optimal way to create a room

#1 I would suggest the second way as it gives you more control over the model. It Also reduces draw calls etc. I always create architecture external to torque and bring in whole buildings or sections of them. You can also set up internals with props etc this way too.

#2 definitely the second method, although, it would be nicer if Blender had a brush-based editing mode(think Valve's Hammer editor, or Radiant, or even Trenchbroom), as that makes making rooms/interiors/architectural structures easier. FreeCAD might also work, but you need to read up on tutorials for it.

#3 I am fairly new but I use Sweerhome 3D with decent results. Really good for prototyping. Just export to .obj then convert using blender or such. It's free.

#4 Uhm, I have been experimenting with pre-lit interiors and I have to admit, its pretty amazing what can be accomplished. (I bake lights, shadows and ambient as well as a TON of other stuff. I was looking at doing it all 'live' but, I figured out that most everyone (in my game at least) would 'fly' through these sections. So why, go uber complex? I did not need to. I think a large number of developers over-think these kind of issues and in the end, there is VERY little gain from live v. pre-baked solutions.

I actually have a full blog and video series 'nearly' set up to explain how I did all of this ( as well as a 'figuratively' metric TON of art related vids and tuts) but, that will not go live until 'late July/early August' since I have a major airborne operation in the next 30+ days to wrap up.

Ron


Ron

#5 It depends on what you want to build. Modules are complicated to set up, but when you need lots of similar scenes, modules have an advantage. For single and individual levels, it would be better to build each thing complete in blender and import it then.
For example many games today use modular assets, hard to learn and to build, but in the long term it pays off, you have to do some research yourself and chose what fits better for your case.

#6 That sounds interesting Ron. I'm also planning on releasing a blog shortly on modular aritecture. I've been working on a project for a few weeks now to develop a compete suite of modular architecture to build big environments. I have to say the planning is taking as much as the making. ... and the texturing 3 times both of the former however the point you make is a good one on over doing the lighting. In reality if you post an image people will over analyse the lighting etc but it's not meant to be archviz. Most will as you say fly through levels not looking at detail and game play well take precedence. It's only those environment artists that stop mid game and look at how things are done...... look forward to seeing the vids

#7 I personally have no skills for modeling so i've used the sketch tool with great results everything from the walls to the door frames to stairs and hand rails.

If the sketch tool could do cylinder and sphere you could make some amazing stuff :)

I know I'm not using the sketch tool in the correct way but it works for me :)

#8 If the sketch tool would work correctly, it would be awesome. One of the issues is, that the normals on the sketch tool shapes are inverted, so you cannot use your regular normal maps or the will looks wrong. Some other times I got collision and lighting problems with it.
But with grid snapping and vertex manipulation and some more primitives you could build almost any shape with it.