What's the difference between modelling a hole and painting an alpha(transparency)?

meejeebee

Let's say I'm modelling a shoe. The shoe has holes where the shoelaces go through. I have a choice between modelling the holes in, or just painting the alpha transparency of the holes right? What is the difference and which method is preferable?

Eric Chadwick

Depends. How is the model going to be used? 

If for an augmented reality customer try-on, then file size is super important since you want the customer to be able to download it quickly. Alpha test is the way to go here, instead of a ton of vertices.

But if it’s an up-close interactive 3d product viewer, then you’ll probably want another version with modeled holes. 

Alpha test holes have infinitely thin edges, which you can improve a little by adding a normal map rim, but the edge is still knife-thin.

Neox

the question is, do you really need a working hole

? are laces going through? if so, it might as well just be pretending to be a hole and the laces just clip into the surface underneath.

Klunk

you normally see the tongue through the lace holes anyway... probably just a normal map should suffice

okidoki

Visible geometry when this is for example some advertisment.. and what shoes does your favorite hero wear anyway ?  (Of course it would look odd when for example a soldier wears high heels..  )