The ULTIMATE Guide for Creating Grass and Vegetation For Video Games 🌱
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
- Creating foliage, grass, plants and vegetation for video games is a topic that a lot of people struggle with. There are a ton of workflows out there, but how to you know you're doing it correctly? Are you working in the most optimal way possible?
Not only that, but there are so many issues and concerns you may face when it comes to making vegetation, and even more questions. How do you animate hundreds of blades of grass? how do you make both sides of the vegetation textured? How do you go about creating variation without it taking hours? Fortunately, Stylized Station has your back with this FREE guide.
Dan Sonley was kind enough to stop by Stylized Station and give a masterclass on how he approaches his workflow as well as a TON of tips and tricks you can use to create plants, vegetation, grass and other foliage for all of your real-time needs.
This 2 hour guide is going to cover everything you need to know, from modeling & sculpting to procedural generation & animation.
This information and guide can be utilized in any software, but here are the specific software Dan will cover:
-Zbrush
-Maya
-Blender
-Substance Painter
-Unreal Engine
If you want to check out more of Dan's work, feel free to swing by his Artstation:
www.artstation.com/goncat
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
2:03 - Using Reference
3:00 - Beginning Modeling in Maya
3:54 - Three ways to approach (Two-Sided Materials, etc.)
7:18 - Interpreting Reference
8:18 - Modeling Practices
9:28 - Starting the High Poly and scene cleanup
9:54 - Sculpting ZBrush Quick Tips
11:24 - The importance of test bakes
13:12 - Which brushes to use while sculpting
14:19 - Breaking up the silhouette
15:07 - Decimation Master in ZBrush
15:37 - Starting the low-poly mesh
16:14 - Performance and baking considerations
17:04 - Posing your model & baking
18:30 - Once baked, now texture
19:45 - Substance Painter first pass
21:46 - Unreal Shader (subsurface setup)
23:14 - Substance Painter (base color detail painting)
25:00 - Quality Checking
26:45 - Painting technique (keep it simple)
27:49 - Revisions & Polish
29:01 - Bend modifier detail shapes
30:00 - Clothsim deformations
30:49 - Unreal foliage tool
31:33 - Blueprint Construction Script
33:12 - BP: Your first variable (Static Mesh Actor Array)
33:59 - BP: Adding plants (GET)
36:15 - BP: Set as Random Number
37:19 - BP: Random from Stream
39:32 - BP: Set Stream on compile
41:50 - BP: Random Transforms
44:30 - BP: Scale Random
45:00 - BP: (Wobble) Random Rotation
48:30 - Testing your Blueprint
50:30 - Tuning Blueprint values
51:20 - Randomize the whole shelf
53:51 - BP: Scripting an array for placement
55:50 - BP: Adding array variables
58:30 - Math
59:29 - BP: For Each Loop
1:02:06 - BP: Testing Z-Offset
1:03:40 - Debugging BP
1:06:04 - Making a variation using the BP
1:08:00 - Best practices
1:08:32 - MATERIALS! & Material Instancing
1:09:54 - Masking/Packed channels & Subsurface mask
1:13:49 - Shading Model: Two-sided Foliage
1:15:59 - Adding Wind (vertex color)
1:16:59 - Crashing unreal :)
1:17:41 - Adding Wind (vertex color)
1:19:00 - Panning Perlin Noise
1:20:54 - Absolute World Position
1:23:00 - Adding a Panner
1:26:00 - Fixing a seam in Photoshop
1:28:30 - Texture Compression Settings
1:29:51 - World Position Offset (Finalizing wind)
1:32:29 - Transfer Attributes in Maya
1:34:10 - Exporting with Vertex Color (Turn on import in Unreal)
1:36:25 - Green Channel 2nd UV set
1:40:00 - Editing UVs for Green Channel Vertex Color
1:41:21 - Blending Color Sets for Vertex Color
1:42:30 - Iteration Speed
1:44:00 - Fine tuning wind
1:46:32 - BLENDER. Making a more complicated plant (Bush)
1:51:32 - Decimating quickly ZRemesher as a shortcut
1:53:40 - Placing Leaves in Blender
1:56:11 - Cloth simulation physics
1:57:49 - Thats basically all there is to it
1:58:20 - Using Custom Vertex Normals (IMPORTANT!)
