3D Game Textures: Create Professional Game Art Using Photoshop

3D Game Textures: Create Professional Game Art Using Photoshop

by Luke Ahearn
Released May 2009
Publisher(s): Focal Press
ISBN: 9780240811482

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Book Description

Finally the eagerly-awaited next edition of Luke Ahearn's cornerstone game art book: 3D Game Textures is on its way. The book will be refreshed per the latest revision of Photoshop and the latest game industry trends and developments. 3D Game Textures allows next-gen game artists to learn to create everything from bricks to books in Photoshop with this step-by-step instructional guide. Because texture is 99% of what a gamer sees when playing, this topic deserves considerable coverage but has gotten little attention. Unlike anything on the market, this book concentrates soley on texturing, and provides an in-depth guide to game texturing with hundreds of high-quality examples. Game artists learn all they need to know on the topic, including basic artistic principles, tools and techniques, and specific step-by-step tutorials that explain how to create textures for myriad environments. New Coverage of the latest version of Photoshop, including adding multiple edge tiling; adding Photoshop Bridge coverage; an updated metal tutorial and adding coverage of urban exteriors. Included in the second edition is a new chapter and an advanced project, featureing a large outdoor urban area - war torn city. Great amount of work on detailed textures (overlays and advanced blending in PS) that utilize many shaders. This environment will look roughly like Battlefield 2 or more recently Call of Duty 4. The scene will include effects as well - smoke and bullet holes. Grass, trees, curtains, signs, and more. The DVD includes: demo versions of relevant software as well as resource images.

