Modeling a basketball net - techniques?

jordank95 · Jun 2017

Hi guys. Been looking into making a basketball net and can't figure out the best way to do this. Does it make sense to model the extra small detail on the actual fabric threads on the net in zbrush? Or should I just use an alpha mask along with a texture and skip the modeling of the actual net altogether? I think there should be some normal map to make out the roundness of each thread piece. Not sure the best technique I should do for this.

Any suggestions?

kanga · Jun 2017

The end use of the model is the most important aspect here. Us the net a hero model or a bit part support player? How close will the net be in frame? If its for a game and just a bit player I would use textures with alpha an channel. If its for a 'basketball net ad, Id model every string.

musashidan · Jun 2017

As kanga says, what is it for? A background object in a game? An offline rendered still/animation? There are many ways to model it and we can give ideas but you need to give more info.

jordank95 · Jun 2017

@kanga @musashidan - it's for a game, but you will be able to get up close to it. It will be hanging on a wall almost at eye level. I should also mention its for VR.

kanga · Jun 2017

Ah ok. I would model the net strings as 3d objects. You could further detail them with normal maps for medium range, but up close the normals will flatten. There are probably folks here who can help you further.

Mark Dygert · Jun 2017

Model one diamond shaped loop with a knot at the top and one of the sides so it will tile horizontally and vertically.
Copy it in a straight strip horizontally and then copy the strip vertically.
Use bend modifiers to make a cylinder.
Stretch the top row of loops, because basketball nets do that. Add subdivisions if you think you'll need them.
Then use the taper modifier to give it a little bit of an hourglass shape.

musashidan · Jun 2017

Here's another way you could do it. I made a quick step-by-step as it's easier than explaining. Obviously you can change the initial cylinder as required for your own amount of net segments. Also, this is a guide to one particular method. You can add more geo and deform the strings more to bend and twist around the hooks. Or you could remove/reduce some or all of the knot geo as needed. Also, using the Lattice mod will give you a great head start on unwrapping if you check the 'new' radio button.

cptSwing · Jun 2017

Aye, Lattice came to mind as well. Shame there's no "Lattice 2.0" which creates watertight geo instead of just mashing together those cylinders and cubes, though.

kanga · Jun 2017

Now that is what I call service!

musashidan · Jun 2017

@cptSwing yeah, with mcg a lot of old modifiers got a 2.0 it would definitely be more useful if Lattice were watertight with the option of adding custom knot meshes.

@kanga I actually enjoy doing little mini-tut excercises like this. It's very relaxing.

WilliamVaughan · Jun 2017

THis is old school but might give you some ideas: ftp://ftp.newtek.com/multimedia/movies/w3dw/Hoop.mov

jordank95 · Jun 2017

musashidan said:

Here's another way you could do it. I made a quick step-by-step as it's easier than explaining. Obviously you can change the initial cylinder as required for your own amount of net segments. Also, this is a guide to one particular method. You can add more geo and deform the strings more to bend and twist around the hooks. Or you could remove/reduce some or all of the knot geo as needed. Also, using the Lattice mod will give you a great head start on unwrapping if you check the 'new' radio button.

This is great! Thanks. I was really looking to model this using an alpha map, but if geometry isn't an issue much anymore, this method works great too.

Eric Chadwick · Jun 2017

You could use this technique to bake an alpha map + normal map.

I would recommend adding the Lattice at the end though, so the string stays the same thickness throughout.

Modeling a basketball net - techniques?

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