Reference First

Start by collecting real-world references before touching any 3D software. Use PureRef to organize your reference board. Study the materials, wear patterns, and construction details of real objects. Good references prevent wasted modeling time.

Blockout Phase

Create rough shapes to establish proportions and composition. Focus entirely on silhouette — if an asset reads well in blockout form, it will read well in the final render. This phase should be quick, loose, and iterative.

High Poly Modeling

Add detail through subdivision surface modeling for hard-surface assets or sculpting for organic shapes. Don't worry about polygon counts here — focus on quality. This is where your reference images earn their value.

Retopology

Create a game-ready low-poly version with strategic topology:

• Hero props — 5,000 to 15,000 triangles
• Environment props — 1,000 to 5,000 triangles
• Background elements — 500 to 2,000 triangles

Keep edge loops clean and topology quad-based for clean subdivision and deformation.

UV Unwrapping & Baking

Proper UVs are essential for clean bakes. Use UDIMs for hero assets and atlas textures for environment sets. Bake high-poly detail onto low-poly meshes using Marmoset Toolbag or Substance Painter.

Final Steps

1. Texture — Apply PBR materials in Substance Painter. Create smart materials for reusability across similar assets.
2. Export — FBX or GLTF with proper material setups. Test in-engine before final delivery.
3. LODs — Generate Level of Detail meshes. Most engines auto-generate, but manual tweaking produces better results.
4. Document — Naming conventions, file locations, and material setups for team consistency.

A documented pipeline isn't overhead — it's insurance. When you return to a project six months later, you'll thank yourself.