Getting Started

When creating assets for our ecosystem, they fall under two primary categories: Humanoids and Non-Humanoids. Each collection typically focuses on a single avatar, further divided into subcollections or traits that can be customized and modified.

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Collection Types

Assets are organized into collections, each of which revolves around specific avatars or items, categorized as either humanoid or non-humanoid:

Each collection is structured around a core asset (e.g., the body for humanoids or chassis for vehicles) and is further customizable through traits such as clothing, fur, or accessories for humanoids or engines and wheels for non-humanoids.

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Examples:

Humanoid Example – PartyBears

The core asset is the bear’s body, with customizable traits such as:

• Animation
• Clothing
• Fur
• Eyes
• Accessories (e.g., hats, glasses)

Non-Humanoid Example – Raicers

The core asset is the chassis, with additional traits like:

• Engines
• Wheels
• Exhausts

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One-Shot Collections

Some items, like Reebok shoes, are designed as “one-shot collections,” meaning a single asset can be used across multiple collections.

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Dropbox Setup

To manage these collections, we use Dropbox to organize assets in a standardized way. The first step is to set up a file structure for each new collection.

For example:

NameOfCollection (e.g., "Raicers")
├── Creative Assets
│   └── Collection
│       ├── CoreAsset (e.g., "Chassis")
│       │   ├── CoreAsset_01 (e.g., "Chassis_01")
│       │   │   ├── Blender
│       │   │   │   └── NameOfAsset.blend (eg. Chassis_01.blend)
│       │   │   └── Substance Painter
│       │   │       └── NameOfAsset_LOD#.spp
│       │   ├── CoreAsset_02 (e.g., "Chassis_02")
│       │   │   ├── Blender
│       │   │   │   └── NameOfAsset.blend (eg. Chassis_02.blend)
│       │   │   └── Substance Painter
│       │   │       └── NameOfAsset_LOD#.spp
│       ├── Trait1Asset (e.g., "Engines")
│       │   ├── Trait1Asset_01 (e.g., "Engine_01")
│       │   │   ├── Blender
│       │   │   │   └── NameOfAsset.Blend (eg. Engine_01.blend)
│       │   │   └── Substance Painter
│       │   │       └── NameOfAsset_LOD#.spp
│       ├── Trait2Asset (e.g., "Exhausts")
│       │   ├── Trait2Asset_01 (e.g., "Exhaust_00")
│       │   │   ├── Blender
│       │   │   │   └── NameOfAsset.blend (eg. Exhaust_00.blend)
│       │   │   └── Substance Painter
│       │   │       └── NameOfAsset_LOD#.spp
│       └── ...
├── _Shared
│   ├── Resources
│   │   └── Project-specific resources (e.g., export presets, Blender add-ons)
│   └── Textures
│       └── HDRI
│           └── HdriTexture.exr

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Why Dropbox vs Desktop Local Storage

1. Centralized Access: Dropbox ensures all team members, regardless of location, can access the latest files in real time. Local storage creates silos, leading to outdated or missing data when collaborating across time zones.
2. Version Control: While not a substitute for a dedicated version control system (like Perforce or Git), Dropbox provides basic version history and recovery, reducing the risk of data loss or overwriting critical work.
3. Collaboration and Syncing: In a remote setup, real-time syncing allows artists, developers, and other contributors to collaborate efficiently without the delays of manually sending or receiving files.
4. Reduced Risk of Data Loss: Files stored locally can be lost due to hardware failures or theft. Dropbox ensures work is backed up and secure on the cloud.
5. Scalability and Professionalism: Large-scale productions require pipelines that mirror industry standards. Centralized storage aligns with large studios’ workflows, making onboarding and cross-team collaboration smoother.
6. Efficiency in Remote Management: When team members work on their local machines, tracking progress, identifying errors, or resolving issues becomes cumbersome. Dropbox allows leads to monitor files and folders seamlessly.
7. Consistency Across the Team: A shared cloud storage system avoids discrepancies caused by varying file paths or outdated versions, ensuring everyone works with the same assets.

In summary, Dropbox fosters a professional, streamlined, and collaborative pipeline essential for a fully remote team working on complex projects.

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Toolset Guidelines

While artists can use any preferred tools to create their assets, the final versions must be compatible with our core suite of tools:

• Blender
• Substance Painter / 3D Coat
• Photoshop

Any 3D files authored in any other software should be imported and made to look like they were authored in Blender.

That means ensuring that transforms are applied, materials are set up, and object data is cleaned up.