Table of Contents

  1. Copyright
    1. Dedication
  2. Acknowledgments
  3. Introduction
    1. What This Book Is Not
    2. Whom This Book Is For
    3. Overview
      1. Chapter 1: A Basic (Game) Art Education
      2. Chapter 2: A Brief Orientation to Computer Graphic Technology
      3. Chapter 3: Shaders and Materials
      4. Chapter 4: Prepping for Texture Creation
      5. Chapter 5: The Sci-Fi Setting
      6. Chapter 6: The Urban Setting
      7. Chapter 7: The Outdoor Setting
      8. Chapter 8: Game Effects
      9. Chapter 9: Normal Maps and Multi-Pass Shaders
      10. Bonus Chapter (on the DVD): The Fantasy Setting
  4. The Concept Artists
  5. 1. A Basic (Game) Art Education
    1. Introduction
    2. Chapter Overview
    3. Shape (2D) and Form (3D)
    4. Light and Shadow
    5. Texture
    6. Color
      1. Hue
      2. Saturation
      3. Brightness
    7. Color Systems: Additive and Subtractive
      1. Primary Colors
      2. Secondary Colors
    8. Color Emphasis
    9. Color Expression or Warm and Cool Colors
    10. Perspective
      1. One-Point Perspective
      2. Two-Point Perspective
      3. Three-Point Perspective
    11. Quick Studies of the World Around You
    12. Conclusion
    13. Chapter Exercises
  6. 2. A Brief Orientation to Computer Graphic Technology
    1. Introduction
    2. Common Features of Graphic File Formats
      1. Vector and Bitmapped Files
      2. Source and Output Files: Distinctions
      3. Choosing a File Format
      4. Format Options
        1. Compression
        2. Alpha Channels
        3. DDS Format and DXTC (Output Format)
        4. PSD Format (Photoshop/Production Format)
    3. The Power of Two and the Grid
      1. Modular Design
    4. UV Mapping
      1. Mapping Types
        1. Planar
        2. Box
        3. Spherical
        4. Cylindrical
    5. Game Optimizations
      1. MIP Mapping
      2. Texture Pages (or T-Pages, Atlas Textures, or Texture Packing)
      3. Unlit Textures
      4. Multitexturing or Multiple UV Channels
      5. Lightmaps
      6. Masking and Transparency
      7. Texture Size and Compression
    6. Chapter Exercises
    7. Conclusion
  7. 3. Shaders and Materials
    1. Introduction
    2. Shader Basics
    3. Common Shader Effects
      1. Diffuse (Color Maps or Textures)
      2. Blend
        1. Average
        2. Additive
        3. Subtractive
      3. Detail Mapping
      4. Depth of Field
      5. Heat Haze
      6. Specular Highlights and Glossiness
      7. Bloom (Glow or Halo)
      8. Masking and Opacity
      9. Illumination and Unlit Textures
      10. Reflection
      11. Pan/Rotate/Scale
      12. Bump, Normal, and Parallax Occlusion Mapping
    4. Node-Based Shader Systems
      1. Basic Node Operations
      2. Root Node
      3. Common Node Setups
    5. Conclusion
    6. Chapter Exercises
  8. 4. Prepping for Texture Creation
    1. Introduction
    2. Gathering Textures
      1. Creating Textures in Photoshop
      2. Digital Cameras
        1. Tips on Taking Digital Photographs
        2. Image Resolution
        3. Diminish Image Tilt
        4. Watch the Auto Settings
        5. Diminish Lens Distortion (Fisheye)
        6. Diminish Angle Distortion (Position)
        7. Diminish Lighting Problems
        8. Don’t Use the Flash If at All Possible
        9. Plan for Alpha Channels
        10. Plan for Tiling
      3. Scanners
      4. Texture Collections
      5. The Internet
      6. Using 3D Applications
    3. Cleaning Your Textures
      1. Cropping
      2. Fixing Perspective (Bad Angles) with the Crop Tool
      3. Resampling an Image Using Crop
      4. Crop Using the Trim Command
      5. The Free Transform Tool
    4. Texture Tiling
      1. The Base Image
      2. The Context of the Texture
      3. The Technology Used
      4. Fixing Light Variations Across an Image
      5. One-Way Tiling (Horizontal and Vertical)
      6. Three- and Four-Way Tiling
      7. Organic vs. Inorganic Tiling
    5. Texture Tiling in Practice
      1. Edge Copy
        1. Project: Tiling Stones Using Edge Copy
        2. Setting up the Image
        3. Cleaning up the Image
        4. Copy and Crop Parts
        5. Removing the Seams
        6. Build/Rebuild Stones Using Clone
    6. Testing a Tiling Texture
    7. Storing Your Textures
      1. Tips for Good Naming Conventions
    8. Conclusion
    9. Chapter Exercises
  9. 5. The Sci-Fi Setting
    1. Introduction
    2. The Concept Sketch
    3. Determining Texture Needs
      1. Base Metal
      2. Metal Fill
      3. Wall Panel
      4. Floor Panel with Grate
        1. Alpha Channel
      5. Detail Texture: Vent/Panel/Bracket/Hose
      6. Pipe
      7. Caution Stripes
    4. The Complete Scene
    5. Building It up Using Overlays
    6. Tearing It Down for Shaders
    7. Chapter Exercises
  10. 6. The Urban Setting
    1. Introduction
    2. The Concept Sketch
    3. Breaking out the Materials in the Scene
      1. Brick
      2. Windows
      3. Wood
      4. Concrete
      5. Metal
      6. Creating Bricks
      7. Tiling Brick Pattern
      8. Brick Texture
      9. Mortar Texture
      10. Brick and Mortar Depth
      11. Brick Completion
      12. Top of the Wall
      13. Bottom of the Wall
