Creating a Game-ready Monster Insect in ZBrush and 3ds Max
In this tutorial, we will learn the process of creating a detailed, killer-monster insect and taking it to a point where it's a game-ready mesh, ready to be rigged. Software required: ZBrush 4R5, 3ds Max 2012, Photoshop CS5, TopoGun 1.06 W64, 3Point Shader Pro.
What you'll learn
In this tutorial, we will learn the process of creating a detailed, killer-monster insect and taking it to a point where it's a game-ready mesh, ready to be rigged. We will go through the entire process from scratch, starting with blocking out the mesh from concept images. Then we will sculpt a detailed, high-poly mesh in ZBrush. After the high-poly is finalized, we will retopologize in TopoGun to get clean and efficient geometry. Then we will UV unwrap and bake the high-poly information to textures. Lastly, we will view and take screenshots of the character using the 3Point viewport shader in 3ds Max and touch up the final renders in Photoshop. Software required: ZBrush 4R5, 3ds Max 2012, Photoshop CS5, TopoGun 1.06 W64, 3Point Shader Pro.
Table of contents
- Setting up Image Planes in ZBrush 9m
- Building a Block out with ZSpheres 10m
- Continuing with the Block Out 9m
- Quickly Blocking in Forms 10m
- Adding Subtle Visual Interest 10m
- Fully Utilizing Plane Changes 10m
- Detailing Underlying Bone Structures 10m
- Refining Our Sculpt 10m
- Adding New SubTools Modeled in 3ds Max 10m
- Detailing the New Meshes from 3ds Max 10m
- Starting the Bug Eyes 10m
- Finishing the High-poly Sculpt 8m
- Retopologizing in Topogun 9m
- Continuing to Retopologize in TopoGun 8m
- UV Unwrapping Using Pelt Unwrapping Tools 9m
- More on UV Unwrapping 9m
- Continuing with UV Unwrapping 9m
- Finishing up the UV Unwrapping 9m
- Projection Modifier and Baking 9m
- Editing the Projection Cage 9m
- Baking Final Maps 9m
- Mesh Preparation for Texturing 9m
- Finishing Mesh Preparation 9m
- Texture Bake Organization and Cleanup 9m
- Finishing Texture Bake Organization and Cleanup 9m
- Adding Base Colors 8m
- Painting Masks in Photoshop 9m
- Painting Masks in ZBrush 9m
- Painting a Skin Base Texture 9m
- Adding Normal Overlays 8m
- Generating the Hair Texture 9m
- Setting up Hair Planes 9m
- Duplicating and Place Hair Planes 9m
- Generating a Hair Normal Map 9m
- Finishing the Hair Normal Map 9m
- Utilizing Alphas 8m
- Generating a Specular Map 9m
- Generating a Glossiness Map 9m
- Viewing Final Materials 8m
- Posing the Model 9m
- Starting the Final Render 8m
- Continuing to Work on the Final Render 8m
- Finishing Our Render 7m
- Submission File 9m
About the author
Gabe Selinger is a CG artist located in Portland, Oregon. He freelances for various companies, including Pixel Pool, Bent Image Lab, Nike, Intel, and Liquid Development. In the course of his work for Liquid, he works on games like the PC MMO Firefall, Batman Arkham Origins, and other unannounced AAA titles.