Mid Poly + Decal workflow - techniques and optimization

SolumNight

Guys, who worked on mid-poly projects, how best to create a decal texture to optimize - better one large map for the level, which will be used only on this level, or a few small, but that you can reuse them or maybe some other option is?

For example, I have a couple of the same bolt decals on different levels, but all the other decals are different, how to do in this case? 

Ghogiel

SolumNight said:

Guys, who worked on mid-poly projects, how best to create a decal texture to optimize - better one large map for the level, which will be used only on this level, or a few small, but that you can reuse them or maybe some other option is?

For example, I have a couple of the same bolt decals on different levels, but all the other decals are different, how to do in this case? 

If I understand correctly, since it's just a couple small details, and that appears to be the only reason you need that second texture set and material for that level, I'd probably add the bolt decal to the other levels decal texture sheet so it's all self contained.
Limiting the number of materials and textures being loaded at the cost of a little texture realestate is almost undoubtedly going to be better performance and resource use. It'll just be cleaner managing assets with one less material on them too.

If there is going to be a sort of universal set of decals (thats more substantial than just a few bolts) used everywhere and then also a specific per level decal set, I might comparmentalize the decal sheets like that.