4th Edition
3D Game Textures Create Professional Game Art Using Photoshop
The new edition of 3D Game Textures: Create Professional Game Art Using Photoshop features the most up-to-date techniques that allow you to create your own unique textures, shaders, and materials. Revised to take new technology into account, it is an ideal hands-on resource for creating online worlds, simulations, web-based applications, and architectural visualization projects.
Continuing the practical, no-nonsense approach of its predecessors, the fourth edition shows you how to advance your digital art skills with textures and shaders by exploring their interactions in single objects or entire scenes. It contains expanded coverage of shader nodes, and the companion website—www.lukeahearn.com/textures—has been updated to include video tutorials as well as updated sample textures, shaders, materials, actions, brushes, and all of the art from the book.
Introduction
The Photoshop Focus of This Book
What This Book Is Not
Whom This Book Is For
Overview
The Concept Artists
The Basics of Art
Introduction
Shape (2D) and Form (3D)
Light and Shadow
Texture
Color
Perspective
Quick Studies of the World Around You
Conclusion
Chapter Exercises
The Basics of Computer Graphic Technology
Introduction
Chapter Overview
Common Features of Graphic File Formats
The Power of Two and the Grid
UV Mapping
Game Optimizations
Conclusion
Chapter Exercises
Introduction to Shaders and Materials
Introduction
Shader Basics
Common Shader Effects
Node-Based Shader Systems
Basic Node Operations
Conclusion
Chapter Exercises
Preparing for Texture Creation
Introduction
Gathering Textures
Cleaning Your Textures
Warning
Storing Your Textures
Conclusion
Chapter Exercises
Sci-Fi Hallway, Basic Shaders: Diffuse, Illumination, and Opacity
Introduction
The Concept Sketch
Determining Texture Needs
The Complete Scene
Building It Up Using Overlays
Tearing It Down for Shaders
Conclusion
Chapter Exercises
The Urban Setting: Low-Polygon, High-Texture Detail
Introduction
The Concept Sketch
Breaking Out the Materials in the Scene
Creating Bricks
Windows
Wood
Concrete
Details Using an Alpha Channel
Metal
Breaking Out the Details
Building It Up Using Overlays
Tearing It Down for Shaders
Conclusion
Chapter Exercises
The Fantasy Setting: High-Polygon, High-Texture Detail
Introduction
The Concept Sketch
Breaking Out the Materials in the Scene
Breaking Out the Details
Base Materials
Detail Textures
Tearing It Down for Shaders
The Complete Scene/Variation
Chapter Exercises
Exteriors
Introduction
The Concept Sketch
Breaking Out the Materials in the Scene
Additional Information: The Sky
Additional Information: Terrain
Tutorial: Clouds
Water
Game Effects
Introduction
Static Effects
Animated Effects
Particle Effects
Normal Maps and Multipass Shaders
Introduction
Vertex vs. Per-Pixel Lighting
Creating Normal Maps in Photoshop
Assets for a Futuristic Interior
Biography
Luke Ahearn has over 20 years of experience in professional game development. He has served in lead positions such as designer, producer, and art director on over 15 published game titles, including Dead Reckoning and America’s Army. He has also worked as a background artist at Electronic Arts. He is currently working as an animatronic prop artist at MasterWerx Studios. He has written nine books on game development.
