Wireframe Help

JordanLeigh

Hi guys, getting back into this after like 4 years off. Currently working on my high poly and using the turbosmooth modifier in 3dsmax. I'm using edge loops to get nice chamfered edges but they are also giving me hard looking edges on the curvature which I don't want. Can anyone give some advice on my topology to avoid this. Many Thanks

Benjammin

Well, because it looks like you've added extra edge loops everywhere, which is the wrong way to go about it. You just want to have them on the edges that you actually want chamfered.

JordanLeigh

Benjammin said:

Well, because it looks like you've added extra edge loops everywhere, which is the wrong way to go about it. You just want to have them on the edges that you actually want chamfered.

I need them on the one i've shown as they keep the extrusion edge hard. Its the same for the other loops as well

Thanez

Hi there, friendo!
Ah, how to terminate those constricting edgeloops without fucking up the roundness of the cylinder.
https://polycount.com/discussion/56014/how-the-f-do-i-model-this-reply-for-help-with-specific-shapes-post-attempt-before-asking/p161
That page has a lot of different solutions to what you're facing. They all have pros and cons, and most create issues of their own. Try your hand at all of them if you want to learn how and when they are best used.
My favorite method is having enough geometry in the cylinder already so that the cylinder's natural edges act as constricting geometry for your smoothed edges, as so with an 80-sided cylinder:

Two simple extrude actions:

Edgeloops added:

Turbosmoothed:

Now that all your edges are constricted in square polygons, you can properly use the doublesmooth technique. Add smoothing groups to your model according to where you want to make it sharper (I did autosmooth by 45°) Below your smoothing turbosmooth, add another, and check the "Separate by smoothing groups" box.
1 iteration:

2 iterations:

Your main problem is not understanding what turbosmooth does, and and thus how it'll affect your mesh.
If you study the following you'll be set for life. Part 2 first for catmull-clarke because that's what turbosmooth uses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THiF7-QxKXk
Part 1 because
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uscFr2Hht0

musashidan

@Thanez if OP is going that high poly and this is a game asset then he doesn't even need to use a sub-d mesh. Smoothing groups and a chamfer modifier will work the same.

OP - mate, you've been out of the game for 4 years, but sub-d modeling principles have been the same for 20.

JordanLeigh

@Thanez Thanks! I guess I was starting the cylinder with not enough sides. Thank you for the links as well

kanga

JordanLeigh said:

@Thanez Thanks! I guess I was starting the cylinder with not enough sides. Thank you for the links as well

Well its not really the amount of side edges that is causing a problem with your initial pic. As has been said it looks like you selected all edges and hit bevel. The trick is to insert edgeloops next to the edges you want sharpened. The closer you set an aegeloop to an edge the sharper it will be. Up to a point. For ease of editing you don't want the edges on top of each other, so if the edges are still not sharp enough just insert a loop around the main form to add support.

Thanez

@musashidan OP said this was for a highpoly, tho. 
@JordanLeigh It's not so much about the amount of sides to the cylinder, it's that you didn't plan around the amount of geometry you went with. You could do something similar using other methods, as mentioned before.

musashidan

@Thanez yes, but the high poly doesn't always have to be sub-d. In fact, for a piece like that it's unnecessary. With enough segments on the cylinder and smoothing it's pretty much the same result.