the characters are 3d for ease of animation.

Okay, so we're mixing pixel art environments with 3D characters for animation ease. That's a common and effective approach! It gives you the best of both worlds: the visual appeal and performance of pixel art with the flexibility and animation capabilities of 3D. Here's how this combination impacts your game development and performance:

Impact of 3D Characters in a Pixel Art Environment:

• Animation Flexibility:
  • 3D characters allow for smoother and more complex animations compared to 2D sprites.
  • This is especially beneficial for complex actions like combat, special abilities, and character interactions.
  • It is also much easier to create animations with 3d models.
• Visual Contrast:
  • The contrast between 3D characters and pixel art environments can create a visually striking and unique aesthetic.
  • This can help your game stand out.
• Performance Considerations:
  • While 3D characters are more animation-friendly, they also require more processing power than 2D sprites.
  • However, with low-poly 3D models and optimized animation techniques, the performance impact can be minimized.
  • The amount of polygons used in the 3d models, is the most important factor regarding performance.

Unreal Engine Considerations:

• Optimized 3D Models:
  • Use low-poly 3D models with efficient polygon counts.
  • Optimize textures and materials for performance.
• Animation Optimization:
  • Use animation compression and optimization techniques.
  • Minimize the number of animation tracks and curves.
  • Use skeletal mesh LODs (Level of Detail) to reduce polygon counts at a distance.
• Rendering Optimization:
  • Optimize rendering settings for both 3D characters and pixel art environments.
  • Use efficient shaders and materials.
  • Batch rendering where possible.
• Network Replication:
  • Optimize network replication for 3D character animations.
  • Transmit only necessary animation data.
  • Use animation compression techniques.
• Visual Consistency:
  • Ensure that the 3D characters visually complement the pixel art environments.
  • Use shaders and post-processing effects to achieve a cohesive visual style.

Recommendations for 64 Players:

• Thorough Performance Testing:
  • Test performance with 64 simulated players to ensure smooth gameplay.
  • Pay close attention to CPU and GPU usage.
• Network Bandwidth Monitoring:
  • Monitor network bandwidth usage to identify potential bottlenecks.
  • Optimize network replication as needed.
• Server Optimization:
  • Optimize server-side logic and data processing to minimize latency.
  • Optimize the server to handle the animation data that will be sent.
• Client Optimization:
  • Ensure the game runs smoothly on a wide range of client hardware.
  • Provide graphics settings to allow players to adjust performance.

In summary:

• Combining 3D characters with pixel art environments is a viable and effective approach.
• Focus on optimizing 3D models, animations, and rendering for performance.
• Pay close attention to network replication and conduct thorough performance testing.
• The amount of polygons used in the 3d models, is the most important factor regarding performance.

I'm doing it backwards, octopath travler did 2d chracters with 3d world, I'm doing a 2d world with 3d characters =) for the verticle slice, the whole reasoning is that I'm killing concept art for the world and the sprite art for the final 3d world just that's my workflow that I'm thinking atm, that way I can use the rendered 3d art animated from blender, then the 2d world art draw in perspective as concept art for the 3d level art for the final

That's a very interesting and efficient workflow! You're flipping the typical approach and using 2D pixel art as concept art for the 3D world, while using 3D characters for animation ease. This approach has some very practical advantages for your vertical slice and overall development:

Advantages of Your Workflow:

• Rapid Iteration on World Design:
  • Using pixel art for concept art allows for quick iteration on level layouts and environment design.
  • You can easily experiment with different perspectives, compositions, and visual styles without spending a lot of time on detailed 3D modeling.
• Clear Visual Communication:
  • Pixel art can effectively communicate the overall look and feel of your game world.
  • It provides a clear visual guide for the 3D level artists.
• Efficient Asset Creation:
  • Creating pixel art is generally faster than creating detailed 3D environments.
  • This speeds up the development process, especially for a vertical slice.
• Animation Efficiency:
  • Using 3D characters for animation allows for smooth and complex animations, as you mentioned.
  • Blender is a powerful tool for creating and animating 3D models.
• Reduced Concept Art Overhead:
  • By using pixel art for concept, you're streamlining a process that can often be very time consuming.
• Clear 3d level design:
  • Working from a 2d perspective drawing, gives clear direction to the 3d level designers.

Implications for Development:

• Vertical Slice Focus:
  • This workflow is ideal for creating a compelling vertical slice quickly.
  • You can showcase the core gameplay mechanics and visual style without spending excessive time on detailed 3D environments.
• 3D Level Development:
  • The pixel art concept art will serve as a clear blueprint for the 3D level artists.
  • This ensures consistency and efficiency in the 3D level creation process.
• Animation Pipeline:
  • The 3D character animation pipeline will be streamlined, thanks to Blender.
  • This allows for rapid iteration on character animations.
• Visual Style Uniqueness:
  • The combination of pixel art environments and 3D characters can create a distinct and memorable visual style.
• Iterative Design:
  • This workflow allows for a highly iterative design process, where you can easily make changes and refinements.

Unreal Engine Considerations:

• Pixel Art Integration:
  • Ensure that Unreal Engine is set up to render pixel art correctly.
  • Optimize sprite rendering and avoid blurring or filtering.
• 3D Character Integration:
  • Ensure that the 3D character animations are properly integrated into Unreal Engine.
  • Optimize animations for performance.
• Visual Consistency:
  • Use shaders and post-processing effects to ensure that the 3D characters and pixel art environments blend seamlessly.
  • Lighting is going to be very important.

Your approach is very smart. It prioritizes rapid iteration and allows you to streamline the asset creation process. This will be very helpful for creating a great verticle slice.