Creation of a Model
First the concept is born. In this case, there is not much to be born, since it is a cargo box.
Since the cargo box will look the same on all four sides, I will begin with the first side:





This object was created in a 3D modeling program, in which you edit points in 3D space on the various X, Y, and Z coordinates. The wires on the image below are called edges, and each line connects to a point, called a vertex. You can see all the vertexes (called verts for short) and edges here:



Now that I have it modeled, I need to texture it. Texturing is basically what gives the object color details. Here is the texture created in photoshop and the texture applied to the model:



This texture was created at 2048x2048 resolution (that means it is 2048 pixels high, and 2048 pixels wide), which is double what will be used in game. This is so that high details can be added, then the texture can be scaled down to the proper size.

Next, a bump map is created. A bump map is a black and white image which gives detail to the model. Black raises, and white lowers. This is used for effects such as scratches and pores. This bump map texture is then used to create a normal map, which is used in real time render such as games:



A normal map is capable of adding deep effects, such as grooves or bulges that might come from a screw or plate. This is the normal map used for the cargo box:



By making use of the normal map, we can delete a considerable amount of detail from the center of the model. The circular section creates a large amount of polygons, but the normal map gives the illusion that the polygons are still there, even though they are not:



This is the model in the game engine: