Character Import Process?

Hi all, was just wondering what the import process is for a character that has separate limbs (robotic etc) and adding textures and normal maps etc.

The reason I ask is because I was wondering about the rigging and the effects. Do I have to apply a normal map to each body part and a height map +++ etc, or is this work method un-common?

Do people create full body maps in some way with a "link" of sorts? Just asking before I create normal maps for toes etc . Trying to think of the quickest workflow method for character building and import etc.

Thanks for reading, any advice appreciated.

 

I'm not sure what you're asking. If you have a textured, rigged character (whether 2D or 3D), no matter how many bones it might have, it typically uses just one texture map and one corresponding normal map. The toes would be just one tiny part of that map; other parts would be in other parts of the map.

Perhaps it would be instructive to download a few character models from the Asset Store — you can find some decent free ones — and study how they are built.

 

What I meant by multiple maps, is that a character of detail, that has valves, gaskets, individuals segments of each body part, is created by "cutting seams" of the characters parts, including the detailed additions, then un-wrapped to a UV-editor, but with so many body parts, more than one map would be needed, no? Otherwise 200 un-wrapped pieces would be on one giant normal-baked-map,no?

 

No.

Yes.

 

Thanks, just thought there was a more simpler way than putting all "un-wrapped" UV-mesh parts onto one confusing giant UV-map. Suppose that's modelling then ...will do as appropriate, thanks .

 

Do some complete character creation tutorials first, so you can have a general idea of typical workflows, rather than guessing and taking an undue amount of time trying to figure a complex process. It is too much to ask other people to explain such a broad and complicated process.

Then, you'll be in a position to start experimenting with different ways of splitting up your UV layouts and assigning materials to get the most appropriate quality and performance from your models.

A good overview is provided at the polycount wiki.



Check out the two images below. The soldier character is a single UV layout. Everything except the rifle. I gave him a single material because he was meant to be an NPC character. He has 2k textures, which look fine as long as your aren't very close.

The Native American character has like five separate materials. Each piece of equipment, the clothes, the hair, and the skin are each separate materials with 2k or 1k maps. I did him that way because he is a main character, and if the camera is close I want him to still have plenty of sharp details. Also, he won't always have all of the gear, so it will be easier to add/drop prefab'd models with their own material than do something fancy.


There is much discussion about this from more experienced people. Spend some time googling and you'll find lots of threads from old polycount forum discussions, and other places to. Then, just start experimenting. I think, in my case, starting out with characters condensed down to a single material was beneficial because now I have an idea of how much detail I can squeeze into more limited models.

 

Thanks for the info. I was merely a bit concerned as to what the method was in relation to your more detailed model, as I have seen the "Anvil" tutorial video from blender guru on UV-mapping/texturing, but it is a single item.

I will check polycount...Thanks.