help real time modeling

[Steban]

hi, ive a question, if i want to create a real time character for a videogame, is it better to model details such as muscles or is it better to use textures (normals,bump,..)?
i 've searched in the web, and i thought that these maps help to reduce polygons and make the character not too heavy, but recently i was told that for a videogame, the textures and the maps are not easy to program, and they need too much code and pc.
for a small company that is starting, with no enough tools, which of both methods is the best?

[Perversonality]

A mixture of both is usually the way to go. When building the model use muscle reference pictures with good poly flow to create the correct outline for the model. Then add details using a normal map. If the basic shape is unrealistic then the model won't be believable, but it will depend on your allowed poly count as to how much detail you can model vs how much has to be textured. Also your target engine will have an impact due to poly count restrictions and/or supported texture type and resolution restrictions

[Perversonality]

but recently i was told that for a videogame, the textures and the maps are not easy to program, and they need too much code and pc

Just spotted this, which sounds like rubbish to me! Either the engine supports it or it doesn't. The iPhone supports normal maps (albeit for static objects only right now) and that's not an overly powerful gaming device. If the devs are saying the code is too hard or too complex then maybe they should be looking at using a game engine that already exists instead of trying to write their own as it sounds like they may not be good enough to code a game engine!

[Steban]

thanks :)