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I will seriously send $20 USD to the person who adds timestamps to this for me.
-----------------------------------
Hey guys, I made a project to help you master Substance Painter and learn stylized texturing :) Transform your Substance Painter texturing skills with HUNDREDS of professional-level assets, and hours of high quality tutorials 🎉
Join here: bit.ly/31QPGlq
0:00 - Introduction
0:30 - Premiere & Overview
2:03 - Using Reference
3:00 - Beginning Modeling in Maya
3:54 - Three ways to approach (Two-Sided Materials, etc.)
5:25 - 1st approach: Two-Sided Material in Unreal / Two-Sided Sign node
6:06 - 2nd approach: UV's for Two-Sided Sign node (effective and recommended)
6:28 - 3rd approach: Separate Geometry for top and bottom
7:18 - Interpreting Reference
8:18 - Modeling Practices
9:28 - Starting the High Poly and scene cleanup
9:54 - Sculpting ZBrush Quick Tips
11:24 - The importance of test bakes
13:12 - Which brushes to use while sculpting
14:19 - Breaking up the silhouette
15:07 - Decimation Master in ZBrush
15:37 - Starting the low-poly mesh
16:14 - Performance and baking considerations
17:04 - Posing your model & baking
18:30 - Once baked, now texture
19:45 - Substance Painter first pass
21:46 - Unreal Shader (subsurface setup)
23:14 - Substance Painter (base color detail painting)
25:00 - Quality Checking
26:45 - Painting technique (keep it simple)
27:49 - Revisions & Polish
29:01 - Bend modifier detail shapes
30:00 - Clothsim deformations
30:49 - Unreal foliage tool
31:33 - Blueprint Construction Script
33:12 - BP: Your first variable (Static Mesh Actor Array)
33:59 - BP: Adding plants (GET)
36:15 - BP: Set as Random Number
37:19 - BP: Random from Stream
39:32 - BP: Set Stream on compile
41:50 - BP: Random Transforms
44:30 - BP: Scale Random
45:00 - BP: (Wobble) Random Rotation
48:30 - Testing your Blueprint
50:30 - Tuning Blueprint values
51:20 - Randomize the whole shelf
53:51 - BP: Scripting an array for placement
55:50 - BP: Adding array variables
58:30 - Math
59:29 - BP: For Each Loop
1:02:06 - BP: Testing Z-Offset
1:03:40 - Debugging BP
1:06:04 - Making a variation using the BP
1:08:00 - Best practices
1:08:32 - MATERIALS! & Material Instancing
1:09:54 - Masking/Packed channels & Subsurface mask
1:13:49 - Shading Model: Two-sided Foliage
1:15:59 - Adding Wind (vertex color)
1:16:59 - Crashing unreal :)
1:17:41 - Adding Wind (vertex color)
1:19:00 - Panning Perlin Noise
1:20:54 - Absolute World Position
1:23:00 - Adding a Panner
1:26:00 - Fixing a seam in Photoshop
1:28:30 - Texture Compression Settings
1:29:51 - World Position Offset (Finalizing wind)
1:32:29 - Transfer Attributes in Maya
1:34:10 - Exporting with Vertex Color (Turn on import in Unreal)
1:36:25 - Green Channel 2nd UV set
1:40:00 - Editing UVs for Green Channel Vertex Color
1:41:21 - Blending Color Sets for Vertex Color
1:42:30 - Iteration Speed
1:44:00 - Fine tuning wind
1:46:32 - BLENDER. Making a more complicated plant (Bush)
1:51:32 - Decimating quickly ZRemesher as a shortcut
1:53:40 - Placing Leaves in Blender
1:56:11 - Cloth simulation physics
1:57:49 - Thats basically all there is to it
1:58:20 - Using Custom Vertex Normals (IMPORTANT!)
Email me at Bryan@Bryan3d.com (this is not my paypal address)
Thank you so much for this inspiring tutorial!
