Creating Game-Ready AAA Accessories for Characters

Game-Ready AAA Accessories for Characters

Introduction

Greetings, everyone! I'm Dennis Levi, currently working as a Prop and Environment Artist at 2K Games in Valencia, Spain. My journey into the realm of 3D art began in 2017, marking my second educational pursuit after spending nearly a decade on a vastly different career path. My passion extends to both 3D and 2D art, and I constantly try to push my artistic boundaries through engaging in private projects during my spare time. These projects include diverse areas, ranging from environment art and hard surface modeling to organic sculpting and character art. Beyond the world of art, I am an avid traveler, deeply interested in movies, games, and TV shows, finding abundant inspiration that fuels my creative endeavors.

The Pilot Head Project

Prior to embarking on any new private project, I establish specific goals to pursue. In this particular case, my aim was to enhance my hard surface skills in Blender, utilizing the remesh workflow that I had experimented with in a previous project. However, I sought to explore more efficient approaches. Initially focused solely on the headset, the project evolved as I decided to incorporate additional accessories, presenting an opportunity to experiment with Marvelous Designer for the first time. Ultimately, my overarching goal remained to ensure the project was game engine-ready.

Reference Board and Blockout

Setting the stage for modeling, whether for the headset or clothing, involves the creation of a reference board, consistently visible on my second screen. Leveraging PureRef for its organizational capabilities and maintenance of original resolution, I categorize images into different sections within the file. A single PureRef file houses all references for the entire art piece, consolidating elements such as the headset, glasses, beanie, and scarf.

The process kicks off with a blockout, a foundational stage that I preserve and back up until project completion. This blockout already captures the detailed forms and silhouettes of the final piece, serving as a safety net for both High and Low Poly stages.

High Poly

After completing the blockout, I start with what I find most enjoyable in the 3D workflow the high poly stage. A well-executed blockout fastens the transition, allowing many parts to reach a visually appealing high-poly stage quickly and easily. While intending to experiment with remesh workflows, I often opt for the Sub D workflow when feasible, as it brings cleaner results in the high poly stage. The choice between workflows depends on efficiency, with the non-destructive nature of Blender's remesh workflow allowing for rapid and easy major adjustments.

The inclusion of Marvelous Designer for the beanie and scarf introduced me to a new modeling technique for clothing. Seeking assistance from friends, particularly those well-versed in character art, proved invaluable in navigating unfamiliar software and modeling techniques.

An important takeaway is the significance of seeking feedback and assistance from others. No artist knows everything, and fresh perspectives can highlight overlooked details. Collaboration and feedback contribute to growth and improvement.

After modeling the base of the scarf and beanie in Marvelous Designer, I transitioned them to Blender for adjustments in both the High Poly and the creation of a Low Poly version.

Concerning unwrapping, I emphasize straightening UV shells to enhance the quality of the Normal map bake and facilitate efficient packing for optimal texture space utilization.

Baking & Texturing

For Normal and AO maps, my preference lies in Marmoset Toolbag 4. I find its software package ideal for controlling cage and skew, ensuring a clean bake. Baking is performed "by mesh name" to get a neat and coherent result for all individual parts without exploiting the mesh in Blender. Maps are typically baked at a 4K resolution, providing flexibility to scale down texture resolution as needed.

Texturing in Substance Painter and finishing the project

In crafting the art piece for the pilot head, I established unique textures for each prop, avoiding their combination. Setting up materials for each prop before importing them into Substance Painter ensures separation within the software, streamlining and organizing the workflow effectively.

Following texturing, I bring my work to Marmoset Toolbag 4 to create portfolio-ready renders, utilizing the ray tracing option. This option enhances the quality of renders, allowing for a polished presentation of the project. The inclusion of this new rendering option facilitates the creation of aesthetically pleasing renders within a reasonable timeframe.

Final Touches in Photoshop

Last but not least, I bring my renders to Photoshop, where I make minor adjustments to color balance and contrast, fine-tuning the visuals for the final presentation.

I want to give a shoutout to Davlet, whose base mesh I used for the final renders. You can find it here : https://www.renderhub.com/davlet/base-mesh-male-body