Looking for topology advice

Boozebeard

I'm making a Murloc model and I have just started making the low res model. I'm a bit clueless when it comes to topology. I've tried to have my topology match the anatomy of the model but I'm not sure of how well it will deform.

picture below of the sculpt and the current progress of the low res. Help really appreciated.

Thanks

stevston89

Few things.

First tell us what it's for. I am going to assume it's a game res model so.

Don't spiral the geo down to the wrist. There is no point.

Try to keep the same amount of loops all the way down the arm.

Don't bother trying to put topology for every muscle. It needlessly complicates things for the rigger.

I think your shoulder should be fine. Just remove all of the tension loops.

The key with this stuff is to let your normal map do the work and make the geometry as user friendly as possible. You don't want a bunch of geometry breaking the flow of your topology.

Boozebeard

Yeah it is meant to for real time. I was worried I was over complicating it. I'm not sure if I'm actually going to use a normal map or not, might just bake AO from the sculpt and just use a diffuse but I see your point.

Boozebeard

Is this better?

ZacD

A bit, but the elbow is still messy.

http://wiki.polycount.com/LimbTopology

Loops should flow from the upper arm all the way down to the lower arm.

almighty_gir

what bothers me more than the topology is the sculpt... the forearm muscles seem off, it's like at the elbow the forearm is twisted outward (as if the hands were palm-up) but clearly the hands are palm-in.

So the original topology you had would have made sense for the hands being palm-in since that's about 50% of the wrists full rotation and having a "twist" in the topology from elbow to hand is good there. however creating the muscle groups in the topology was a waste. so what you have now is closer to the even flow you want, but you would do well to impliment the same twist you had before.

and fix up the sculpt.

Boozebeard

Ok, I see what you mean about the sculpt I'll try and fix it. I think I got the topology on the arm ok now. I'll put some twist back in I guess?

ZacD

Much better!

Boozebeard

ZacD wrote: »

Much better!

Thank you for the help.

I twisted the top of the fore arm in a bit more. Does this look about right or do I need to do it a bit more?

Boozebeard

Can I get some feedback on the torso topo please. Probably need to add some more across the back. The triangles are a bit messy, could I put them some where better?