What poly-count is standard in video games? How much is optimal?

I finished my first ever model.When is a model considered high-poly and what poly count are models typically reduced to when it comes to in-game implementation?

Engineers use calculations to determine what the scene can handle in games.

To push and do the math, you have to know what your target platform, memory, video requirements are.

It's different for every game and over time as 'Next Gen' has continued into successive next Gens, the polygon count has actually been less of a limiting factor and the materials are often as high or higher.

You can make a 20,000 model look like a 1 million model with some 4k maps.

How many 4k maps can you afford to push into the video card?

It depends on your target.If the model is for a human, 92K is too much.Overwatch ingame characters have 60K tris, and Last of us has 15K.Some models are over 25K tris.

"I don't know, but I have an opinion" is how many people are giving useless answers.The idea that every game has a different budget is ridiculous.There are relatively small ranges that are highly predictable based on model complexity and focus on that model expected on screen.

Adding more subdivisions is obsolete because we've reached the point where number of tris doesn't matter.The focus is now on texturing.For a game character that is always in focus, no more than 100k tris.It depends on the game and platform.

There isn't anything that is considered standard.It depends on your project.Character models can range from a few hundred polys to 100k+.The character models in the games range from 10k to 60k.Maybe your character is the entire environment and 100k isn't enough.Who knows?A flat plane is what you want for a blade of grass.Unless you are playing as a bug and you're going to be up close and personal with the grass, a few hundred or even thousand might make more sense.

There is no standard.Take the time to figure out what works for you.Get good at sculpting and baking.You can't really go wrong if you keep your models looking like high poly models.

There is a lot that is standard.You have ranges for "total background", "hero and hero-monsters" and "disposable goons".They are predictable because of an engine and a target.

If you have a hero with 20 unique units, you divide your budget by 20.There are many back-facing polys on the units, combined with repetition and instancing, and you can turn-off self-shadowing.These things are small compared to "is it 10k or 100k?"

If that model is an entire structure, then it should be adjusted.You need to redo it if it's a character.

It doesn't mean that you get greedy with the count.To render as much on the screen as possible is the goal.It's my nature to think this way, and not so much with some static image photo- realistic creating 3D modelers.He couldn't argue with me because I was his boss and I explained the math to him.

If you can make it with less polygons, then you have a responsibility to do so.