Chapter 4: Final Packages: What to Include and Label for 3D / Rigging / UI / VFX / Audio

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Final Packages — What to Include & Label for 3D / Rigging / UI / VFX / Audio (Prop Concept Pipeline)

The last mile of concept is a package, not a picture. A great final package gives every downstream team the same truth—clear files, consistent names, decisive ratios, and parameters that scale. This article lays out a pragmatic, studio‑agnostic standard for final packages that serve 3D, Rigging/Animation, UI/UX, VFX, and Audio/Haptics, tying it to the pipeline from Ideation → Iteration → Finals → Handoff. It’s written equally for concept artists preparing the bundle and production artists consuming it.

1) Purpose of a Final Package

A final package translates design intent into actionable, measurable artifacts. It answers: What is the prop? How big is it? How does it move? Where do effects and sounds live? What must never change? If someone can build, rig, animate, light, and test the prop from your package without Slacking you, it’s complete.

2) Core Principles

  • One source of truth: A top‑level README declares units, datums, naming, and “never break” rules.
  • Value before color: Grayscale/value maps travel with finals to protect readability across lighting and LOD.
  • Parameters, not pixels: Spectacle is exposed as numbers (intensities, timings, ranges) so teams can tune safely.
  • Stable ratios: Key proportion ratios appear on every sheet and in metadata.
  • Predictable filenames: Names encode family, state, and version. No mysteries.

3) Recommended Folder Structure

PRP_<Family>_<Name>_PKG_v###/

  00_ADMIN/

    README.md

    CHANGELOG.md

    LICENSE_or_ATTRIBUTION.txt

    CHECKLIST_SIGNOFF.pdf

  10_CONCEPT_SOURCE/

    ORTHO_front_side_top.psd (layered)

    TURNAROUND_8view.psd

    EXPLODED_assembly.psd

    CALLOUTS_dimensions_pivots.psd

    VALUE_MAP_grayscale.png

    MATERIAL_ID_map.png

  20_DATA_SPECS/

    RATIOS_and_DIMENSIONS.pdf

    SOCKET_PIVOT_TABLE.csv

    STATE_MACHINE_diagram.pdf

    MATERIAL_PARAMS.json

    VFX_PARAMS.json

    UI_ICON_GUIDE.pdf

    AUDIO_HAPTIC_CUES.csv

  30_BLOCKOUT/

    FBX_OBJ/

      PRP_<Name>_BLOCKOUT.fbx

      locators_pivots.fbx

    PREVIEWS/

      turnaround_gif.mp4

      scale_ref_with_hand.png

  40_VARIANTS/

    TRIM_<A>/

    TRIM_<B>/

  50_EXPORTS_FLAT/

    PNG/

    PDF/

Tip: Keep layered sources separate from flat exports; most teams will review the PDFs/PNGs but dig into PSDs when clarifying.

4) Naming Conventions (Files, Sockets, States)

Files: PRP_<Family>_<Name>_<State>_<View>_v###.ext → PRP_TOOL_PlasmaCutter_READY_ORTHO_v012.pdf

States: STOWED, READY, ACTIVE, SERVICE, FAILSAFE (define in README).

Sockets (vectors from world datum): SCKT_MUZZLE_A, SCKT_GRIP_MAIN, SCKT_RAIL_TOP, SCKT_POWER_IN, SCKT_VFX_SPARK_A.

Pivots (axes explicit): PIV_LATCH_A_X+, PIV_HINGE_SHROUD_Z-.

Locators (utility): LOC_CoM, LOC_HANDLE_CG, LOC_UI_STATUS_LED.

Animation Channels: ANIM_DEPLOY, ANIM_LOCK, ANIM_CHARGE, ANIM_RELEASE (timings in STATE_MACHINE_diagram.pdf).

5) Units, Datums, and Ratios

  • Units: millimeters recommended. Write it in the sheet footers and README.
  • Primary datum (0,0,0): At the gameplay attach point (e.g., grip center). Record facing (+X forward, +Z up).
  • Ratios to lock: overall aspect (L:H), body:signal area, void:mass %, grip length:circumference, socket spacing in module units. Print them on orthos and list in RATIOS_and_DIMENSIONS.pdf.

6) Orthos, Turnarounds, Exploded & Callouts (Recap for Finals)

  • Orthos (front/side/top/rear if needed): true ortho, no perspective; section cuts for thickness; station curves where forms loft.
  • Turnaround: 4–8 views; flat lighting; shows curvature intent and silhouette survival at gameplay angles.
  • Exploded: assembly order on realistic rails; balloons keyed to a light BOM (frame, fasteners, optics, power, seals).
  • Callouts: dimensions, tolerances, pivots, sockets, material IDs, state transitions, collision volumes.

7) What 3D Modeling Needs (and How to Label It)

  • Dimensioned orthos with: overall L/W/H, wall thickness ranges, max fillet radii, and “segment budgets” for silhouette curves.
  • Blockout FBX/OBJ with empties/locators named per socket/pivot map and aligned to the declared datum.
  • Section views for thin shells and laminated parts.
  • Material ID map (body/frame/signal/glass/rubber) and value map to protect read.
  • LOD guidance: which edges and ornaments collapse per distance band; note “must survive” silhouette cues.
  • Never‑break list: ratios, socket positions, clearance zones, reserved real estate (rails/holsters/scopes).

