How do you build your 3D environments?

General Discussions
#1

For those of you that work on 3D projects, what are your preferred methods for creating the environments?

The ways that I can imagine are:

  1. Build the entire map in a 3D modeling software
  2. Build the landscape in a 3D modeling software, procedurally place objects on the landscape
  3. Build a map-making tool custom to your game to allow easy map building

Each of the three have their own benefits and drawbacks, but what have you found that is realistic for a one-man show?

P.S. - for number 3, at what point in the game making process do you decide to duplicate the project and make one side become the game and the other side become the map maker? Or, do you make them one-in-the-same?

#2

The usual solution is to create the assets in the modelling software and edit your map in a game specific map editor that accounts for your engines features, so basically option number three.

The problem with using a modelling software for environment/map building is that you would need a way to represent the gameplay and graphics features of your game/engine inside the modelling software, this means lots of shoehorning stuff into the modelling software or writing plugins. At that point you might as well make your own little map editor that allows you to throw together the assets and gameplay elements.

[quote]what have you found that is realistic for a one-man show?
[/quote]
None of these if you want to make a game and not an engine.

[quote]P.S. - for number 3, at what point in the game making process do you decide to duplicate the project and make one side become the game and the other side become the map maker? Or, do you make them one-in-the-same?
[/quote]
I would try to make the map editor a module that you can enable/attach at runtime to your game so that it uses the same graphics and sound engine plus some overlays and stuff. You’ve already lost if you need to duplicate most of your code-base for this.

#3

Blender is my go to. It’s easily customizable in every way.

#4

Javascript :clue:

(various calls to render obj in webgl, and it hurts)

#5

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