Difference between revisions of "Modular environments"

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(Modular Design & Workflow: Lack of Environment Artists)
(Modular Design & Workflow: gears2)
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[[Image:JoelBurgess_SkyrimsModularApproachtoLevelDesign.jpg|150px|link=http://blog.joelburgess.com/2013/04/skyrims-modular-level-design-gdc-2013.html]] [http://blog.joelburgess.com/2013/04/skyrims-modular-level-design-gdc-2013.html Skyrim’s Modular Approach to Level Design] - Transcript from GDC 2013 talk on Skyrim"s Modular Level Design. An excellent in-depth article on Bethesda"s environment art system.
 
[[Image:JoelBurgess_SkyrimsModularApproachtoLevelDesign.jpg|150px|link=http://blog.joelburgess.com/2013/04/skyrims-modular-level-design-gdc-2013.html]] [http://blog.joelburgess.com/2013/04/skyrims-modular-level-design-gdc-2013.html Skyrim’s Modular Approach to Level Design] - Transcript from GDC 2013 talk on Skyrim"s Modular Level Design. An excellent in-depth article on Bethesda"s environment art system.
  
[[Image:KevinJohnstone_ModularEnvironmentDesign.jpg|150px|link=http://www.kevinjohnstone.com/Help/Modular%20Environment%20Design.rar]] [http://www.kevinjohnstone.com/Help/Modular%20Environment%20Design.rar Modular Environment Design.rar] (12 MB) - by [http://www.kevinjohnstone.com/ Kevin Johnstone]. East Coast Game Conference 2011 slides of the talk "Modular Environment Design, Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the grid". More workflow explained in the thread [http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?p=678052#post678052 Lack of Environment Artists].
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[[Image:KevinJohnstone_ModularEnvironmentDesign.jpg|150px|link=http://www.kevinjohnstone.com/Help/Modular%20Environment%20Design.rar]] [http://www.kevinjohnstone.com/Help/Modular%20Environment%20Design.rar Modular Environment Design.rar] (12 MB) - by [http://www.kevinjohnstone.com/ Kevin Johnstone]. East Coast Game Conference 2011 slides of the talk "Modular Environment Design, Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the grid". More workflow explained in the threads [http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?p=678052#post678052 Lack of Environment Artists], [http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?p=924231#post924231 Gears2 Environment Art] and [http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?69232-Gears2-Environment-Art-%28step-by-step-page-5%29&p=552991&viewfull=1#post552991 Gears2 Environment Art Step by Step (ZBrush Central)].
  
 
[[Image:ScottJones_InvestigationIntoModularDesignWithinComputerGames.jpg|150px|link=file:Investigation_into_modular_design_within_computer_games_v1.0.pdf]] [[file:Investigation_into_modular_design_within_computer_games_v1.0.pdf|Investigation into Modular Design within Computer Games]] (8.6MB PDF) - by [http://www.polycount.com/forum/member.php?u=37149 Scott Jones]. Research paper on modular workflow. Definition, benefits, history of modularity, usage, methods, case studies, UDK and 3ds Max. See the Polycount forum thread [http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78444 Modular design within games].
 
[[Image:ScottJones_InvestigationIntoModularDesignWithinComputerGames.jpg|150px|link=file:Investigation_into_modular_design_within_computer_games_v1.0.pdf]] [[file:Investigation_into_modular_design_within_computer_games_v1.0.pdf|Investigation into Modular Design within Computer Games]] (8.6MB PDF) - by [http://www.polycount.com/forum/member.php?u=37149 Scott Jones]. Research paper on modular workflow. Definition, benefits, history of modularity, usage, methods, case studies, UDK and 3ds Max. See the Polycount forum thread [http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78444 Modular design within games].
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[[Image:ThiagoKlafke_CreatingModularEnvironmentsInUDK.jpg|150px|link=http://www.thiagoklafke.com/modularenvironments.html]] [http://www.thiagoklafke.com/modularenvironments.html Creating Modular Environments in UDK] - a tutorial by [http://www.thiagoklafke.com/index.html/ Thiago "Minotaur0" Klafke]. Covers the techniques used to make [http://www.thiagoklafke.com/zestfoundation.html Zest Foundation.]
 
[[Image:ThiagoKlafke_CreatingModularEnvironmentsInUDK.jpg|150px|link=http://www.thiagoklafke.com/modularenvironments.html]] [http://www.thiagoklafke.com/modularenvironments.html Creating Modular Environments in UDK] - a tutorial by [http://www.thiagoklafke.com/index.html/ Thiago "Minotaur0" Klafke]. Covers the techniques used to make [http://www.thiagoklafke.com/zestfoundation.html Zest Foundation.]
 
[[Image:Polycount-wiki.png|150px|link=]] [http://boards.polycount.net/showthread.php?p=924231#post924231 Gears of War 2 modular modeling (Polycount Forum)] and [http://www.zbrushcentral.com/showthread.php?69232-Gears2-Environment-Art-%28step-by-step-page-5%29 Gears2 Environment Art Step by Step (ZBrush Central)] - by [http://wiki.polycount.net/Rorshach Kevin Johnstone]. Tips and screenshots of using the grid for modular work, as well as a ton of useful insight into the Environment worflow at Epic. A highly recommended read!
 
  
 
[[Image:Polycount-wiki.png|150px|link=]] [[ModularMountAndBlade|Modular Mount & Blade]] - by [http://wypierpapier.blogspot.com/ "gutekfiutek"]. Modular workflow for the mod "Polished Buildings" for the game Mount & Blade.
 
