I feel pretty dumb for asking this, but if you wanna have weapons and armors and clothing. Should they be done as models that you attach to the node of your character model, or are they textures that you apply in UV wrapping?
those are two valid solutions
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I think model solution is more suitable because it permit embossed armor on which we can also apply effects (regardless of the character model) using materials (via shaders)
If the armor skin is always the same and only the color must change…should I take the alternative (more easier).
Well I personally think that using models would be easier to make and apply just from my perspective, I’m not really good at texturing. The only problem I can think of atm is that if I make modeled armour, I imagine that I’d have to animate it as well, and then have to make sure character/object animations are in sync with one another, which would seem like a big hassle.
The thing is…it depends on what are your resources/time/team.
there is a vast panel of solutions for this, that all have pros and cons. On the top of my head, this is what i’ve already seen in games :
1- Characters have the same outfit during the whole game, no matter what equipment they have : easy, only one model per character, and achievable by a single human being…if he got plenty of time before him. But some say that’s not enough “realism”. Some game take that option and just change the equipped weapon skin, that’s quite easy and does not require a lot of asset making. (all the Final Fantasy do that for example)
2- Characters have the same outfit that change color/texture depending on their equipment. This start to get complicated and require a lot of texture crafting. I often feel like being cheated when i come across games that do that though, but that’s just my opinion.
3- Characters are not single models but parts (head, torso, arms, legs, etc.), and you have “sets” of armor with each of that parts. This assume characters that have the same proportions. Usually you have different races/gender so you need each set adapted to each character proportions. So it can be overwhelming very quickly. (Wow or Dragon age origins for example use a mix of 2 and 3)
4- Like 3 but characters’ morphology is highly configurable, like you have a base character mesh and apply scales on the vertex level to change it’s appearance (arms width, leg length, torso width, and so on…) those parameters are also applied to wielded armors base mesh to fit the character proportions.
Aion did this pretty well, and you could have very unique characters.
But this is for professionals really.
So, I don’t know the scale of your project, or how many you are in the team, if you have artists and all. but if you are alone, aim for 1. or a mix between 1 and 2.
IMO…I prefer to have a nice character that never change his outfit instead of a patch-worked armored guy that looks like a hobo.