ANSWERED: Looking for some help form 'realtime' guys

Gordon Robb

Hi, I'm looking to model the Power Loader form Aliens. I have made the decision that I'm going to predominantly use DDO to texture it, and therefore, have decided on a perhaps convoluted modellnig route. I am doing the modelling in ZBRush, just using dynamesh and booleans etc to get a high poly, high detail part. I then want to create a low poly (i am most comfortable doing this in Topogun). But I'm kind of stuck when trying out the normal map creation.

I want to be clear, I'm not trying to create a low poly, game res type mesh. Just lo enough to animate, and perhaps render in Unity (mainly to play). The main reason is to have a low-ish and a normal, to get the best out of DDO.

My questions are....

1. If I have rounded edge, should my low poly have a bevel or perhaps be on the edge.

2. When I create my low poly and export it for use in xNormal, should my low poly have smoothing on?

3. When I render, should my low poly have smoothing on?

4. When I have a feature that is too big to just be on the normal, should I do topology that is connected to, or separate from the main body of the piece?

Basically any advice any experts in this field can offer, will be really helpful.

One example of a part is this...

Wiktor

1. I'd say both should work well, just make sure you get your edge splitting and UVs correct whichever way you choose to go.

2. Leave the smoothing setting at its default, I'm not entirely sure what it is, but you should let xnormal use your exported normals.

3. Same as #2. Use your normals that you've set yourself.

4. I would say connected to the main body of the piece.

Gordon Robb

Thanks Wiktor

OK, after hours of messing with different versions, I think I've settled on a process....

1. Model in Dynamesh (creativity unleashed)
2. Basic mesh in Topogun
3. Tweak mesh in Modeller to make it SubD-able
4. UV
5. Create Normal and colour ED
6. Fire it through DDO
7. Render in Octane..

This is that, textures took about 30 seconds to tweak.

Eric Ramberg

Damn Gordon looking real nice! Looking forward to the complete loader, Alien and Aliens are some of my favourite movies

Gordon Robb

Cheers Eric. I will definitely post the result here. I have to admit it took a long time for me to settle on a workflow that allowed for DDO to be used, but that was more about what I was used to working like

I still have no idea how to get things to show in my normal, using NDO.

I tell you what, I'll finish her up and get her looking superb, maybe even good enough to show off DDO, and you guys get 1.9 (with painting in 3DO) sorted out

Eric Ramberg

Lets see who gets their stuff finished first!