Project Description:
As a huge fan of the Final Fantasy franchise, I wanted to express my passion for this iconic game series by creating a 3D model of one of its most recognizable weapons: the Buster Sword from Final Fantasy VII. This project combines my love for the game with my 3D modeling skills and serves as a tribute to a world that has inspired me for years.
workflow & Techniques:
1. Low-Poly Model
The low-poly model was carefully built in Blender with game optimization in mind.
Edge loops and polycount were balanced to maintain performance without compromising visual quality.
2. High-Poly Model
A detailed high-poly version was modeled in Blender using reference images of the Buster Sword.
Extra attention was paid to edge definition, damage detail, and surface realism.
3. Baking
The high-poly details were baked onto the low-poly mesh using Substance Painter.
Maps such as Normal, Ambient Occlusion, Curvature, and World Space Normal were baked to enhance detail and drive the texturing process.
4. Texturing
All textures were created in Substance Painter, using a PBR (Physically Based Rendering) workflow.
Materials were handcrafted to give the sword a realistic metallic look, with worn edges and surface imperfections.
Textures were optimized for real-time rendering in game engines like Unity and Unreal.
Specifications:
Polycount (Low-Poly): approx. [Insert triangle count] triangles
Texture Maps:
Base Color
Normal Map
Roughness
Metallic
Ambient Occlusion
Reflection:
This project taught me the importance of an efficient high-to-low poly workflow and the power of professional tools like Substance Painter for baking and texturing.
Not only did I sharpen my technical skills, but I also had the chance to create something that celebrates my personal connection to a game that has deeply inspired me.