"WoLD Insider" Newsletter Issue #07: Tip for Modeling Dimensions, Photo Reference and Flipped UVs

Category: Newsletters

February, 2022

Welcome to "WoLD Insider" newsletter issue #7.

Every single "WoLD Insider" newsletter features level design and game environment art advice, tips, ideas, inspiration, links, resources and updates about World of Level Design. "WoLD Insider" is EXCLUSIVE to you as WoLD subscriber.

Following Issue #7 of "WoLD Insider" contains:

New In-Depth Beginner Series Using Redshift Render with Maya
Modeling Tip on How to Find World Dimensions of Props/Objects
On Taking Reference Photos to Become Better
Maya Flipped UVs Tip
Substance Painter Tip #1 on HDR Images and Comparing Texture Results
Software I've Been Learning and Using

Extensive Series: Complete Beginner's Guide to Using Redshift with Maya

I recently released a huge in-depth tutorial series on how to get started with Redshift render using Maya. This series isn't for everyone because many of you don't use Maya and if you do use Maya you may not use Redshift renderer. But if you do then I have a treat for you with this 2+hour tutorial series entirely FREE. I've been using Redshift for about a year and I really like it. I like the speed of the renderer and ease of use.

Check out the full "Complete Beginner's Guide to Using Redshift with Maya"...

Modeling Tip: How to Find Object/Prop Dimensions That You Can Start Modeling With

Finding correct scale dimensions for props and objects can be difficult. Sometimes a web search doesn't produce good results. But I've got a great tip for finding object/prop dimensions that you can start modeling with and what to do next.

Watch it on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx4FVTHsekg

Substance Painter Tip #1: Use Same HDRI from Painter w/Other Software to Compare Texture Result

Being able to compare the texturing work I'm doing in Painter and how it will look in another render is important. I want to know that the results are the same. So here is a way to get the same HDR image from Painter into Maya (or other software) to see how your textures measure up.

Watch it on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLaRB53JLQY

On Taking Photo Reference to Become Better

Taking environment design art reference shots develops your artistic eye. Makes you pay attention, become present and builds ideas. Even if you never actually use any of them for your work. Take more reference shots.

Maya Tip: Mirrored Geometry and Flipped UVs

In Maya the UVs will be flipped on any Mirrored geometry.

Select the flipped UV shells and go to Modify > Flip to reverse them.

In Maya's UV Editor enable View>Shaded (5).

Red=inside out, need to be flipped
Blue=correct

Software I've Been Learning and Using

Since my deep dive into Redshift Render for Maya, I've also picked up other software I had to use for work. These include ZBrush and Substance Painter.

Tutorials will be coming out for both.

As well as more in-depth and advanced Maya modeling techniques for environment art.

It seems to me Maya LT will no longer be around. It hasn't received any updates since 2020. There is an Indie version of Maya that offers full Maya features at the price point of Maya LT. I don't know if Autodesk will continue Maya LT but based on latest updates, it doesn't look good.

Onto Maya Indie it is.

Hope you enjoyed this newsletter issue and check out some previous issues for more tips, links, advice and techniques.