We just put a lot of effort into creating 3D assets, game-ready, from an original idea to a final optimized interactive game asset. Glocalview has developed exceptional 3D assets used for gameplay and visual storytelling transfer. The detail above gives an extensive view summarizing an asset’s whole workflow, ensuring it falls under contemporary technical and artistic standards of game-making.
1. Conceptualizing and Gathering References
3D assets all come from concepts long back in the past, and this phase involves:
Define the Asset Purpose: What is the purpose of this asset to be used in that particular game? Character, environment, or prop capable of being used? Such issues suggest a design and/or functionality.
Researching and Collecting References: Research into the real world should be done together with studies on existing assets and concept art references, even to align the asset’s design with the aesthetics and narrative of a game.
Sketching and Storyboarding: Rough ideas will typically be sketched out in some simple shapes, and/or storyboarded into some sequence of events before such ideas can be formed into some tangible vision of what the asset would look like within the game.
Mood Boards and Style Guides: All assets will have cohesion created with these guides. Here at Glocalview, Concept Artists and Art Directors work together to share the refined vision of the pipeline to fit into the very design of the game.
2. High Poly Modeling
After conceptualizing and designing the asset, the third step involves high-poly modeling.
Creating the Model in 3D Software: Sculpting the asset using applications such as Blender, Maya, or ZBrush with a whole bunch of very small details on the form, shape, and surface nuances.
Detailing: High-poly models express fine detail like wrinkles, surfaces, and very complex geometries that matter for realism.
Proportion Maintenance and Anatomical Accuracy: Retaining proportions and anatomical accuracy (in character models) is highly relevant during this stage of modeling.
Read Iterative Feedback Loops: Apply to internal reviews and feedback loops, high-poly ensures further the asset meets visual and functional expectations before moving forward.
3. Low-Poly Re-topology
Create a low-polygon version to prepare the asset for real-time rendering:
Retopologizing the Model: Reducing the polygon count but keeping all significant forms and fine details is center stage.
Geometry Optimization: A good edge-flow and polygon distribution for geometry will ensure that the game will perform better.
Maintaining Silhouette: The low-poly model should maintain all the silhouette and visual qualities of the high-poly version.
Automated vs Manual Retopology: Depending on how complex the asset is, we utilize an automated/manual mix most appropriate to the asset at times.
4. Changing UV Maps
UV unwrapping readies the model for texturing:
Making UV Maps: Projecting the model from 3D into 2D helps to accurately place the relevant textures.
Minimizing Distortion: The UVs that are in place properly avoid stretching and distortion, thereby allowing the texture to appear as required on the model.
Space Efficiency: The maximally efficient use of texture space through UV layouts translates into maximum texture quality.
Seam Placement: Properly placed seams in UV help to conceal texture artifacts in more visible places.
5. Baked Hi-Poly Details
All high-poly details were artfully rendered, baked, and transferred onto the low-poly model:
Normal Map Baking: It captures bumps and grooves of surface detail, creating an illusion of depth without adding extra polygons to the low-poly model.
Ambient Occlusion: This allows simulation of soft shadowing in certain recesses within objects to enhance realism.
Depending on the asset, some other maps to be baked could include curvature, cavity, or displacement for better texturing.
Baking Best Practice: At Glocalview, we apply anti-aliasing and cage meshes for clean and accurate bakes.
6. Texturing and Material Creation
Texturing enlivens the asset through color and material properties.
Using Texturing Software: These are tools like Substance Painter or Quixel Mixer that allow the painting and application of materials onto the model.
Creating PBR Textures: These respond realistically to lighting conditions.
Adding Details: Weathering, dirt, scratches, and other imperfections add realism.
Material Calibration: Allows for semblance to be maintained with the lighting and shader systems of the game engine.
7. Rigging and Animation, When Necessary
For movable assets:
Rigging: Building a skeleton structure would allow posing and animating the model.
Skinning: Binding a mesh to the rig would ensure it deforms correctly when animated.
Animation Creation: Laying down animations like walking, running, or idle pose lets interactivity come forward.
Animation Testing: Animation tests are conducted in-engine to ensure a seamless blend and a responsive mechanism per player input.
8. LOD Creation
LOD makes for better performance:
Generating LODs: Generating several different versions of the asset at decreasing levels of detail for more efficient rendering at farther distances.
Implementation of LODs in Engine: The LODs would switch between themselves in the game engine based on the camera distance, thus maintaining performance without compromising visual quality.
Performance Metrics: Frame rates and GPU utilization are examined to ascertain that LODs will improve efficiency.
9. Integrating into the Game Engine
Bringing an asset into the game environment—outputting an asset:
Preparing models and textures for exporting into game engine-compatible formats like FBX and OBJ. Import assets into engines such as Unity or Unreal Engine and set up those materials and shaders.
Testing and Validation: Validation will ensure that the asset works fine in the game, with issues related to clipping, bugs in lighting, or performance drops.
Cross-Platform Optimization: We do asset integration tailored to the different platforms—be it PC, console, or mobile.
10. Final Rendering and Presentation
Creating Renders: High-quality images or turntables are produced for portfolios, marketing, or documentation. Documenting entails compiling technical aspects, texture maps, and usage guides for future asset management.
Iterate and Feedback: Feedback sought from fellow team members or stakeholders, further refined to capture every asset requirement.
Portfolio and Showreel Preparation: Finally prepared to present the assets to the client or for showing in Glocalview’s portfolio as an exhibit of capacities.
Conclusion
The making of game-ready 3D assets is at once a difficult and rewarding journey, a combination of artistic vision and technical knowledge. At Glocalview, this means a rigorous workflow in which each asset is made to work both aesthetically and within the context of the game. We strike through every step from concept to final render in delivering game-ready assets that improve the playability, while also attributing a somewhat immersive feel to players.