I'm obsessed with keeping all of my 3D Modelling files neat and ordered, it's part of my OCPD, but a good part, because I can usually find everything I need without having to look too hard. For example here is what the folder I keep door textures in looks like:



All nice and neatly named, with left handed, right handed, and frame textures, easy to find, note the file structure - 3D Modelling > - Textures > Doors & Windows > Doors ? All of my texture folders are like that, everything has a place, and i'm strict about keeping it like that

What quirks do you guys have for keeping everything within easy reach while modelling?

I openly admit my computer is a complete mess file wise.i wish a had started of doing what you are doing now .mayber I will start after my next clean install of windows.

Dave

I guess I'm somewhere in between you two.

I can be super OCD with game file/final file naming...
"PackGroup/Model Name_Mesh/UV ID_Texture Set ID_Shader ID"
Some people find my naming conventions confusing but they do the job I require of them.


But my local file directories are less specific (mostly because I pack stuff into .PSDs.)...


Meanwhile, my working file directories are a mess...


And my weapon work directories can be a mixed bag.
I try to keep a weapon's root directory relatively clean with the export-ready maxfiles, final PSD comps and scene maps...
(I have NO idea why I marked the world and VWEAP models with "PA"... Sometimes I have odd typos that get propagated as the hours wear on and my vision gets blurry... For all I know, it may have been an meaningful abbreviation at the time)


In my "Work" sub-directories, I keep my max files basically as a logbook. I can go back to whatever stage if I need to grab some random boolean object from an earlier stage or whatever. The more tightly packed the file versions are indicate how uncertain I am of something breaking or not...


And just to add some comfortable mess, I also have random reference pics, various texture bakes and UV guides, various skinning envelopes, raw PSDs, random orphan PSDs for shader compositing, layer merging, etc. stashed in there...


I generally know what/where everything is in the short term but if I return to a project after a long delay, I can need a bit to get reorientated.

My desktop has a folder called workbench where whatever is currently on the chopping block is located.

My Models are in folders that are ordered alphabetically. Every generation of models gets a banner name which is usually a mineral (Aquamarine, Pyrithe etc.) or a womans name (Alissa, Lyliette,Seraphina). If a collection of models makes it into a commercial pack, I will add an extra folder where a copy of these models will be kept as well. There are also a few folders including game specific stuff which are then named after the games title (Acythian, Shavra, Children of Dagon)

My textures are in the gamedesign & resources subfolder of my picture collection. These are ordered by year and then also divided into subfolders. While I'm usually finding everything I am looking for, they are far less ordered than Belidos or EAI collection.



-Wolf