Workbook - Low Poly Workbook

LOW POLY JANUARY 2021

LOW POLY dip. In that he says, MODELING “If you took organic chemistry in In this workbook we'll talk about college you’ve experienced the dip. low polygon modeling and provide Academia doesn’t want to many you with a simple framework to unmotivated people to attempt guide you through your low poly medical school so they set up a adventures. screen. Organic chemistry is the killer class, the screen that separates There are a few things I want to get the doctors from the psychologists.\" clear first though. Low polygon modeling is the First, Low polygon modeling will screen that separates out the digital not get you a job. At least not today. sculptures from the game artists. It’s In fact, I’ve heard of artists getting the screen that separates out the jobs from Keyshot renders of their concept artists from the game high polygon model alone. Low artists. polygon modeling is a chore. Eventually artificial intelligence will It’s the screen that separates out do this job for you. It’s not those aspiring to be game artists glamorous. It’s not fun. There is and those who will become game very little that low polygon artists. modeling can do to make your work great. Think of this as a hurdle you must leap not as though it is a topic that However, this is also something you you must master. To use Seth can use to your advantage. Most Godin‘s example again, organic lead artists aren’t going to want to chemistry is not a topic that general be focused on the low poly. practitioner doctors are utilizing in their day-to-day life. They jumped This is how you can be valuable to the hurdle to get what they wanted them and get allies on your side to and they only have to go back there help you get the job, keep the job, every now and then. and excel in the job. That done and said, though, you’re Think of low polygon modeling as definitely going to be back there the dip. Seth Godin talks about this much more. Especially in the in his book appropriately called the beginning when you’re building your career - Ryan

EVOLUTION OF LOW POLY GAME ART Don’t Get Stuck in 2005... As hardware has grown more powerful and software has grown more efficient, each generation we’re able to push the boundaries further and further. One of the big pitfall that many beginning game artists get caught up by is underestimating the level of detail expected in their portfolio projects by large numbers. Students will often focus more on the low polygon model to \"prove\" they are a game artist only to see their portfolio's passed up for people with keyshot renders and film quality work. Publication name | Page 00

POLYGON On the right, we also list out COUNT the polygon counts so you GROWTH can see how much they've grown. Polygon counts have grown and they continue to grow. It's important to note that To help you make some Unreal Engine can actually sense of this we grabbed handle millions of polygons. some images of God Of War The real problem is the fact 2 and God Of War 2018. that it's Real Time and, at least, 60 FPS. So Unreal Engine has to be fast but so do the consoles and our desktops. Publication name | Page 00

Cloud computing holds the The image below shows promise of a massive shift you how Kratos has in the infrastructure here evolved through the years. but it is only just Games are certainly beginning. catching up with film... That said, though, don't get GOD OF WAR 2 stuck in 2005. Splurge on some polygons. You're in Released in 2007 Vegas for the holidays. Relased on PS2 Have fun!! Kratos = 5700 triangles with gear GOD OF WAR 3 Released in 2010 Released on PS3 Kratos = 64,000 triangles with gear GOD OF WAR 2018 Released in 2018 Released on PS4 Kratos = 80,000 triangles but... without gear. In fact, the gear can add up to 120k more triangles! Publication name | Page 00

CAPTURING THE SILHOUETTE As you can see by the numbers SAVE ON THE in the previous section, triangle STRAIGHTS. count budgets have skyrocketed SPEND ON THE through the generations. CURVES. Pushing the boundaries makes sense for main characters, but REISE | PAGE 4 what about our props? The main lesson to walk away with is that you shouldn’t get too hung up on triangle counts. Build whatever geometry is needed to capture the silhouette. When we say \"build whatever it takes to capture the silhouette,\" that means the low poly geometry should capture the SHAPE of the high poly. Basically, you want to build it like it's a shell around the high poly with just enough geometry to capture the high poly’s silhouetted shape.

While it is true that triangles That are more curved have are no longer an expensive many more polygons. limitation, we do still have to be mindful of how much Save on the straights. Spend geometry we are using. We on the curves. might be able to push the geometry further, but with To do this we can use hundreds of objects on screen specific 3D modeling tools at a time still adds up. such as Maya's Target Weld of Multi-Cut tool. To help us, it's important to remember a guiding On the next pages we'll link principle: Save on the straights. to two videos that walk you Spend on the curves. through both Target Weld & Multi-Cut inside of Maya. The image below shows you a Keep in mind these tools simplified example of what are not exclusive to Maya. we mean. Notice how the Each software will have areas that are straighter have their own name for the very few polyons while the feature. areas REISE | PAGE 4

WRAPPED IN A SHELL High-Resolution models are painting workflow. built to convey the authentic reality of your object. They However, the purpose of the have small variations in their low resolution model remains shape based on how they were the same: to convey shape and built and what has happened silhouette using fewer polygons to them during their lifespan. than the High Resolution while providing a canvas for the In the past, they would have normal map to work it's magic. all the cracks and micro- details sculpted into them as One of the lesson's we've well. However, as Substance learned over the years is that Painter increases it's Work it's important for students to Profile more and more learn how to trust the normal elements shift into the map.

TRUST THE the parts. These are what a NORMAL MAP normal map will ultimately convey. In the image below, we see the High Poly model (on the right) Also, you might notice that with all it's ornamentation, the high poly is made of some sculpted details and separate pieces while the low correctly beveled edges. poly appears to be mostly one piece. Low Polygon models To the left on that same image should be made of as few we see the low poly. Notice pieces as possible to, again, how there is just enough improve real time geometry to capture the performance. silhouette or the High Poly but not a lot of geometry In fact,it's almost like we've that captures the specific wrapped the high poly in a shapes or transitions between shell.