Labeling example (callout text):
“Outer shroud wall 2.5–3.0 mm; nozzle fillet R=6–8 mm; silhouette station S3 requires ≥24 segments at LOD0, ≥12 at LOD1.”

8) What Rigging/Animation Needs

  • Pivot table with positions (XYZ), axis directions, rotation limits, slider travels, and detents.
  • State machine diagram with timing beats (e.g., ANIM_DEPLOY 0.35 s, ANIM_LOCK 0.10 s).
  • Collision volumes and stretch‑free zones indicated on callouts.
  • Handle & clearance dims for hand fit; recommended posing angles for showcase/cinematics.
  • Channel ownership: which channels are functional vs. spectacle so cinematics don’t desync gameplay.

Labeling example:
PIV_LATCH_A @ (12, 44, -6) mm; Axis Z+; Range 0–45°; detent at 30° (click).

9) What UI/UX Needs

  • Signal map (body vs. signal zones) with a color‑blind safe palette alternative.
  • Iconography sheet: simplified front/side silhouettes for HUD or inventory; 32/64/128 px tests.
  • Status logic: LED count, blink patterns, glyph continuity (e.g., seam goes continuous at charge ≥90%).
  • Label hierarchy: safety warnings, power indicators, port labels; suggested in‑world typography.
  • Diegetic UI constraints: display window safe areas, minimum text sizes at typical camera distances.

Labeling example:
“Status seam: 8 segments; update @10 Hz; continuous when all rings align; fallback pattern: double‑blink for fault.”

10) What VFX Needs

  • VFX parameter sheet (VFX_PARAMS.json********************) with IDs tied to mask names: emissive regions, pulse curves, nits ranges, particle spawn sockets.
  • Safe zones and occluders for particles; expectations for shader response (roughness floors, anisotropy direction).
  • Event windows synced to animation: spawn/cull timings, burst counts, ribbon anchors.
  • Performance notes: LOD swaps for FX, max particle counts, mobile/console variants if relevant.

11) What Audio/Haptics Needs

  • Material pair map for contacts (metal/ceramic/leather/rubber) with size/weight cues.
  • Event list keyed to animation/VFX timings (lock click, seal hiss, charge hum).
  • Resonance intent per zone (hollow vs. damped); envelope notes (attack/decay).
  • Haptic plan (if applicable): brief pulses, amplitude ranges, cooldown to avoid fatigue.

Labeling example (CSV row):
ANIM_LOCK, 0.10, “click_heavy_metal”, zone=LatchA, vel=fast, haptic=short_pulse_0.2

12) Accessibility & Localization

  • Provide non‑color redundancies (shape differences, blink codes) for status.
  • Keep numerals and icons localization‑safe; avoid text baked into geometry.
  • Offer a color‑blind safe palette and an alt‑text note for UI icons in documentation.

13) Readme, Changelog, and Sign‑Off

  • README.md covers: units, datums, file tree, naming rules, contact, and never‑break rules.
  • CHANGELOG.md records deltas per version (what changed, why, who approved).
  • CHECKLIST_SIGNOFF.pdf: a tick‑box list signed by concept lead + production rep confirming each artifact is present.

Never‑break example list:

  • Overall L:H ratio 2.6:1 ±5%
  • SCKT_GRIP_MAIN @ (0,0,0) mm; axis +X forward
  • Body:Signal area = 80:20 ±5%
  • Value map: Signal zones ≥30% brighter than body at LOD0/1

14) Versioning & Review Thumbnails

  • Version as _v### on every file; bump only when a downstream‑relevant change occurs.
  • Include a PREVIEWS sheet with 3–6 thumbnails (front, side, gameplay angle, exploded inset) so stakeholders can scan without opening heavy files.

15) Packaging for Variants (Trims, Legendary)

  • Clone the base; keep datums/sockets/ratios constant unless the brief says otherwise.
  • Provide a delta callout inset per variant listing only what changes (materials, ornaments, travel limits).
  • Mirror any changes into *_PARAMS.json so FX/lighting/audio inherit safely.

16) QA Hooks

  • Provide a state checklist (what to test visually and functionally per state).
  • Include expected failures (what “broken” looks like) so QA can detect regressions.
  • Add collision and snag notes for holstering/wearables.

17) What to Exclude (for Clarity)

  • No layered beauty paintovers in the package root—keep them in a REF_ONLY folder or omit.
  • No ambiguous names (final_FINAL2.psd).
  • No unscaled screenshots without a scale bar.
  • No undocumented color grades; always ship the original value map.

18) Closing Thought

A final package is a promise: the prop will ship as designed because the design is now measurable, scannable, and adjustable by numbers rather than vibes. When every sheet, table, and file name lines up, downstream teams work faster and with fewer surprises—and your prop remains the same iconic object you conceived at ideation, all the way to the player’s hands.