BIG question about Sub Division in environment models

reMatt

Hello, i've been learning 3ds Max for a fair amount of time now however there has been always one question that I cannot find the answer to.

OK, so I know how to create probs using sub division techniques like turbosmooth and mudbox etc... But would I use the same technique in creating an object like a house?

Thanks for your time

- Matt

reMatt

Just to add, other environment objects too such as statues, walls so on.

Chimp

You can use whatever tools that enable you to get the job done, it's as simple as that Have you tried using said tools to make said objects? It's a very broad question to ask, its like asking 'can I use this pencil to draw a picture of this house?'

Ultimately your turbosmoothing and all that is going to have to be retopologised to make them more reasonable for realtime use though.

reMatt

haha, I see now Thanks for the quick reply

EarthQuake

It really depends, but usually something large like a house would use tiling textures, so you won't make a unique highpoly mesh with sub-d for the entire house and bake that down to a lowpoly with unique uvs, because you would end up needing multiple 8K textures to get decent detail.

So usually, beveled edges and things like that are modeled directly into the lowpoly.

Now, there are exceptions of course, mostly for more detailed elements. Windows, shutters, AC units, light fixtures, trim, all of these might have highpoly meshes with unique uvs. You might have a highpoly mesh for all your base tiling textures too, like brick walls and things like that, but usually you can do that sort of stuff in 2d as well with nDo or similar tools.

If you can break the building up into modular pieces, each piece might have a unique highpoly as well. An example would be a space station or sci-fi corridor, you might have some repeating wall, floor, ceiling, door, etc panels that you would model with unique highpolys and then arrange in various ways with the lowpoly.