Documentation on custom/weighted normals + texturing for environment art?

Dantexagc

Hi everybody, I am writing to ask if anybody can direct me to good sources of information (articles, videos, pdfs..) regarding using models with chamfer and custom/weighted normals to make environments. 

I understand how to make the models with the desired shading but I would like to know more about texturing methods to achieve realistic results in large environments. I know it is possible to use decals or combine several tileable textures with masks to get detail and variation within the same model. I am just having a hard time finding detailed information about these workflows.

Thanks a lot!

jStins

Have you seen this thread? 

https://polycount.com/discussion/154664/a-short-explanation-about-custom-vertex-normals-tutorial/p1

it's a bit old by now, but has some good example images and whatnot. I can't vouch for it all being relevant to current workflows however. 

And this one about decal texturing techniques from around that same period so same disclaimer!

https://polycount.com/discussion/155894/decal-technique-from-star-citizen/p1 

Edit: Just to add a bit to this... I've used some face weighting for hard surface stuff with nice results (nothing near the scope of Star Citizen assets). Biggest issue I've run into and something that I've seen come up in discourse centered on this technique... Is that it's a bit fragile in the pipeline where mesh changes can break vertex normals that then need to be redone / reworked. But again its been awhile and perhaps the toolset/pipeline for this technique is more robust now. 

Dantexagc

Thank you! I will take a look at it!