We faced a scenario where due to an unoptimized UV atlas, the draw calls on a mobile RPG reached 350—after atlasizing and batching it dropped to 120, ensuring stable 60 FPS. Such cases are industry norms: a player views the environment 90% of the time, and every extra draw call is critical. Over five years, we've worked on more than 50 projects, from indie to AAA, and developed a pipeline that saves time and resources.
Our Process for Creating 3D Environment Models and Props
The process starts with analyzing requirements: engine, platform, asset role in the scene. For mobile games, polycount (up to 500 triangles for props) and draw calls (no more than 150 per frame) are critical; for PC and consoles—texture quality and LOD. These parameters are defined at the modeling stage.
Non-Obvious Technical Challenges
How to Ensure Seamless Tiling of Modular Elements?
Modularity requires planning at the modeling stage. If tiled floor sections are not aligned to a grid with steps matching the texture size (e.g., 1024 px), visible seams appear. For Unreal Engine 5 the standard grid is 10/100/1000 units; for Unity—depends on the project scale. We customize grid snapping for your pipeline.
Why Manual Lightmap UV Is Better Than Automatic?
In Unreal Engine, every static mesh requires a separate UV channel for lightmap. Automatic generation via Generate Lightmap UVs often produces overlapping, unequal distribution, and baking artifacts. We unwrap lightmap UVs manually, ensuring optimal texel density (e.g., 20.48 px/m) and no artifacts. Manual unwrapping gives uniform texel density, which is critical for baked lighting.
What Is a UV Atlas and How Does It Help Optimize Draw Calls?
A UV atlas merges multiple meshes into a single texture, reducing draw calls. This is especially useful for environment kits with repeated elements. We create atlases considering texture bitness and compression format for the target platform. For example, a set of 20 props went from 20 draw calls to 2 per scene using atlasization. Using UV atlas and batching can reduce draw calls multiple times.
Besides atlases, we use Physically Based Rendering (PBR) texturing for all assets. This ensures realistic material appearance under any lighting. Our work is based on PBR standards described in the specification, guaranteeing compatibility with most engines.
How We Build an Asset
Everything starts with context: engine, platform, asset role (hero prop or background filler), static or interactive.
- Concept review. If no concept exists—we request references. Modeling without a brief is the most expensive way to get the wrong result.
- Blockout. Quick shape blocking in 3ds Max or Blender. We agree on proportions and modular fitting.
- High-poly or low-poly. For PBR pipeline we create high-poly with chamfer and details; for stylized games—low-poly with clean geometry directly.
- UV + Bake. UV layout with correct texel density, separate lightmap channel, full PBR set baking in Marmoset Toolbag.
- LOD chain. Minimum three levels (0/1/2); manual LOD for key assets delivers 2–3 times better quality than automatic while preserving silhouette. For hero props we manually refine LOD, controlling polycount from 2000 down to 150 triangles.
- Export. FBX with correct axes, smoothing groups, named material slots. For asset sets we use UV atlas to minimize draw calls.
For Unreal Engine we configure import with automatic collision and LOD group creation. For Unity we use Asset Postprocessor to automate tiling and pivot settings. This cuts asset integration time by 20–30%.
Comparison of Automatic vs Manual LOD
| Parameter | Automatic LOD (Unity LOD Group / Unreal LOD Tool) | Manual LOD |
|---|---|---|
| Silhouette quality | Average, possible shape loss | High, retains key details |
| Polycount control | Approximate | Exact, to specified budget |
| Time per asset | 5–10 minutes | 1–3 hours for complex objects |
| Recommendation | For background objects | For hero props and close-ups |
Timeline Guidelines
| Asset Type | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Simple prop (crate, barrel) | 1–3 days |
| Medium-complexity prop (furniture, machinery) | 2–5 days |
| Hero prop (vehicle, unique object) | 5–14 days |
| Modular environment kit (10–20 elements) | 10–25 days |
| Full scene / location | per brief, from 3 weeks |
Pricing is calculated individually; for sets—package terms. By ordering an asset set you save up to 30% compared to per-item pricing.
What's Included in the Work
- Source files (blend/max, ztl, high-res textures)
- Import settings for your engine
- Documentation on asset usage (grid, pivot, LOD levels)
- Team training if needed
How to Get Started?
To let us evaluate your project, prepare a brief with engine, platform, style, and LOD requirements. Contact us to discuss details and deadlines. Request a consultation to determine the optimal pipeline for your game.