Chapter 4: Final Packages

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Final Packages: What to Include & Label for 3D / Rigging / VFX / Audio

From brief → ideation → iteration → finals → handoff. Written equally for concept‑phase artists and production‑minded artists.

The purpose of a “final package”

A final package is the definitive, build‑ready handoff that translates design intent into implementation truth. It aligns four consuming teams—3D modeling, Rigging/Animation, VFX, and Audio—with the same coordinates, naming, and constraints, so that each discipline can ship without guessing. Beauty renders are optional; clarity is not. The goal is to prevent late rework by making proportions, motion ranges, effect emitters, and sound sources explicit and testable.

A strong final package builds on earlier steps—silhouette bank, proportion locks, orthos, exploded, and callouts—then adds discipline‑specific labels, tolerances, and files.

Package anatomy at a glance (what to ship, every time)

  1. Title block & governance: asset ID, class, faction, scale, author, version, date, matrix row, lineage (A/B/C parent), status.
  2. Orthos (side/top/front/rear/bottom) at world scale with datums and critical dimensions + silhouette thumbnails.
  3. Exploded views with BOM table (parts, materials, texture sets, rig notes, FX relevance).
  4. Callout sheets for animation, attachments, mechanics, materials, and LOD vows.
  5. Discipline plates: 3D Modeling, Rigging/Animation, VFX, Audio—each with labeled envelopes, emitters, and constraints.
  6. Source files: layered working file, vector PDFs, 4k PNG plates, and any supplemental OBJ/FBX proxies for quick tests.
  7. Readme & changelog: one page stating sacred vs flexible, known risks, and a versioned list of modifications.

Governance: IDs, scale, and lineage

Asset ID. Use a stable, unique ID (WP_AR_FCTN_CL-AR-P03_v21). Prefix with discipline on exports (MESH_, RIG_, FX_, AUD_).

Scale. Declare engine world scale (e.g., 1.0 unit = 1 cm) and include a 100 mm + 1 in scale bar on every plate. List OAL and key dimensions numerically in the title block.

Lineage. Reference the silhouette bank ID and proportion pass parent (e.g., Parent: CL‑AR‑P02‑A). Include retired IDs if superseding a legacy asset.

Versioning. Semantic versioning vMAJOR.MINOR.PATCH where MAJOR breaks downstream (form changes), MINOR adds/adjusts callouts, PATCH fixes typos.

What 3D Modeling needs and how to label it

Orthographic truth. Provide consistent views with centerlines and datums. Dimension: OAL, receiver block, barrel visual length, stock extension, rail heights, magazine projection, muzzle thread OD.

Part splits & materials. In exploded/BOM, show part boundaries aligned with material changes (metal ↔ polymer), and label texture set IDs (e.g., TS01_Receiver_2k, TS02_Handguard_1k). Include trim sheet lanes or decal planes if applicable.

Texel density & budgets. Per texture set, list TD targets (e.g., 1024 px/10 cm hero, 512 px/10 cm attachments) and triangle budgets by LOD: LOD0 35k, LOD1 15k, LOD2 6k (example values—adapt to studio standards).

Manufacturing logic. Indicate fastening ideology (screws, pins, dovetails) and reassembly order. Add tolerance notes for visible alignments (optic rail to receiver ±0.5 mm visual alignment).

Proxy & collision. Provide primitive proxies for muzzle, magazine, optic, and ejection volumes. Label them clearly (COL_Muzzle, COL_Magwell). State if gameplay relies on precise hit proxies (e.g., suppressor collision).

Attachment envelopes. Draw bounding boxes for optics, cans, under‑barrel devices; note NO‑OCCUPY volumes. Provide coordinates relative to the bore‑axis datum.

Delivery: layered source, vector PDF, and a scale‑accurate blockout OBJ/FBX for early implementation checks.

What Rigging/Animation needs and how to label it

Bone plan. Include a proposed bone list with naming standard (e.g., bn_Bolt, bn_CH, bn_Trigger, bn_Stock, bn_Mag, bn_Cylinder, bn_Safety, bn_SlingFront/Rear). Mark driven vs FK/IK expectations.

Motion ranges. Call out numerical ranges: bolt travel (e.g., 62 mm), charging handle pull (45 mm), stock telescope range (120 mm), cylinder swing angle (85°), magazine drop clearance depth, safety throw (45°). Use dashed envelopes for travel paths.

Hand placements & arcs. Provide primary/secondary grip coordinates and reload hero beat composition with negative‑space windows. Include small thumbnails of charge → fire stance → reload → inspect poses.

Constraints & collisions. Specify non‑interpenetration planes and parts that must never clip (e.g., optic bell vs charging handle). Mark sling anchor planes and desired pivot behavior.

State variants. If the asset ships with alternate states (stock collapsed/extended, suppressor on/off, optic variations), diagram how bones and visibility sets will switch.

Timing guidance. Optional but appreciated: rough frame counts for charge/reload beats and emphasis points to align with audio.

Delivery: callout plate + rig proxy FBX with suggested pivots and zeroed transforms at world scale.

