Intro to Asset Creation for Games (Premium) by Ben Keeling

Ready to jump into the gaming industry as a 3D artist? CGMA’s “Intro to Asset Creation for Games” course, taught by industry pro Ben Keeling, is your ticket. This 9-week, self-paced journey covers everything from initial concept to getting your assets into a game engine, perfect for building a killer portfolio.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• Understand the game development pipeline and the role of 3D artists.
• Master hard surface modeling techniques in Blender to create detailed game assets.
• Learn efficient texturing workflows using Adobe Substance 3D Painter.
• Implement Nanite meshes in Unreal Engine 5.
• Develop skills in rigging and animation for game characters.
• Create professional presentations for your finished assets.

✅ Requirements

• Skills: Foundational understanding of 3D modeling principles.
• Tools: A computer capable of running 3D software, PureRef for reference.
• Hardware: A dedicated GPU is recommended for optimal performance.

📝 Description

This course dives deep into creating game-ready 3D assets, focusing on a nature-inspired hard surface robot. You’ll go from gathering references and blocking out shapes in Blender to crafting detailed high-poly models. The curriculum then covers optimizing your mesh for modern game engines like Unreal Engine 5 using Nanite, and mastering realistic texturing with Adobe Substance 3D Painter. You’ll also learn essential rigging and animation techniques, culminating in professional presentation methods using Marmoset Toolbag. Ben Keeling shares practical industry workflows, ensuring you build skills directly applicable to AAA game development.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Aspiring 3D artists aiming to enter the gaming industry.
• Intermediate-level modelers seeking to enhance their asset creation skills.
• Game developers interested in understanding the asset pipeline.
• Artists looking to build a portfolio with game-ready assets.

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

Ben Keeling is a seasoned environment artist with over six years of experience in AAA game development. His portfolio includes work on renowned titles such as EA’s Need for Speed, Sony’s VR Worlds, and Halo Wars 2. Currently, he serves as a Lead Environment Artist at Respawn Entertainment. Ben’s teaching approach combines industry insights with practical techniques, making complex concepts accessible to students.

🏁 Final Result

• A portfolio-ready, game-ready 3D asset (a nature-inspired hard surface robot) complete with high-poly sculpts, optimized game mesh, detailed textures, rigging, and animation, ready for presentation in engines like Unreal Engine 5.