Preparing 3D scenes for real-time usage
As previously stated, I will be utilizing 3ds Max to create my scene, but you can choose to use any other software for this stage. Common options include Blender, Cinema 4D, and Maya. Rhino, Revit, SketchUp, SolidWorks, and other CAD/BIM modeling software can also be used, although some of the concepts mentioned here may not be applicable. This is because Unreal Engine only works with meshes, converting CAD inputs into meshes during the import process and not providing as precise control over polycount as a dedicated 3D software would.
Dealing with the polycount
One of the most challenging aspects of video games and game engines has been keeping the polycount (that is, the number of polygons composing the models) at a reasonable level, as a high polycount would result in a laggy scene that is too much for the graphics card to handle. A few years ago, real-time modeling meant sacrificing unnecessary details, baking normal maps to low-poly...
