Developing the Eye Part 3: Intentionality (The "Why" Test)
We live in the era of "Smart Materials." You drag a "Dirty Metal" preset onto your mesh, and suddenly you ha... ...ve edge wear, rust, and dirt. It looks realistic instantly. And that is the problem.
The Trap: The "Happy Accident" When you rely on generators and procedural noises, you are letting the computer decide where the history of your object is.
Why is there rust on the top of the helmet but not the bottom? "Because the generator put it there."
Why is there a scratch on the left shoulder? "Because the alpha landed there."
This is not Design. This is RNG (Random Number Generation).
The Solution: The "Why" Test Taste comes from Intentionality. Every mark on your character should have a reason.
If there is a scratch on the shield, it's because an enemy sword hit it there.
If there is mud on the boots, it's because they walked through a swamp, not a desert.
If the cloth is faded, it's because the sun hits the shoulders more than the armpits.
The Workflow Shift Use procedural tools to get a base, but never finish with them. Paint over the generators. Erase the wear where it doesn't make sense. Add specific damage where the story demands it.
A viewer might not consciously know why a piece looks better, but they will feel the difference between "Random Noise" and "Lived-in History."
Rule #3: If you can't explain why a detail exists, delete it.
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