3DS Max: Getting an accurate Polygon Count

Voxel

The Statistics Max is showing me seem to be malfunctioning or something along those lines and I can't figure out why.

First some info:
-I made a model that the statistics say is 950 polys
-When I go into Polygon selection mode and select all, there are 950 faces/polys

Here's My problem:
-When I export to SMD via Wallworm, using default settings, the poly count jumps to 1864.
-The Poly count also jumps when a multires/pro optimizer modifier is applied.

Now as far as I know it only just started doing this a few weeks ago. I haven't done anything to max except model.

Synaesthesia

IIRC, polygon count is inaccurate. You're looking for triangle counts instead.

monster

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/3DSMax/files/GUID-EAB3E8C9-DDF4-4525-9BD9-E3A10885CBAB-htm.html

In the Viewport Statistics use Triangle count and not Polygon Count.

GlowingPotato

actually, poly count and triangle count isn't accurate at all...


If you are talking about game assets, what you looking for is the vertex count AFTER exported.

A simple cube with 6 faces can contain 8 vertices or up to 24 vertices. it all depends of the UV's and smooth edges.

Voxel

I figured, the poly count couldn't be trusted.

I also found out through further research that a fully triangulated model seems to have the same amount of polys as it does tris.

The source of my confusion is Valve's item "Poly limits" for TF2. On the workshop site it says: "Keep the polycount similar to what's already in the game. Try to keep hats under 1,000 polygons, and weapons under 6,500."

Since all the TF2 models seem to be triangulated, does that mean 1 Polygon = 1 Tri and I should be aiming for 1,000 TRIS and 6,500 TRIS?

If that's true it is no wonder I can't get the importer to work for anything, as I've been modeling using max's polygon counter On the bright side, none of my stuff turned out to be too much above the suggested limit, so I have that I guess.

Quack!

All realtime models are triangulated. So they mean triangle limit, not polygon.

Definition of polygon: a plane figure with at least three straight sides and angles, and typically five or more.

Voxel

Ooohhhh, okay, thanks guys!

It's really annoying that my instructors drilled into me quads=polys and models should be all quads all the time. Especially when all real time game models are triangulated.