Textures Textures Textures

More than what meets the Eye

I've gained a new sense of appreciation forTexturing/Substance creation  while working on Wetware. Since we really wanted to capture the tactility of objects in the experience, we needed detailed, flexible materials. To create that aesthetic, we used Substance Painter and Substance Designer. The two most valuable lessons I've learned throughout this process are (1) Observe closely. I've noticed that all texture artists tend to break textures down into layers. The more layers, the more detail in the texture. (2) To truly be most efficient when texturing for a game, one must be an expert in not only the texturing pipeline, but also understands the steps that follow in the engine. By planning ahead for the opimal amount of materials needed for an object, you're able to save a lot more time down the line. I've realized that each department in the pipeline must be aware of the preivous department and the department that follows their own. 

We are currently still in the midst of texturing. I'm working on Cee for the next couple weeks. In my workflow, I find it very useful to create material breakdown sheets for major characters. Not only does it visualize my ideas, but also helps me collect all my references in one place. 

Here is a very early iteration of the head. 

Lindsay also underwent a similar workflow. Here you can see how she went from concept -> substance painter -> in-engine.