      14. Windows
        1. The Frame
        2. The Glass
        3. Pane Variations
        4. Weathering and Dirt
        5. Rain Streaks
        6. Window Alpha
      15. Wood
        1. Basic Wood Fill
        2. Wooden Planks
        3. Wooden Planks, Office
        4. Wood, Crate
      16. Concrete
        1. Basic Concrete
        2. Rougher Concrete
        3. Stained Concrete
        4. Grooved Concrete
        5. Sectioned Concrete
        6. Details Using an Alpha Channel
      17. Metal
        1. Rusted Metal
        2. Garage Door Metal
        3. Pipes
      18. Breaking out the Details
        1. Numbers
        2. Stencil Sign
        3. Small Sign
        4. Sign
        5. Door
    4. Building It up Using Overlays
    5. Tearing It Down for Shaders
    6. Chapter Exercises
  11. 7. The Outdoor Setting
    1. Introduction
    2. The Concept Sketch
    3. Breaking out the Materials in the Scene
      1. Forest Floor
      2. Tree Bark
      3. Tree Branches
      4. End of Log
      5. Rock
      6. Ferns and the Complete Scene
    4. Additional Information: The Sky
    5. Additional Information: Terrain
      1. Manual Terrain Creation
      2. Terrain Editing Basics
      3. Freeform Terrain Painting
        1. Push/Pull, Lower/Raise
        2. Smoothing/Erosion
        3. Noise/Turbulence
        4. Flatten/Set to Height
        5. Other Features
      4. Terrain Texturing
      5. Terrain Generation Software
        1. L3DT (Large 3D Terrains)
    6. Tutorial: Clouds
      1. Single Clouds
    7. Water
      1. Caustics Generator
  12. 8. Game Effects
    1. Introduction
    2. Static Effects
    3. Animated Effects
    4. Particle Effects
    5. Weather
    6. Lighting
      1. Light Shafts
      2. Candle Glow/Corona
        1. Candle Glow, Faint and Diffuse
        2. Candle Glow, Brighter and More Fanciful
      3. Traditional Corona
    7. Weapons
      1. Muzzle Blasts
      2. Impact Effects: Bullet Holes and Debris
        1. Cloth
        2. Concrete (Plaster)/Brick
        3. Dirt
        4. Glass
        5. Grass
        6. Metal
        7. Water
        8. Wood
  13. 9. Normal Maps and Multi-Pass Shaders
    1. Introduction
    2. Vertex vs. Per-Pixel Lighting
    3. Creating Normal Maps in Photoshop
      1. Painting Normal Maps
      2. Source-Based Normal Maps
      3. Use Parts of Existing Normal Maps
    4. Creating Normal Maps Using a 3D Program
    5. Assets for a Futuristic Interior
      1. Wall Panels
        1. Color
        2. Illumination
        3. Spec
        4. Normal Map
      2. Wall Panel Variations
      3. Floor Panels
      4. Column
      5. Light/Ceiling Panel
      6. Door
      7. Monitor
      8. Pipes and Hoses
  14. The Fantasy Setting
    1. Introduction
    2. The Concept Sketch
    3. Breaking out the Materials in the Scene
    4. Breaking out the Details
    5. Base Materials
      1. Stone Flooring
      2. Rough Stone Wall
      3. Rough Wood Beams
      4. Plaster or Light Stucco
      5. Base Metals: Dark Iron, Pewter or Dull Silver, Gold
    6. Detail Textures
      1. Table Trim
      2. Fur Rug
      3. Chest
      4. Candlestick
        1. Metal Candlestick
        2. Candle Flame
        3. Candle Wax
      5. Spellbook
        1. Metal Binding, Trim, and Spine
        2. Runes
        3. Spine Decoration
        4. Dragon Scales
        5. Cover Symbols
        6. Page Edges
        7. Gem
      6. Old Map
      7. Windows
      8. Banner
      9. Magic Door
    7. Tearing It Down for Shaders
      1. Pitcher and Goblet Set
        1. Diffuse Map
        2. Bump Map
        3. Environment or Reflection Map (Cube Mapping)
    8. The Complete Scene/Variation
    9. Chapter Exercises
  15. Photoshop Exercises
    1. About Photoshop
    2. The Photoshop Work Area
      1. The Menu Bar
      2. The Options Bar
      3. The Toolbar (Toolbox)
      4. Palette Well
      5. Palettes
      6. The Status Bar
    3. Hotkeys or Keyboard Shortcuts
      1. Toolbar Shortcuts
      2. Ctrl Shortcuts
      3. Other
    4. File Browser
    5. History Palette
    6. Right-Click Menus
    7. Guides, Grids, Rulers, and the Snap
      1. Snapping
      2. Rulers
      3. Guides and Grids
    8. Layers
      1. The Layers Palette
        1. Layer Locks
        2. Layer Tools
      2. Using Layers and Layer Sets
    9. Layer Effects and Styles
    10. Layer Blending Modes
      1. Normal and Dissolve
      2. The Darken Modes
      3. The Lighten Modes
      4. The Contrast Modes
      5. The Invert/Comparative Modes
      6. The HSL Modes
      7. Hard Mix Mode CS
    11. Adjustment Layers
    12. Brushes
      1. Cloning/Healing
    13. Filters
      1. The Filter Gallery (CS)
        1. Artistic Filters
        2. Blur Filters
        3. Brush Stroke Filters
        4. Distort Filters
        5. Noise Filters
        6. Pixelate Filters
        7. Render Filters
        8. Sharpen Filters
        9. Sketch Filters
        10. Stylize Filters
        11. Texture Filters
        12. Other Filters
    14. Paths

Product Information

  • Title: 3D Game Textures: Create Professional Game Art Using Photoshop
  • Author(s): Luke Ahearn
  • Release date: May 2009
  • Publisher(s): Focal Press
  • ISBN: 9780240811482