@@Nothingreallyexists Sent you an email! YOU'RE THE BEST.
@@StylizedStation Whoa, thats the most chapter markers I've ever seen in a youtube video, haha.
@@Nothingreallyexists Doing the Lord's work!
Please use a "de-esser" filter on these - the 'S' sounds are ear-peircing. Also, the first presenter quickly goes over a free software that he uses - perhapse plaing a link into your video description to that software "PUREREF" would be helpful to viewers (it's not easy to descern if he's saying "P.R. REF" or something else entirely)
Gotta say: This is the highest end veteran-level shit I've ever seen in people making props. This man deserves to have all the plant-props making job available to him under his finger tips. Seriously.
Can.t believe this is free on UA-cam 😯 thank you so much and can't wait for more!!
I've got so many new videos like this on the horizon, cant wait to release everything. Glad you liked it!
Oh my god its like you made this just for me! I've got some placeholder foliage in my scene right now, and it really really needs to be reworked, but i've been putting it off out of fear. Thanks so much for this.
Now that's deserving a title of ultimate guide! Made with practical use in mind; everything is covered, from modeling to scene placement and animation. Lots of uncommon tricks too, like using cloth sim for modeling. Thanks for sharing!
Wow...As someone just getting started with all of this and only barely knowing how to get by in Blender, I tip my hat to you. Thanks for sharing all this information and keeping in the mistakes. It definitely helps me understand and feel less intimidated. Your understanding of so many programs is impressive and inspiring :)
Dan Sonley - what a legend. Really amazing environment artist and knows how to make a good bush!
"I generally avoid it because ... it scares me." lol Art Life.
Watching those leaves get painted is so satisfying. Wish I could paint like that.
They are! And you can do it, just takes practice.
Dude! This video is for sure amazing! Thank you for sharing.
Hey ! Your channel is a real inspiration in creating my own channel I love your content as stylized artists don't have as many examples/resources out there compared to hard surface 3d Artists. ..
Keep going I support you all the way :)
Hey Julien! Your channel looks great, love the idea of talking about the struggles and challenges of being a young artist. Subscribed :)
these vids have helped me a lot, thank you
I'm currently self educating myself on 3D rendering software and your channels tutorials are the best so far! Free to watch and the full start to end workflow process. Thank you so much!
Happy to hear that!
Thank you so much for this tutorial ! I'm currently working on a big scene with tons of foliage without any idea of how model them, texture them or even place them. Blueprints seems a bit complex as there seems to be so much parameter, but I hope I'll be able to do something good without placing each flower by hand
The blueprints are much easier than they look, Im sure you will manage fine :D Best of luck!
Was neat , after a complete watch i gotta try it with some plants.
This was brilliant! Thank you so much for the breakout of your process!
Glad it was helpful!
MY GOD YOUR VIDEOS ARE SO DAMN IN DEPTH! Why are you not more popular!
Still a new channel! We're growing fast
Oh my god, this is so helpful. Thank you for sharing this!
You're so welcome!
Me watching this before ever opening Blender 😂 I really want to learn it and I just bought myself a computer that can handle it! Saved this video to my learning playlist but I feel like it won’t be one of the first ones I’ll try 😅
Can’t wait to get started though☺️
Thx so much, this is gonna help with my uni project 😀
You sir have a green ethumb. Love your work. Beautiful. Helps so much as well.
Thank you very much!
Dan may also have the most soothing voice of all time.
Try not to fall asleep :P
Yes Dan your voice is damn noice and awesome tutorial. Liked it !!
Set to favorites, the only ones hard to find are furs such as stylized fur, feathers, and syrup style substances tried making scenes that had stylized pancakes or spread jelly but nothing ever looked right.
Personally I think the highs on the audio need to be brought down. I hear constant whistles and other high pitched annoying to hear noises while he’s speaking. No offense meant to anyone, just honest feedback for a better viewing experience.
@@WickedOnMars Yeah i actually agree on that, also picked up my PC way too much. Learning from mistakes :P
Awesome. Thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful!
Amazing!
Awesome! thank you for the video. keep going :)
Hope its helpful!
Automating placement in the grid tray because don't want to place by hand...
*proceeds to place the location widget by hand* xD
Love the video, some very insightful tips :3
Thank you so much 🤩
All thanks goes to Dan! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Amazingly useful vid! Desperate to know the pros and cons of double sided foliage, the material & UV workarounds, and modelling a seperate backface. Are there important visual &/Or performance differences? Is there an advantage to modelling the extra faces and doing the extra work baking?
LOVE IT, DO AN ULTIMATE GUIDE ON CREATING 3D GRASS, anime type, realistic, cartoonist, Pixar, dreamworks type. 😃😃😃😃❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for the idea!
When you select a random array element, you can get array Last Index instead of Length.
Blender + Zbrush + SP ❤️
okay, some Maya or 3dx is also fine
God i love this channel!
And this channel loves you ♥️
@@StylizedStation I love you also! :)
This is a great tut.
Also, is that a slight Saffa accent I hear on Dan?
GRACIAS
DE NADA
rather than creating the low, then sculpting, then going back to the low to re-adjust for the baking, why not just sculpt the leaves fully to begin with and then retopo?
God this is good. Hey, maybe I'm nutzoid, but I'd actually watch this real-time. Maybe I'm just old. ;) Great find. Like and Sub!
7:00 sorry why do you not add >=mm of model thickness? Wouldn't that allow for vein & stem detail that you could later, apply a water physics to for example?
Thank for the video :D
9:50 ohhh is the answer that you just apply thickness so there's no point? xD
This would be great if it wasnt sped up without explanation to what software youre using, how youre baking, tools youre using, or the process in general. I feel like im getting a general overview with the whole process sped up in front of me. tried to follow along with my own plant but it was kind of impossible.
cool
Me as someone who just started blender.
Meh some leaves have holes. That will do.
I don't know if you get this a lot, but you are a fucking god.
If I went to heaven and I could bring someone with me, I would bring you.
Edit: I must have been high when I wrote this because, this is absolutely not true as pointed out by D W. Do not take my advice on this comment. Reading this comment now all I'm thinking... What in gods name was I on.
Big thing to note, double sided material shaders are generally a lot more performance taxing than just doubling up on your geometry, if you have really dense foilage, this is honestly the better option, at least for real-time rendering purposes.
Oh. That's interesting. thanks for the insights
No it isn't. Compared to the alternative of doubling the geometry, using a double sided material is much cheaper. Doubling the geometry means doubling the vertex count as you can't reuse the vertex data for both sides due to needing to flip the vertex normals. No game I've worked on uses doubled up geometry for foliage.
@@dw5767 Yeah, actually I honestly have no idea what I was smoking when I wrote this. Have no idea why I would have thought that back then, I even just use cards myself. It's embarrassing for me knowing people actually listened to me about it too.
OMG :)
Plants are my friends
Samesies
I was taught to use cards for vegitation but he actually models the leaves. Are you not supposed to use cards?
It depends on how often you're going to be duplicating the object. So if you're making a bush and it's going to be mass placed all over a hillside. Then you would bake your leaves onto cards. But for a wee plant in a conservatory or a greenhouse, then modeling it is not a problem. It's about draw calls (1 model, 1 texture = one draw call) these days rather than poly count.
@@jakesullivan3619 thanks for the explanation!
Do what you want :D BE FREEEEEEE. But on a serious note, yes and no. Is cheaper generally cheaper to use cards, but doesn't look as good. So make your choice on a per case thing. like if your guna mash your face into it, cards will probably look bad, but if your makeing a racing game cards are perfect. You can make everything in so many different ways, just do what suits you. As Jake says Polys are surprisingly cheap, sometimes can be cheaper to simply model stuff than to spam transparency everywhere. Like GEO based grass in stylized games for example.
Lost me at the first maya segment
same
kind of annoyed that it says grass in the title and at no point do you go over anything grass specific. this should be called: " general foliage guide" each type of vegetation requires its own set of techniques to achieve a good look. trees are far different from grass and small shrubbery. wish someone with the knowledge of modern techniques for grass creation would create a video....