Production Pipeline: Texturing Workflow

Last week I was able to unwrap the Tiki-man model's UVs. Once the UVs were laid out to the best of my ability, I decided that I would generate normal maps using Autodesk's Mudbox. In Mudbox I created an extremely high poly version of the model and was able to sculpt in the details that I want seen on the simple version.

High-poly model within Mudbox.

One I had finished the detailed version of the mask, I attempted to export the normal map from the high poly model for the low poly version. Time and time again, Mudbox is unable to correctly export a good quality and clean normal map for me. As I often am forced to do, I had to bring the high poly mesh into Maya and pray that the program doesn't crash. With the model in Maya, I used Maya's texturing tools to calculate a normal map. And here is the result.

The Low-poly model with the normal map applied

I was able to generate a relatively clean normal map within Maya. The normal map needs some cleaning in Photoshop but this process should save me a great deal of time when texturing. With normals, I am able to get the detail I would like to see in a high poly model using only 160 or so polygons. This normal texture will also serve as a map for when I create the diffuse texture for the model. Although the Engine the game will be played in is unable to support normal maps, I will attempt to bake the shadows of the normal map to give a greater depth to the simple model. With the mask done, I will be using the same kind of technique for the remainder of the body.