In this first part of my game-ready character series, I’m kicking things off the way I always do: picking a concept and building a solid reference board before I touch a single vertex. This video is basically the “setup” phase—making sure I’m not winging it once I get into sculpting. I’m focused on getting clarity on the character’s big shapes, materials, and the overall vibe, because if the reference is weak, the sculpt is going to be weak too. I walk through how I think about choosing a concept that’s actually workable for a full 3D pipeline, and what I’m looking for when I gather reference—anatomy, clothing construction, surface detail, and anything that helps me understand how the character exists in the real world. The takeaway is simple: reference isn’t optional, it’s the foundation. If you want a clean, game-ready result, you’ve gotta do the boring part first and make decisions early—your future self will thank you when it’s time to sculpt, retopo, and texture.