[[Image:Polycount-wiki.png|150px|link=]] [[ModularMountAndBlade|Modular Mount & Blade]] - by [http://wypierpapier.blogspot.com/ "gutekfiutek"]. Modular workflow for the mod "Polished Buildings" for the game Mount & Blade.

Revision as of 18:49, 28 March 2015

Modular means pieces are made to fit together according to a common pattern, so just a few pieces can be reused multiple times to create a bunch of variety.

Modular Design & Workflow

How to plan out the development of modular environment pieces, and the workflow for creating them. The design of modular pieces is closely linked to game design; see Category:GameDesign for more.


JacobNorris UDKModularBuildingSetBreakdown.jpg UE4 Modular Building Set Breakdown - by Jacob "jacob07777" Norris. Gritty urban city modular system. File:JacobNorris Building Breakdown.pdf (1.5 MB)

PaulMandegarian GearsofWarInspiredEnvironment.jpg UDK Gears of War Inspired Environment - Modular - by Paul "Ahniketos" Mandegarian. Gears of War themed modular palace environment. Latest art is here on his website.

TorFrick UDKModularMasterclass.jpg UDK Modular Masterclass - Efficiently Creating and Entire Scene with Tor Frick - ($) an Eat3D tutorial by Tor "snefer" Frick. Abandoned warehouse modular workflow in UDK, using Modo and Photoshop.

HelderPinto PostApocSceneBreakdown.jpg Post apoc scene Breakdown - by "HP" Pinto. Details about the creation of a modular abandoned warehouse.

PatrickSutton TheEnsignTavern.jpg the Ensign Tavern - by Patrick "PatJS" Sutton. Breakdowns for a modular multi-floor 19th century building.

TylerWinlass ModularBuildingWorkflow.jpg Modular Building with UDK - ($) a 3dmotive tutorial by Tyler Wanlass. Covers planning and workflow for modular buildings using Photoshop, 3ds Max, and UDK.

JoelBurgess SkyrimsModularApproachtoLevelDesign.jpg Skyrim’s Modular Approach to Level Design - Transcript from GDC 2013 talk on Skyrim"s Modular Level Design. An excellent in-depth article on Bethesda"s environment art system.

KevinJohnstone ModularEnvironmentDesign.jpg Modular Environment Design.rar (12 MB) - by Kevin Johnstone. East Coast Game Conference 2011 slides of the talk "Modular Environment Design, Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the grid". More workflow explained in the threads Lack of Environment Artists, Gears2 Environment Art and Gears2 Environment Art Step by Step (ZBrush Central).

ScottJones InvestigationIntoModularDesignWithinComputerGames.jpg File:Investigation into modular design within computer games v1.0.pdf (8.6MB PDF) - by Scott Jones. Research paper on modular workflow. Definition, benefits, history of modularity, usage, methods, case studies, UDK and 3ds Max. See the Polycount forum thread Modular design within games.

EpicGames UsingWorkflowTechniquesAndModularity.jpg Workflow techniques and modularity with Unreal game technology - by Epic Games. A guide to setting up your art-to-level-design pipeline and designing modularly.

BenHale ModularEnvironmentArtAppliedFromPlasterTabletopSets.jpg Modular Environment Art applied from plaster tabletop sets - by Ben "Makkon" Hale. Polycount forum thread with great visual breakdowns of modular tabeltop models.

ChristopherAlbeluhn VisuallyAppealingBuildingGuide.jpg Visually Appealing Building Guide - by Christopher Albeluhn. An excellent breakdown of how to create visual interest with game buildings. Additional tutorials here.

ThiagoKlafke CreatingModularEnvironmentsInUDK.jpg Creating Modular Environments in UDK - a tutorial by Thiago "Minotaur0" Klafke. Covers the techniques used to make Zest Foundation.

Polycount-wiki.png Modular Mount & Blade - by "gutekfiutek". Modular workflow for the mod "Polished Buildings" for the game Mount & Blade.

Polycount-wiki.png Modular brick wall tiling - by Glynn Smith. Tips and screenshots for sculpting modular brick walls.

Polycount-wiki.png Generic wall tutorial - by Bram "Peris" Eulaers. Using 3ds Max and Mudbox to sculpt tilable modular sections for a stone wall.

Polycount-wiki.png Rock modeling approaches - a Polycount thread. A variety of approaches for sculpting individual rocks and tilable cliffs.

Polycount-wiki.png Creating Perfectly Tiling Meshes in Zbrush for use in Videogame Environments - by Owen "SHEPEIRO" Shepherd. Using ZBrush"s 2.5D canvas to tile stamped meshes, then using Maya to model tilable geometry.

Polycount-wiki.png Working with Modular Sets - by Philip "PhilipK" Klevestav. How to design and texture modular sci-fi wall panels.

Polycount-wiki.png Working with Modular Rocks - by Philip "PhilipK" Klevestav. How to design, model, and texture modular rock assets, using Crazy Bump, Photoshop, and 3ds Max.

Polycount-wiki.png Modular Floor Tiles - Outlined in Shadow - a Polycount thread. How to work around UDK modular problems.

Polycount-wiki.png Modular Building With More Natural Angles - by Aidy Burrows @ CG Masters. Getting more natural looking angles in the modular kit.

Units and Scale

The units and scale you use is very important. Modular meshes should be built to snap to a unit-based grid, and physics calculations depend on certain scales. Fortunately, game editors usually have a scale setting you can use on import to convert from 3d modeler scale into proper game engine scale.

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