If you’ve landed on this page, you are probably wondering how professional game art studios manage the process of creating eye-catching 3D models from start to finish. If you’re looking for a quick answer, we can say that it comes down to the three stages pre-production, production, and post-production. In this article, we will dive deep into each of these steps that make up a 3D game art pipeline.
Pre-Production
The pre-production phase focuses on creating the idea and visual concept for game art. Art directors, concept artists, and creative directors work closely in this stage to create concept art and define how the project should look. The pre-production phase for 3D games can vary based on the type of game. However, the following two steps are often found in any pre-production process.
Defining the Art Style
The first step in a game art pipeline is defining the art style. Games feature different game art styles such as realistic, stylized, low-poly, retro-styled, and toon-shading. Apart from the artistic preferences of art directors, factors such as budget, in-house artists’ expertise, and time are decisive in determining the art style for a project.
Creating Concept Art
The next step is to create concept art for characters, environments and props. Concept art consists of images that define the design for nearly everything in a game. These images are created by concept artists in collaboration with art directors and creative directors. Concept art serves as reference material for the production phase.
Production
The production stage is when the actual 3D models are created. It includes several steps that are handled by different artists. Reference images created in the pre-production phase are the basis for creating art in this stage. The following tasks are commonly carried out in the production stage of the 3D game art pipeline:
3D Modeling and Sculpting
3D modeling refers to creating and editing 3D objects. Suppose that you want to create a 3D car. You have to add a primitive shape like a cube to a 3D scene and edit its geometry continuously until it looks like a car. 3D modeling can be done using computer programs and 3D modeling software like Maya, 3ds Max, and Blender. It is suitable for creating hard-surface models. These are models that represent man-made rigid objects like cars, weapons, armor, buildings, and furniture.
3D Sculpting
3D Sculpting is another method for creating 3D models. Sculpting is done using brushes in 3D programs. Sculptors manipulate and deform 3D shapes using those brushes to create the desired shape. Sculpting is the preferred way of creating organic shapes like humans and creatures. Sculpting gives artists more control over creating highly detailed shapes. 3D modeling and sculpting are two tools that are often used together to create highly detailed 3D models.
Texturing
The next step after creating 3D models is to assign textures to them in texturing process. Textures add color and detail to 3ِD models. Textures are simply images wrapped around 3D models. In order to apply textures to 3D models, it is required to create UV maps for models. UV maps define exactly which part of a 3D model corresponds to certain areas of the texture.
Rigging and Weight Painting
After creation, 3D models are typically a single, uniformed object. Rigging allows certain parts of a 3D model to be animated by adding virtual skeletons that can be controlled. After adding bones, 3D artists adjust how strong each bone affects different parts of a 3D model in a process called weight painting.
Animation
Game assets like 3D characters and props are usually animated before being exported to game engines. Animations like walk cycles, run cycles, punches, and jumps are created in animation software like Maya and Blender. These animations are then applied to different characters in the game. Some games also incorporate procedural animation in their pipeline. Procedural animations are created algorithmically inside game engines for certain objects and characters.
Optimization and Quality Control
3D games are computer programs that render images in real-time. 3D models should be optimized in terms of polygon count, textures, and file size to prevent slowing down the game. 3D models should be checked to ensure they meet the project requirements and appear seamless before getting exported into the game engines.
Exporting to Game Engines
The final step in the production stage is exporting the created assets to the game engines. This process is fairly straightforward and typically involves adjusting some settings with just a few clicks.
Post-Production
The final stage in a 3D game art pipeline is post-production. It involves lighting the scenes, creating visual effects, and polishing game assets. This stage is the final touch that prepares the game’s visuals for publishing. Let’s explore the steps involved in post-production in detail.
Lighting
Even the best 3D models look pale and boring without proper lighting. Lighting is an essential part of the 3D game art pipeline. 3D artists use various lighting tools and settings to create stunning lighting effects in games. Game engines have powerful lighting features that allow programmers to adjust the lighting dynamically while the game is running as well.
Visual Effects
Creating visual effects is a crucial step in post-production. Every 3D game needs high-quality visual effects. Cool water splashes, fire effects, bullet muzzle effects, XP gains, level-ups, spell-casting, and potion consumption all require visual effects. Effects can be created using various tools such as particle systems and shaders inside the game engines and also using 3D modeling programs.
Bug Fixing and Polishing
Creating a perfect game in the first development iteration is nearly impossible. The final post-production step is to actively look for bugs and polish the game as much as possible. Making sure characters, props, and effects don’t look glitchy in various environments and lighting settings is crucial.
To Sum Up
Creating 3D art for games is a multistage group effort. Several types of artists and directors work together to bring game worlds to life with skillfully crafted 3D models. Although the art creation pipeline might differ from one studio to another, the idea of planning before jumping into the art creation makes the whole process smoother and saves you from headaches down the road.
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