Butcher's Bonesaw update - hard edges and low poly models questions.
Hey guys, i've been doing a rework of my Butcher's Bonesaw (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=176041966) and i'd like some opinions. I also have a couple of questions about hard edges, UV splits and normal mapping.
I posted an image of my lowpoly model with the normal map i have so far. I am happy with the model and shape (would like to listen opinions as well) but i'm not too happy with my normal map which is currently a doctored merge of 2 different bakes. (how hard is it frowned upon to slightly doctor normal maps here and there?)
And here comes the questions, how many hard edges are acceptable on a low poly model?
I'm using a metric shit ton of hard edges on that serrated blade, some more in the body of the blade, and some more on the handle. If i don't my lowpoly deforms with nasty artifacts in some places, or just no definition on the serrations or handle. I can't afford to add loops everywhere i need either.
In some places it works but it also brings a lot of problems on my normal maps. A specially problematic area are the inner walls of the hole in the blade, where i get some crazy highlights in marmoset.
I've read tons of tutorials/threads on the subject but i am very new to the world of 3d and i just can't seem to get good results. Might it be because the base shape of the mesh is not conductive to good normal mapping? Does it matter if i bake my maps with certain smoothing groups and change them after that?
I can go into further detail of my smoothing groups if needed, i just didn't want to make this any longer. Any advice on the mapping subject or opinions of the blade are very welcome, and thanks for being so patient if you read this far !
I posted an image of my lowpoly model with the normal map i have so far. I am happy with the model and shape (would like to listen opinions as well) but i'm not too happy with my normal map which is currently a doctored merge of 2 different bakes. (how hard is it frowned upon to slightly doctor normal maps here and there?)
And here comes the questions, how many hard edges are acceptable on a low poly model?
I'm using a metric shit ton of hard edges on that serrated blade, some more in the body of the blade, and some more on the handle. If i don't my lowpoly deforms with nasty artifacts in some places, or just no definition on the serrations or handle. I can't afford to add loops everywhere i need either.
In some places it works but it also brings a lot of problems on my normal maps. A specially problematic area are the inner walls of the hole in the blade, where i get some crazy highlights in marmoset.
I've read tons of tutorials/threads on the subject but i am very new to the world of 3d and i just can't seem to get good results. Might it be because the base shape of the mesh is not conductive to good normal mapping? Does it matter if i bake my maps with certain smoothing groups and change them after that?
I can go into further detail of my smoothing groups if needed, i just didn't want to make this any longer. Any advice on the mapping subject or opinions of the blade are very welcome, and thanks for being so patient if you read this far !