THREE DISTINCT TECHNIQUES There are three distinct from a cube or simple primitive. techniques that we are going to look at when discussing low Candidates for reconstruction polygon process: process are: Simplification Ornamental columns Reconstruction Characters Automation Scan data Sculpted models The Simplification technique Anything and with lots of kit revolves around removing bashing geometry from your high resolution and, essentially, The Automation method utilizes simplifying it. In this technique we tools like Houdini or ZBrush's reduce the edge loops at the bevel Decimation Master which use while still retaining some of the algorithms to evaluate complexity curvature. Whenever we and re-create a simplified shell encounter a flat surface we merge around your model. as many vertices as possible into a corner. Remember, triangles are Candidates for automation are: in essential part of your low poly. Scan data Candidates for the simplification Sculpted models approach are: Anything where you have to rush and quality is no longer Dressers the biggest driving force Cylindrical objects like fire Models that are only seen from extinguishers far away Military radios Chairs There is much more here but these three approaches will start The Reconstruction process us out and give us a great base to involves using a tool like Maya's grow from. Quad Draw or simply rebuilding it

TECHNIQUE 1: SIMPLIFICATION There are three main steps in SAVE ON THE the simplification workflow. STRAIGHTS. They are as follows: SPEND ON THE CURVES. Set up your display layers Reduce your bevels Merge vertices to corner There are two tools that you can use in step three to merge vertices: Target Weld Multi-Cut Tool. Also remember our motto: save on the straights, spend on the curves. This is essential to the simplification process. There are also a few rules that we can use as well. For example, most bevels can have three rows of edge loops. Yes, three rows. It’s not a hard and fast number. But it is a good start to help you understand that you can put more geometry then you think in your low resolution. Another rule is that this method is primarily about simplifying models. Not

combining parts. For Do the following: example, if you have a dresser drawer it’s not going to 1.Turn on the wire frame combine The drawers with the in your 3D modeling dresser. Instead of the program drawers will remain separate from the dressers body but 2.Take a screenshotare so they will be reduced in the dense polygon count. 3.Look at that screenshot If you’re at all confused about for any areas where the how much geometry to put in wires you can’t actually we have a simple tip that we see the space in between give all our students. them. Anywhere that the wires are so dense you just see a block of white or black, depending on the color of your wireframe, is likely where you have too much geometry.

TUTORIAL 1: SIMPLIFYING A CABINET STEP ONE The first step is to setup your Maya scene to make life easier. After all, Maya's not going to do it for you. This involves setting up Display Layers. Display Layers are a tool DIRECT LINK in Maya that allows you to show and hide objects easily. You'll create one Display Layer for your high resolution and another for your Low Poly. If you want to download the reference files go HERE. STEP TWO The next step is to reduce the amount of edge loops you have in your bevels. Usually the simpliest step, it's important to understand how bevels impact your ability to generate DIRECT LINK normal maps and decent bakes. You might be surprised at the amount of edge loops we keep. While the process is simple, make sure to do all the edges before you move to the next step.

STEP THREE Save on the straights. Spend on the curves. That's our motto and this step is all about how you can save on the straights using Maya's Target Weld feature. DIRECT LINK The goal here is to create triangles for all flat areas. Now, it's important to remember that triangles are a big part of low resolution game models. Some students come in thinking that triangles are the devil and to be avoided at all costs. That's not accurate. In fact, all models are triangulated in the game engine. Your goal here is to make sure you create triangles that help you with shading and shadows in the game engine. DIRECT LINK STEP FOUR This steps shows you how to use the swiss army knife of 3D Modeling in Maya, the Multi-Cut Tool. This is similar to the Target Weld tool and will give you a more robust toolkit to use on the job.

TECHNIQUE 2: RECONSTRUCTION The reconstruction process is SAVE ON THE different than the STRAIGHTS. simplification method. In the SPEND ON THE reconstruction method you CURVES. have a high resolution mesh but it’s geometry is most likely backpack while also being unusable. more friendly for laying out UV ‘s. For example, if you’re using scan data then the geometry is So that’s just two reasons: essentially created from point cloud data and consists of Animatable topology thousands of triangles. Easier to lay out UV ‘s There are a few reasons to use In our classwork you should the Reconstruction process try the first approach before over any other. anything else. This is the most natural and usually the One, you might need to create quickest. Especially if you use animatable topology on top of a the Construction Mesh scan like a face. approach we use. Two, you might want to create more organized topology to help you with laying out UV‘s and the texture process. For example, you might have a scan of a backpack. The goal in that case isn’t to create animatable topology. In this case the goal would be to just create geometry that would be able to hold the form of the





TECHNIQUE 3: AUTOMATION The future of low poly does not than can be humanly involve humans. It will accomplished in the timelines essentially be automated and it needed for launch. might even be done on the fly at 60 frames per second based As open world projects on how close a model is to the become more popular or even camera. However, we are not the use Seasons or battle pass there yet. is like fortnight then the demand for assets in the game For now, we can get a taste of was simply become more the future by looking at tools common. like Houdini or ZBrush's Decimation Master plug-in. Executives will be relying more and more on automated Both of these tools used an tools and investing in ways to algorithm to crawl the surface bypass the artists. Make sure and essentially shrink wrap a you know how to use these simplified version to the form. tools well it might seem like they are taking away a job… This method is becoming more but it might just help you and more popular and is a huge keep yours. plus for you in the job. In fact, one of our mentors Marcin TUTORIAL: Klicki mentioned that CD Projekt Red used this all the DIRECT LINK time for props in Cyberpunk 2077. After all, think about all the models in all the assets that have to be built for some of these new open world games. There is simply more work