How can I improve on this HP model ?

MisterSande · Aug 2012

hey guys,

How can I improve on this model ? also, how much poly's is "too much" for a High Poly ?

should I import pieces in Zbrush and sculpt some dents and scratches or can this best be done trough a normal map ?

ivanzu · Aug 2012

There is no poly limit on the h-poly.The only limit is how much your pc can handle and it depends on how much details you want and that stuff.

MisterSande · Aug 2012

my new 16gb ram approves of your message

still it seems that max 2012 64 bit can lagg a bit, might this be due to a "ram lock" ?

Sage · Aug 2012

I suggest you dirty up a version in your sculpting app and use that version to generate normal maps from. Your second question is a bit confusing since you seem imply that you want to use your high poly for something other than normal maps. If you were to use a model for animation, even if it wasn't for real time purposes you would want it to be as light as possible so it didn't take forever to render.

MisterSande · Aug 2012

Sage wrote: »

I suggest you dirty up a version in your sculpting app and use that version to generate normal maps from. Your second question is a bit confusing since you seem imply that you want to use your high poly for something other than normal maps. If you were to use a model for animation, even if it wasn't for real time purposes you would want it to be as light as possible so it didn't take forever to render.

my second question was indeed confusing. I am very new to 3d texturing and presumed that you could add "detail" to the model by altering the normal and texture map (add scratches etc.).

If I want to use Zbrush to sculpt some additional detail to this mesh than should I import "certain sub-objects" or import the whole mesh ? also, what if my topology isn't good for sub-dividing in Zbrush, do I retopo it somewhere first ?

ivanzu · Aug 2012

Show the wireframes......

butt_sahib · Aug 2012

General rule of thumb
If it changes the silhouette use a displacement map
if it doesnt change the sillouette use a normal map

Yes you can alter the surface/add extra detail through different texture maps.
You could use a greyscale bump map
You could add detail to your normal map if you have knowledge of how the normals work or you could simply try the normal map plugin nDO

If you want to add detail in zbrush it is generally advised to bring things in as seperate subobjects. You can have all these subtools appended to one another in a single parent tool, but having them seperate saves up alot of your memory.

Topology isnt of substantial important as far as inorganic models are concerned. If your getting the result you want when the model is smooted/divided, then it really doesnt matter what kind of flow the edgeloops have. In zbrush, generally anything thats not a quad is know to bother people. Get rid of any n-gons/non-quads, work on the objects in zbrush, and project your details. I dont think theres any need to retopologise your model. Retopology is generally used when you have a very ugly mesh or, in context of organic models which will end up being animated, with a non-animation friendly topology.

caffeineadic · Aug 2012

Without the model being planned out for zBrush; you are better off doing grayscale detail in photoahop - convert and combine these with your HP normal bakes.

You can use crazy bump; nDo to convert your grayscale detail to normal maps.

danRod · Aug 2012

butt_sahib has good points. I personally like to model everything even dents and large "normal map" qualities to the model. My suggestion if you want to go sick with it is to set up all your geometry to be ready for ZBrush. Make sure the topology has even spacing in polys. (yes you will have to add loops to do this) Before doing so though, make a copy of your model as a back up to start a lowpoly from. the more you model the better and easier your diffuse comes along.

MisterSande · Aug 2012

danRod wrote: »

butt_sahib has good points. I personally like to model everything even dents and large "normal map" qualities to the model. My suggestion if you want to go sick with it is to set up all your geometry to be ready for ZBrush. Make sure the topology has even spacing in polys. (yes you will have to add loops to do this) Before doing so though, make a copy of your model as a back up to start a lowpoly from. the more you model the better and easier your diffuse comes along.

that sounds like a plan!

some questions regarding this process:
1. can I be "sloppy" when retopo"ing my HP meshes ? adding several edge loops "should" give the same result if im going for general dents and cuts but it obviously makes the polycount allot higher than if I would retopo it all.
2. do I import the high poly turbosmoothed mesh in Zbrush or do I import the low poly + edge loops/retopo ?
3. follow up to question 2: I imported my high poly in Zbrush and subdivided a couple of times but the poly count was way too high (16 million). Is there to project the extreme high poly details on a "lower" sub division (3-4 million poly's) ?

thanks for the help guys ^^

almighty_gir · Aug 2012

sorry man, i met HP in london not so long ago, and i'm afraid he's not a train...

Scythe · Aug 2012

I see what you did there, Gir

Mark Dygert · Aug 2012

Remember that you can add normal and bump maps to your high poly, things like dents, scratches or other metal fatigue details and they will be captured along with the geometry when baking. Typically you do a quick and dirty unwrap on your high poly pieces, it doesn't need to be pretty or optimized and then just throw on some details where needed.