Creating a Low Poly Game Character in Maya and Silo

Pluralsight

Course Summary

In this tutorial, we will be modeling and texturing a low poly game character. Software Required: Silo 2.2, Maya 2012, 3D-Coat 3.7, Photoshop CS4, CrazyBump.

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Course Description

In this tutorial, we will be modeling and texturing a low poly game character. Rather than focusing on the higher-end scale that is commonly seen in other tutorials, with this tutorial we will be limiting ourselves to just a few thousand polygons. We will begin, not by sculpting a high detail model in ZBrush or Mudbox, but by focusing on the character's actual low polygon in-game model. Once that's built and optimized, we will then focus on adding a good set of UVs before we move onto painting diffuse, normal, and specular texture maps. By the end of this tutorial, we will have taken a look at numerous tips, techniques, and shortcuts all geared towards saving precious time by simply focusing on the actual game model itself. Software Required: Silo 2.2, Maya 2012, 3D-Coat 3.7, Photoshop CS4, CrazyBump.

Course Description

In this tutorial, we will be modeling and texturing a low poly game character. Rather than focusing on the higher-end scale that is commonly seen in other tutorials, with this tutorial we will be limiting ourselves to just a few thousand polygons. We will begin, not by sculpting a high detail model in ZBrush or Mudbox, but by focusing on the character's actual low polygon in-game model. Once that's built and optimized, we will then focus on adding a good set of UVs before we move onto painting diffuse, normal, and specular texture maps. By the end of this tutorial, we will have taken a look at numerous tips, techniques, and shortcuts all geared towards saving precious time by simply focusing on the actual game model itself. Software Required: Silo 2.2, Maya 2012, 3D-Coat 3.7, Photoshop CS4, CrazyBump.

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Course Syllabus

Introduction and Project Overview
- 1m 56s

—Introduction and Project Overview 1m 56s

Creating a Low Poly Game Character in Maya and Silo
- 5h 58m

—Beginning to Block out the Shape 8m 55s
—Starting to Add the Hands 10m 20s
—Refining the Hands 9m 5s
—Building the Head and Helmet 13m 2s
—Adding the Chest and Combining the Body 13m 15s
—Starting to Add Upper Body Armor Details 12m 58s
—Continuing to Work in More Details 12m 43s
—Optimizing as We Work 5m 55s
—Building Lower Leg Details 14m 2s
—Adding in the Boots 13m 53s
—Refining the Helmet 13m 11s
—Beginning to Clean up Our Model in Maya 11m 48s
—Testing Areas of Deformation 12m 44s
—Optimizing and Smoothing Our Model 10m 57s
—Preparing Our Model for UVs 9m 21s
—Creating UVs for the Stomach and Hands 13m 49s
—Adding UVs for the Torso, Upper Arm, and Thighs 13m 0s
—Laying Out Additional UVs 13m 36s
—Adding UVs to the Feet 1m 49s
—Assigning Texture Space Priority to UV Shells 15m 15s
—Applying Basic Shaders to Our Model 6m 0s
—Baking the Diffuse and Lighting Passes 12m 45s
—Exporting Basic Normal Maps 12m 39s
—Defining Sections of Armor 15m 38s
—Adding Dirt and Worn Metal to Our Textures 15m 51s
—Texturing the Face of Our Model 9m 10s
—Removing Texture Seams in 3D-Coat 7m 9s
—Enhancing Our Normal Map in CrazyBump 15m 39s
—Using 3D-Coat to Paint Normal Maps for the Organic Details 11m 57s
—Enhancing the Diffuse Map with Our Normal Map 13m 8s
—Filling in Empty Texture Space 9m 9s