I have never made a character for a game before. My reason for this post is to better understand how the game industry does things. If i want to make a character model that has 5 sets of armor with 5 different parts they could add/modify, i need to figure out how to make that type of model.

In games like NWN and MMO's, it was my assumption they had a different model for each armor peice and they called that in the code when you added the armor peice. If this is true, i would need to have 5 models of the arms per character model ( assuming i have 5 different types of armor they could have on their arm ) ?

Any guidance with this would be much appreciated. Example of my character is here.

It is a nice start for your first character, but you should go back to the basics first. First off, you try to archieve too much at once. Your model and texture are lacking lot of definition.

Try to create a model, show some wireframes and get some feedback to improve your modelling skills. When modelling, take a look at refrences, i.e. for orcs take a look at bodybuilders. Here are some critiques on your model you should try to improve:
- It seems to be too short (5-6 head instead of 8-9, hard to guess when there's no head attached).
- 3 fingers are too undefined, take at least 4.
- Where is his butt ?
- Where is the wireframe, sideshot ?
- The silhouette is quite weak.
- Arms are really undefined.

As already said, not a bad start, but no one is born as a master. Try to improve on your modelling skills first before diving into texturing.

While I appreciate the comments, and I will take them under advisment, I was more or less asking how game developers plan out their models when they know their models will need armor.

I know my human model will need shoulder pads, armguards, chestplate, leg plates. Do i make all of those parts of the body seperate? if i do, how do I make sure they are part of the bone mesh, so I can easily change them out? Trying to understand how that all works since I cant seem to find documentation on that.

Trying to understand how that all works since I cant seem to find documentation on that.

The reason is, that this depends a lot on the project, there's no standard way of doing it. Typical you need to workout a equipment/clothing/customizing system with the project tech-artist and/or a engine coder. There're just to many factors like budget,engine,art focus and style, customizing, variation, performance etc...

As example take a look at Punching Above Your Weight: Small Art Teams, Big Games from splash damage, it is a presentation of their customizing technique used in brink.

I did not see you posted on this until i was looking for the information through the search bar and found my own topic! I have a question for you on a somewhat related note. You have already created some characters in game for your goblin game. Would you mind going through a bit of how you did this? I don't need your code or anything but just leading us in the right direction would be a big help. You can PM me or respond here. Thanks for any help you are willing to give.

We just moved to the stage of adding in characters and models and kinda feel stumped as to what to do with the models that have been made.

Creating a character for a game is no magic. Model your character, rig it, add some non-mesh-deforming bones as attachment points for weapons etc., animate it, evaluate in the game the attachment point bones , render your weapon at this position.

From a artistis view you should take a look at rigging and animation. From a developer view you should look at skeletal animation system. Both are more advanced topics and need some time to get them running smoothly.

This is some great help, thank you for it. I will keep you posted on what we find