What VFX needs and how to label it

Emitters & sockets. Place and name effect sockets:

  • FX_Muzzle (bore axis origin at crown)
  • FX_Eject (origin & direction arrow)
  • FX_GasVent_A/B (for side ports)
  • FX_Spark/Scorch (rail edges or contact points)
  • FX_ChargeGlow (energy weapons)
  • FX_Impact_Receiver (optional for reactive materials)

Directionality & timing. Note vector arrows for particle direction and trigger events (pre‑fire charge glow, fire, post‑fire heat shimmer, reload sparks). If gameplay uses alt‑fire, identify separate emitters or altered timing.

Heat & residue maps. Mark heat path surfaces and soot accumulation zones for decal spawners. Define max intensity expectations to avoid overblown visuals that harm silhouette.

Camera and readability. Give VFX screen‑space constraints: first‑person muzzle flash max size, third‑person readability at 10–30 m. Specify if muzzle devices or suppressors swap to alternate flash profiles.

Performance guidance. Flag heavy effect risks (volumetric smoke) and offer fallback LUT or sprite‑only variants for low‑spec.

Delivery: labeled plate with socket names, a JSON or table of event timings, and a dummy FBX with locator nodes.

What Audio needs and how to label it

Source points & occlusion. Place audio emitters and expected attenuation: AUD_Muzzle, AUD_Eject, AUD_Mech_Core (bolt/receiver), AUD_Mag, AUD_Stock, AUD_Sling. Indicate relative loudness priorities and occlusion expectations (e.g., suppressed state reduces AUD_Muzzle, boosts AUD_Mech_Core).

Event map. Provide a sound event list synchronized with animation beats: pre‑charge scrape, charge stop, sear click, shot, bolt return, mag drop hit, mag seat, latch click, safety click, sling rustle, inspect flourish. Include variant tags (indoors/outdoors tails, distance layers, faction flavor).

Material palette. Tie sound timbres to materials called out in the BOM (blued steel, anodized aluminum, polymer, rubber). If faction doctrine influences timbre (ritual bells, ceramic chimes), note tasteful use limits to avoid comedy.

Suppressed/alt‑state behavior. Label how suppressors, alt‑barrels, or energy modes change the sound family. Provide mix notes (sidechain ducking on charge, dynamic range targets by platform).

Delivery: event table with IDs (SND_WP_AR_Shot, SND_WP_AR_Reload_MagSeat), emitter map image, and reference links to placeholder libraries if permitted.

Cross‑discipline consistency: sacred vs flexible

Declare a short “Sacred / Flexible” table:

  • Sacred: bore‑axis datum, OAL, receiver:barrel ratio, optic eye line height, reload window negative space, attachment envelopes, LOD silhouette planes (front signature, top line, grip cluster), emitter socket names/positions.
  • Flexible: micro‑greebles, panel seam rhythms, non‑critical chamfers/fillets, colorways, decal lanes (within reserved planes), small fastener types.

This table prevents untracked edits from rippling across teams.

File organization & naming

Directory skeleton (example):

WP_AR_FCTN/

01_SilhouetteBank/

02_ProportionSheets/

03_Orthos_Exploded_Callouts/

04_FinalPackage/

3D/

Rig/

VFX/

Audio/

Docs/

File names: WP_AR_FCTN_CL-AR-P03_v21_[PlateType].pdf and discipline exports like MESH_WP_AR_v21_Blockout.fbx, RIG_WP_AR_v21_Proxy.fbx, FX_WP_AR_v21_Sockets.fbx, AUD_WP_AR_v21_EventMap.csv.

Docs: README_v21.md (1‑pager goals, sacred/flexible, changes since v20), CHANGELOG.md (dated bullets), CHECKLIST.pdf (signed by concept lead).

Checklists (print‑friendly)

3D Modeling

  •  

Rigging/Animation

  •  

VFX

  •  

Audio

  •  

Governance

  •  

Indie vs AAA considerations

Indie. Collapse to one consolidated Final Package plate plus a short README. Use a single LOD target and focus on the 80/20: orthos with dimensions, one exploded with BOM, one callout for animation + attachments, and a simple emitter/audio map.

AAA. Expect multiple vendor handoffs. Maintain template plates and a governance dashboard listing retired assets, dependency trees (skins, attachments), and cross‑project reuse opportunities. Add approval gates: Concept Final → Modeling Ready → Post‑Model Paintover → Rig Ready → FX/Audio Ready.

Common failure modes & quick fixes

Ambiguous scale. No world scale or scale bars → Fix: add bars and restate OAL in title blocks.

Attachment collisions discovered late. Missing envelopes → Fix: block bounding boxes early; run a stress row (optic + suppressor + fore device) on the callout sheet.

Rigging guesswork. Unlabeled pivots and ranges → Fix: provide a rig proxy FBX with pivots and travel envelopes.

FX overwhelm silhouette. No max intensity guidance → Fix: specify screen‑space limits and alternate suppressor profiles.

Audio out of sync. No event map → Fix: publish a beat‑timed list aligned with the reload storyboard.

Version drift. Files named inconsistently → Fix: lock to a naming schema and update the README + changelog.

Closing: quiet handoffs ship faster

Your final package is a contract. When it declares dimensions, motion, emissions, and sounds with the same IDs and datums, every downstream discipline moves in parallel instead of waiting for clarifications. Build on your silhouette and proportion decisions, keep labels consistent, and ship the truth—not just the render. That’s how signature weapons reach players intact, readable, and satisfying across sight, motion, impact, and sound.