I'm very new to modeling, like days new, and I'm trying to learn everything from tutorials, but they all seem to address more complex problems. Assume i have learned enough, or can learn enough, from these tutorials to create a high poly model or a low poly model. Here's my question; how do i create both at once or something? Or convert from high to low or vice-versa. If it matters, my goal is to model something for TF2.

She'll all depend on the tools you're using. For high-to-low, you may want to search for 'retopology' tutorials.

I know people the both like to model low then high, or high then low. It doesn't matter much, whatever works for you.

When I first started, it seemed easier for me to block out a lowpoly and then attempt to build the highpoly source to fit it. This really is not the case. Do your highpoly work / sculpting work first, then retopo or construct the low around the high. For hardsurface work, loops can sometimes be removed from the high to create a low. Either way, you save yourself a lot of headache.

For something like TF2 you could probably just model in lowpoly. Not all of TF2's assets use normal mapping.

The idea is that the highpoly is the source for lighting information to be baked down to the low. It is therefore better to create first, so you can be sure the proportion and detail placement looks correct.

it also kind of depends on what you're making and what programs you have available. if you have access to zbrush, for almost anything organic (and many hard surface models as well) you should just hop right in and do the high poly first.

as far as hard surface modeling, kind of up to you. i would personally say that it's best to start off with a subdivision surface and do your high poly as soon as possible, because you'll have a lot less kinks to work out later on.

my philosophy would be that you just need it to look good somewhere, and retopologizing will save you any drama afterwards

Originally Posted by yoplatz

If it matters, my goal is to model something for TF2.

Don't bother with high poly sculpting, or making high poly meshes and baking them down to low poly. TF2 is pretty much a blocky easy to model game.

Learn to poly model and you're set.

Ok, thanks.
searching for retopology turned up lots of good stuff