There are a few considerations of subdiv modeling that you need to be aware of if you're looking to master this workflow and navigate the feedback. This section will have reference links to more advanced methodology that you can explore if you're curious about them, though I also recommend stepping through this guide progressively. But as always, how you learn is your choice.

The VFX industry is the most strict industry when it comes to subdiv modeling. Quad-only and evenly distributed faces are a necessity for most assets due to the pipeline tools and animation/deformation concerns. I don't have much to say about VFX modeling as I don't have direct professional experience with it. Suffice it to say, you can still use most of the concepts talked about in this guide, just without introducing ngons into your workflow. Or at least not without your supervisor's permission.

Product Viz is VFX-adjacent, but also kind of lives in a middle ground where a lot of the same guidelines are less strict. This is probably the halfway point between modeling subdiv for games vs VFX. Ngons are acceptable for most things here, but the shading invites higher scrutiny than games. Tread lightly.

Game dev is by far the most free-flow in terms of what you can do and get away with for subdiv. Minor shading errors are fine 90% of the time. Time and efficiency are the primary considerations when making high poly subdiv models and as such, knowing how to maximize your results with the least amount of work is the mindset you'll need to adopt. I would consider this the most aggressive industry for furthering your problem solving and optimization skillsets.

This one is the newest of the bunch and is probably closer to game dev than product viz. Keeping faces regular with even distribution is a good way to go, through convex ngons are acceptable within the confines of "does it shade correctly?".

Hell if I know. People do crazy shit with subdiv all the time. Fly headlong into whatever this place is and learn as you go. The world is your oyster. Try things nobody else has tried. Just be aware that any feedback you get is probably not going to apply to this new method and that shouldn't stop you because you're trailblazing now! Fuck the haters.

For whatever reason, sculpting software like Zbrush do not support ngons (likely due to outdated subdivision algorithms). To get around this, export your base mesh with one level of subdiv applied. This will fully quad your mesh and allow Zbrush to import it without issue.