Getting a character into a game engine and having it look right is a multi-step process where things can go wrong at each stage. The high-poly sculpt, retopology, baking, texturing, and engine setup each require specific decisions that affect every step after them.
The retopology problem most artists face
Hand-retopologizing a sculpted character takes time. It also requires you to think ahead to rigging and animation, which means understanding where geometry needs to be dense and where it can be sparse. Many artists get this backwards and end up with dense topology on the torso and not enough around joints.
This program walks through each stage with specific polygon count targets for a mid-range character (suited for a third-person game). You will work on your own character, not a provided asset, so by the end you have something you made and understand.
Texturing and baking
Substance Painter is used for texturing. The baking workflow uses Marmoset Toolbag for normal and ambient occlusion maps. Both are industry tools and the program assumes you have access to them or student licenses.
The final session covers Unreal Engine 5 import, material setup, and a basic LOD configuration. You will see your character running in engine before the course ends.
- Week 1: High-poly sculpt review, preparing mesh for baking
- Week 2: Retopology workflow, polygon budget decisions, UV planning
- Week 3: UV unwrapping, seam placement, packing efficiency
- Week 4: Baking in Marmoset, troubleshooting normal map errors
- Week 5: Texturing in Substance Painter, material layering for PBR
- Week 6: UE5 import, material setup, LOD0 configuration, final review
Software required
ZBrush or Blender for sculpting, Marmoset Toolbag 4, Substance Painter, Unreal Engine 5. Student licenses accepted.