Game Ready Door Tutorial part 1 – Zbrush hard surface modeling and Photoshop

This will be more interesting than your average door tutorial. Zbrush hard surface modeling can speed up your environment art workflow and produce high quality results. I will soon add part 2 for this tutorial that includes re-topology, texture creation and assigning the open and close animation in Unreal Engine.

Here is a video tutorial explaining all:

The tutorial below is a description of the process. The first image below describes how to create a 2D image to later transform into a 3D model, you will need Zbrush installed to find the template image.

The next section is describing how to use the live Boolean function in Zbrush to subtract shapes from other shapes. The other important function is how to Dynamesh and use Zremesher, these will get you clean edges. Having a good even distribution of polygons will allow you to smooth surfaces and polish corners for a realistic look to hard surface objects.

Next we will create a high resolution shadow box, we can use this to create a 3D mesh from the image we created in Photoshop. Then distribute the screw heads in the screw holes.

We will now introduce the clip curve function, this is great for cutting meshes and adding more hard edges. This section also includes adding more basic shapes like cylinders, and how to split them apart with poly groups. To get the final look we will once again be using Dynamesh and Zremesher for better corners.

Next we will use deformations, these can be found on the tool menu, the spherize deformation will get a bulge based on the cylinders position.
We will also use the new move infinite brush, this will help shape the door handle from the side, use polish, clay tubes, clip curve and add divisions to create the door handle.

For this section we will polygroup and Zremesh the final piece. Using tool > deformation > skew and tool > geometry > modify topology >mirror and weld this shape can be created. The mirror and weld will give different results depending on the position of the mesh in the canvas. Start with spivot to center the object.

Now the door is assembled we can use surface noise and noise plugin to get the high frequency wood detail as seen below.

46. Use Geometry > Modify topology > mirror and weld to complete the high poly model, the final asset should be around 18 million active points when complete. Merge all the metal objects together so only a two subtools remain. Rename the two subtools door_high and handle _high.

47. Go to the export menu at the bottom of the tool tab on the right-hand side. Turn on Tri, turn off MRG and GRP this will improve the speed when exporting high poly meshes from Zbrush. Go to Tool > Export, this will create an obj file of the active subtool, repeat that process for your second subtool.

You have now completed this part of the tutorial, come back and join me for part 2 when we look at re topology, texture creation in Substance painter, and animation in Unreal Engine.