Low poly model

Lifelover

Hi guys,

I am a newbie zbrush sculptor and I have a question regarding low poly models. How does it work that a model like the one below, which consists of somewhere around 3k. tris looks really fine and the actual triangles cannot be seen? I mean, the texture is very polished, the detail is quite fine and still it's a game engine optimized model.

What't the technique behing it?




I tried to decimate my own model, projected the high res details onto the low res one but eventually, the decimated model was not as smooth as I wanted. Anyway, I am curious how the texture gives an impression of a relatively detailed model when behind it, there lies a low amount of polygons.

JordanN

Edit: My mistake. DOTA games don't actually use normal maps.

Brian "Panda" Choi

DOTA 2 uses handpainted Diffuse maps that are assisted by an AO. There's no NEED for sculpting, but sculpting is needed if yo want to bake out AO and preliminary details out,

Something similar to this: http://choib.blogspot.com/p/erasam-emberheart-blood-elf-artificer.html

You're going to want to bake maps out from your highpoly to your low-poly's UV set with xNormal or something similar.

Shrike

Dota 2 uses normal mapping for most of the stuff

http://kepfeltoltes.hu/130405/Ref_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

Brian "Panda" Choi

Whoopsies. Did NOT know that.

Lifelover

Thank you all for your quick responses! Could you guys tell me if decimation master is an efficient method to prepare the mesh for game engines? Is it still the best way to retopo manually or there is a short cut?

lotet

Lifelover wrote: »

Thank you all for your quick responses! Could you guys tell me if decimation master is an efficient method to prepare the mesh for game engines? Is it still the best way to retopo manually or there is a short cut?

no, its only used to optimize the highpoly for better performance when baking and creating maps, you must absolutely retop or create a low poly version of your model.

there are no shortcuts...ever.

lotet

Brian Panda Choi wrote: »

Whoopsies. Did NOT know that.

I think LOL only used diffuse maps, but Dota 2 uses most of the new fancy stuff, even PBR.

Eric Chadwick

Good topology is essential for game characters. Some info and pics here:

http://wiki.polycount.com/wiki/Topology

MephistonX

these are really good reading, and made by the guys that made that character!

http://media.steampowered.com/apps/dota2/workshop/Dota2CharacterArtGuide.pdf

http://media.steampowered.com/apps/dota2/workshop/Dota2CharacterTextureGuide.pdf