/hard-surface

name: hard-surface
description: AAA hard surface modeling for sci-fi, industrial, military, vehicles, weapons, robotics, and mechanical props. Use for boolean/bevel workflows, panel lines, greebles, chamfers, and manufacturing-accurate surfaces in Blender via MCP.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: https://github.com/arjun988
  version: "1.0.0"
  domain: blender
  role: specialist
  triggers: hard surface, sci-fi, industrial, military, vehicle, spaceship, weapon, robot, machinery, boolean, bevel, panel line, greeble, mechanical
  related-skills: blender-modeler, materials, uv-workflow, asset-optimization, vehicle-artist, prop-artist

Hard Surface Artist

Production hard surface modeling with manufacturing logic. Readable surfaces. Clean modifier stacks. MCP-first.

When to Use

• Sci-fi consoles, spaceships, industrial equipment
• Weapons, vehicles, robotics, military props
• Mechanical assemblies with panels, vents, bolts
• Any asset requiring crisp edges, booleans, chamfers

Design Principles

1. **Primary forms first** — Silhouette reads at distance 2. **Manufacturing logic** — Panel breaks follow construction seams 3. **Surface hierarchy** — Primary > Secondary > Tertiary > Micro (greebles) 4. **Functional readability** — Every form suggests purpose 5. **Edge consistency** — Uniform bevel widths per detail tier

Workflow

Reference → Scale Blockout → Primary Volumes → Panel Breaks
    → Boolean Cuts → Bevel Pass → Weighted Normals
    → Greebles (instanced) → UV Planning → Materials

Boolean Workflow

1. Block primary forms (no booleans yet)
2. Create cutter objects on separate collection COL_Booleans
3. Apply scale on all operands
4. Boolean Difference/Union — keep LIVE
5. Fix intersection artifacts with manual cleanup if needed
6. Bevel AFTER boolean in modifier stack
7. Apply booleans only at export prep

**Boolean rules:**

• Cutter objects named `SM_Cutter_[Feature]`
• Prefer exact solver for mechanical work
• Avoid booleans on curved surfaces without adequate topology
• Duplicate mesh before first boolean as backup

Bevel Workflow

| Detail Tier | Bevel Width | Segments | |-------------|-------------|----------| | Primary edges | 0.005–0.02m | 2–3 | | Panel lines | 0.001–0.003m | 1–2 | | Micro detail | 0.0005–0.001m | 1 |

• Use bevel weight or edge marks for selective beveling
• Weighted Normal modifier after bevel (keep sharp: 30°)
• Never bevel entire mesh uniformly on complex assets

Panel Lines

Techniques (prefer non-destructive): 1. Inset faces + slight extrude inward 2. Knife cuts on flat panels 3. Boolean with thin cutter boxes 4. Normal map detail for distant panels

Place panel lines at:

• Structural boundaries
• Access hatches, maintenance points
• Material transitions
• Manufacturing seam locations

Greebles

• Instance small detail meshes; never model unique unless hero
• Collection: `COL_Greebles`
• Keep greebles on separate mesh for easy toggle
• Budget: greebles should not dominate polycount
• Use array + random transform for scatter greebles

Hard Edge Management

Sharp edges → Mark Sharp or Bevel Weight = 1.0
Soft transitions → Bevel Weight = 0.0–0.5
Auto Smooth angle: 30°–45° for hard surface
Weighted Normal modifier: Keep Sharp enabled

Manufacturing Reference

| Real-World Feature | Modeling Approach | |--------------------|-------------------| | Sheet metal bend | Bevel + slight inset | | Weld seam | Thin raised strip or normal map | | Bolt pattern | Instanced cylinder, hex inset | | Vent grille | Boolean cut + array | | Cable routing | Curve + bevel object or geo nodes | | Rubber gasket | Separate mesh, slight inset channel |

Vehicle / Spaceship Specifics

> Prefer **vehicle-artist** for cars, ships, aircraft, and mechs. Use this skill when the vehicle is primarily hard-surface sci-fi detailing under a broader HS brief.

• Establish centerline symmetry early (Mirror modifier)
• Flow lines follow aerodynamic/structural logic
• Landing gear, thrusters as separate objects
• LOD: bake panel detail to normal at distance

Weapon Specifics

• Grip pivot at hand contact center
• Sight line alignment verified
• Separate moving parts (slide, magazine) as objects
• First-person: optimize silhouette for viewmodel

MCP Integration

Execute via MCP: 1. Create blockout primitives 2. Apply mirror/array modifiers 3. Execute boolean operations 4. Apply bevel and weighted normal 5. Instance greeble collections 6. Query polycount per phase

Constraints

MUST DO

• Maintain manufacturing plausibility
• Keep modifier stack non-destructive until export
• Use instancing for repeated mechanical detail
• Verify silhouette at 45° increments
• Apply scale before booleans

MUST NOT DO

• Boolean on unsubdivided curved surfaces without support
• Uniform bevel on entire complex mesh
• Model every bolt uniquely
• Skip weighted normals on hard surface
• Exceed polycount budget with micro-detail

Reference Guide

| Topic | Reference | Load When | |-------|-----------|-----------| | Boolean deep dive | `references/boolean-workflow.md` | Complex cuts | | Greeble library | `references/greeble-patterns.md` | Detail pass | | Pipeline | `../references/asset-pipeline.md` | Phase context |

Style Integration

| Style | Adjustment | |-------|------------| | realistic-style | Full bevel + PBR materials | | lowpoly-style | Skip micro-bevels; large flat panels | | horror-style | Industrial wear; asymmetric damage | | stylized-style | Exaggerated panel breaks; bold bevels |