CSM Academy

Production-grade Asset Workflows

Game and simulation engine-ready assets require high-fidelity geometry, topology, parts, textures, and UV maps. We have been collaborating with a network of artists and developers to produce human-level 3D assets by integrating Cube into their workflows. In preliminary experiments, we are seeing drastic improvements in reaching the final outputs compared to not using our tools. We are currently collecting quantitative data across a wide range of object types and artists and will have more information to share soon.

This document is informed by our internal experiments, which you or your team can use as a reference for your workflows. This page contains detailed tutorials to create a variety of assets typically found in real-world 3D production workflows. Each document starts by using one or more of our tools, and then exporting the outputs into third-party tools, including Blender, ZBrush, Substance, and other 3D editors, to do the finishing touches.

A typical workflow here involves breaking up the input into constituent parts or generating parts separately before assembling them [see here]. Then each whole or part can be retextured [see here], before sending it to our AI-assisted UV remapper [see here]. Finally, the meshes can be exported to third-party editors for post-processing.

Stone Sculpture Workflow

Total time for AI mesh: 1 hour
Total time for geo: 40 mins
Total time for texture: 47 mins
Total time for final mesh: 2.2 hours

Input Image

Get a final 3D mesh through Cube (1 hour or more)

Retexture with AI to get sharper and detailed textures (5 mins)

Cleaning up textures using texture paint in Blender (15 mins)

Remeshing

Some of the geo isn't great, so will remesh to get better geo
Can remesh in Blender

c. But let's use Zbrush for better edge flow (10 mins)

d. Bring it back into Blender

UVing the mesh (3 mins)

Baking textures (7 mins)

Add a new image texture to the new mesh to be able to bake on

b. Bake the old texture on the new mesh

Getting normal and height maps (5 mins)
Used an app called Materialize but can also use Photoshop.

Cleaning up the seams on height and normal maps in Blender (25 mins)

Taking it into Substance Painter for details and PBR (17 mins)

Import Bc, normal, height maps into Substance

Pop Character Workflow

Total time for AI mesh: 1 hour
Total time for geo: 4.2 hours
Total time for texture: 2.4 hours
Total time for final mesh: 6.6 hours

Input Image

On Cube, generate 3D mesh of full character and then in parts (1 hour or more)

Merge meshes in Blender (45 mins)

Used hands and feet from the body mesh.

Add on extra pieces (15 mins)

Sculpting (2 hours 30 mins)

Retopo using quad remesher (15 mins)

UVing (30 mins)

Substance (2 hours 25 mins)

Axe Workflow

Total time for AI mesh: 1 hour
Total time for geo: 4.6 hours
Total time for texture: 1.5 hours
Total time for final mesh: 6.1 hours

Input Image

Get a 3D mesh and its parts through Cube (1 hour or more)

Retexture with AI (10 mins)

Get sharper textures on the blade.

Import and merge meshes in Blender (10 mins)

Remeshing (30 mins)

Merging two meshes by remeshing in Blender.

Take the mesh into Zbrush for sharper edges and details (1 hour)

This can be done in Blender also.

Quad drawing on sharper mesh (50 mins)

Mirror it and connect them together

Create a new handle using the original mesh for the handle as reference (30 mins)

Add on any extra bits like hard surface pieces (1 hour)

UVing (30 mins)

Taking it into Substance Painter (1 hour 30 mins)

Yellow Monster Workflow

Total time for AI mesh: 1 hour
Total time for geo: 5.5 hours
Total time for texture: 1.1 hours
Total time for final mesh: 6.6 hours

Input Image

Get the 3D mesh through Cube ( 1 hour or more)

Take the mesh into Blender (10 mins)

Getting rid of claws on hands.

Smoothing out any imperfections.

Creating claws (30 mins)

Creating tail (30 mins)

Prepare mesh for sculpting in Blender (40 mins)

Zbrush Sculpting (2 hours 40 mins)

Retopo using Zbrush & Quadremesher (35 mins)

UVing (26 mins)

Baking in Substance Painter (5 mins)

Painting in Substance Painter (1 hour 5 mins)

Low-poly Building Structure Workflow

Segment the image into parts for better results. This can be done based on preference and how you want to build it.

Here's an example.

Fix the images in Photoshop so that it's easier to create clean meshes on Cube

Run these images into Cube to get good-quality 3D meshes

Import the meshes into Blender and assemble the scene

Duplicated and mirrored the mesh for one of the bottom parts. Used the sculpt tool to match the shape to the building's base. Then merged them together and remeshed the model.