What is the standard modeling workflow for games?

Hello, fellow Blenderheads. Right now Im studying modeling with video game and real time visualisation development in mind so Im trying to figure out which would be the best workflow for the purpose.

For example lets take a weapon model. Where do I start? Do I create a high poly model with subdivision surfice method, bake Normal map, optimise the model for use in real time engines, then apply the normal map and texture it?

Or do I create a low poly model first, ignore the high poly part entirely and use texture painting/projection for normal map creation and texturing work?

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Depends on the artist. I create a low-poly version, then high-poly it, then bake it down. Other people make the high-poly version and then retopo.

To be homest, 90% of the time I only do the low-poly model, as for things like levels, you don’t want to have massive textures. So just use smaller repeating ones.