. Photobashing
  3. Making a base mesh, i.e. blocking the asset roughly in 3D
    • Can also be done as a second step for either of the above, to help the sculpting and retopoing process later on

Concepting Workflow Steps

First and Foremost

  • If the asset is a blockset (consists of a larger set of pieces, that are used together to build big areas), make sure to follow the guidelines in 3D Asset Workflow: Blocksets
  • For bigger sets that use e.g. tile textures and trimsheets, they should be planned at this stage already

Research

  1. If there aren't any existing plans or concepts for the asset, discuss with the AD and the level artists about what is wanted
    • Research any materials related to the asset
    • If there are existing concepts, use them as a starting point
  2. Look through the level's wiki page to get a good idea of the context where the asset will be used
    • Pay attention to the the general shape language of the level
      • Are the forms curvy, straight, round, sharp, angular, thick, thin, horizontal, vertical?
      • How are the decorative details on different concepts, if there are any?
  3. If there is an actual level already created, or assets that are made for that same level, check them
    • You can also try to see if there are already similar assets that you might have planned to make for your asset set, to make sure you're not making 1:1 duplicates of them
      • This can be done e.g. in the Editor by searching some general asset name from the TypeTree
  4. Think about the story of the asset
    • Is it old or young/new, what is the nature of it, the environment it will be used in etc?
    • What's the history of the asset, how does all this affect to the look of the asset?
  5. Search for reference images online
    • Analyze the reference images, combine ideas, and come up with a general idea for the asset
    • Pick images that have any nice usable ideas that you like - they don’t have to be perfect and often aren't. That's where the concept art steps in!
How to use reference images in concepting.jpg

Make the concept

  1. Use the best ideas from the possible existing concepts, your reference images, and your imagination - never copy stuff 1:1 from existing reference images
  2. 3D asset concept art is not marketing art, so don't use time to polish it unnecessarily
    • It's just to share the idea of the asset with the AD, before using a lot of time to make the final asset
  3. Concentrate on the big forms, silhouette, proportions and the overall design
  4. Keep the detail level and distribution in balance - have small, medium, and large detail
    • The details can be further specified during the sculpting process (use reference images for this part of the process as well)
  5. Think about the colors of the asset - remember the importance of the values
    • If it's hard to read in true black & white, it'll be hard to read in color as well
    • A good concept will make sculpting and texturing easier, and also lets the AD and the team know what you are up to
  6. You can ask for opinions and feedback at any point, but at the very latest before you start working on the final sculpt

  • An example of how to take the idea of the concept further

  • 3D asset process from the concept to the final asset

Concepting Examples

  • Below in the collapsibles there are a few concepting examples for reference

Concepting Example: Modular Fountain Set Concept Process

  • How to use reference images in concepting.jpg
  • Fountain pegasus1.jpg
  • Fountain goat1.jpg

How to use reference images in concepting
PHOTO:Multiple Sources

Concepting Example 2: Modular Tree Set Concept Process

Planning the separate Assets

  • A good way to start planning an asset is to collect all the info you have first, and then start concepting. The more complicated and big the asset task is, the more preparations are needed in the planning phase
    • First you can just concept different things you think would be useful
    • Once you think you have everything down, you can check if some of the stuff could be recycled between your different models to save time
    • There is no point in having different models for something that would work as well with just one model in every situation needed, so only make variations that are different enough

Modular tree trunk set plan.jpg
Making Quick Rough Models for Testing Before Finalizing the Assets

  • Sometimes it can be hard for the level artists to say if some assets will be useful or not, and how they could be improved based on only the 2D concept image
    • For complicated sets it's a very effective method to first make the planned pieces very quickly and roughly and let the level artists test them
    • Testing the assets before finalizing them can be a life saver, as some assets might end up being totally useless
  • Here is an example of super rough models that were first made, but decided not to be used as level artists noticed it would be better to have whole tree trunk pieces instead of these smaller pieces

Modular tree trunk set trash models.jpg

  • After level artists' feedback the pieces were scrapped and new ones created, not much time was lost as the pieces were done very quickly

Modular tree trunk set trash models2.jpg

  • Once these were tested and confirmed working the finalized detailed assets could be made
    • Also similar test models of the branches were added for the same purpose
    • Here are the test pieces and how the level artist tested them

Modular tree trunk set trash models3.jpg
Trine4 modular tree set wip pieces level artist test.png

  • These ended up being the final pieces needed for the set

Modular tree trunk set trash models sculpt 3.jpg

Determining the Assets of a Set Based on Existing Concept Art

3d workflow determining asset set pieces based on concepts.png

Frozenbyte concept art examples

  • These are all concepts made by the 3D artists who also created the final game model so it's up to each artist how far they feel like they want to design in the concept phase

Concept art gallery

  • Here only the front of the character was designed during the concepting, the rest was figured out during the sculpting

  • Here only the look of the character was decided in the concept art and the colors for the final model were designed during the texturing phase

  • Here only the front of the character was designed during the concepting, the rest was figured out during the sculpting

  • Here only the front of the character was designed during the concepting, the rest was figured out during the sculpting

  • Here both the front and back of the character are designed so the sculpting process was faster for that part

  • Often a simple concept gets the job done

  • Sometimes it's ok to take the concept further, then it can be used possibly in marketing too

  • With a complicated asset it's useful to solve most of the design problems in the concept phase

  • In some cases the mood and feeling of the character can be brought out more than the actual details

  • Different ideas for the character

  • Here are different ideas for the character, the one on the left was chosen to be made into the final game asset

  • Here you can see the concept and the final asset set based on that

  • Scale is important, here the asset seems a little bit too small compared to the character but it can be fixed before sculpting phase and time is saved

  • It's very much recommended to keep the scale of the assets in mind right from the beginning of the design process

  • A concept for an environment asset can be just a crude scribble over a screenshot

Sources

[PHOTO: How to use reference images in concepting.jpg] - Source list :

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