First model: UT2004 char
Howdy!
I'm new here so i guess it could be a good idea to introduce myself first. I study "digital graphics" at Sofe (School of Future Entertainment) in Karlshamn Sweden. My main passion when it comes to graphics is texturing, had never worked in Maya before I began my education last September.
So anyway, on with the real post. This is a school project, a lowpoly character that will be imported into UT2004 using the standard UT2004 sceleton (we don't have enought time to create custom animations). So, the model then:
Like the subject sais, this is my first model, have completed the "Learing Maya 8" book but that's all I've done leading up to this point. Right now I'm optimizing the model and need some suggestions and cretique of what to do. The limit is 4000 tris so I actually don't need to do anything... but I want to... if I need to and/or should that is
I might not have time optimizing the model 100% before the UV mapping (panning on doing that tomorrow, deadline on thursday) but it will be done, eventually.
The right hand might change since it will only hold the gun and have no joint for the fingers (the left hand have one joint for all the fingers but the thumb).
Oh and "half sphere" in the chest will be a hamster wheel, there will be a hamster sitting in there, controlling the robot. Here's a picture from the back, explains where some of the polygons went...
Hope the images ain't too big, wanted to get as much detail in them as possible.
Thanks a lot in advance!
I'm new here so i guess it could be a good idea to introduce myself first. I study "digital graphics" at Sofe (School of Future Entertainment) in Karlshamn Sweden. My main passion when it comes to graphics is texturing, had never worked in Maya before I began my education last September.
So anyway, on with the real post. This is a school project, a lowpoly character that will be imported into UT2004 using the standard UT2004 sceleton (we don't have enought time to create custom animations). So, the model then:
Like the subject sais, this is my first model, have completed the "Learing Maya 8" book but that's all I've done leading up to this point. Right now I'm optimizing the model and need some suggestions and cretique of what to do. The limit is 4000 tris so I actually don't need to do anything... but I want to... if I need to and/or should that is
I might not have time optimizing the model 100% before the UV mapping (panning on doing that tomorrow, deadline on thursday) but it will be done, eventually.
The right hand might change since it will only hold the gun and have no joint for the fingers (the left hand have one joint for all the fingers but the thumb).
Oh and "half sphere" in the chest will be a hamster wheel, there will be a hamster sitting in there, controlling the robot. Here's a picture from the back, explains where some of the polygons went...
Hope the images ain't too big, wanted to get as much detail in them as possible.
Thanks a lot in advance!
Replies
Very helpfull, I'll start removing right away.
I guess that one of my biggest problems when staring this project was that I knew I had 4000 tris to work with, so why not use them? Stupid thought with a concept like mine.
Anyhow, I'll see how much I can reduce the count.
Thanks once again, much appreciated!
Etienne
I'd also like to point out zudchu, that for the model to work in UT2004 you'll have to triangulate it. Most of the pollys I see are quads... You'll end up with a 8k polly model. It's a lot, but the engin should support it... Don't use too many of these when playing.
Etienne
[/ QUOTE ]Yeah I know, on the other hand I have 4000 tris to work with, not 4000 polygons, not necessarily at least
Anyhow, work, work. Have deleted a nice chunk of edges, working with more tris than before. I think and hope it's going in the right direction. I don't really know if what I'm doing is fully right or not. Trial and error basically. I'll keep you updated, hope the model don't turn from unoptimized to messy
I'd also like to point out zudchu, that for the model to work in UT2004 you'll have to triangulate it. Most of the pollys I see are quads... You'll end up with a 8k polly model. It's a lot, but the engin should support it... Don't use too many of these when playing.
Etienne
[/ QUOTE ]
Looking at the polycount shown in the HUD, it's sitting at a comfortable 3350tris, which is acceptable for the UT2k4 engine. I have no idea where you calculated the 8k from
That aside, there definately could be some optimization for this model. Like the 3 loops on some of the edges, the back under the pipes could be cut down by a few loops and the jaw as well could be cut down a fair bit.
Keep it up.
-caseyjones
But anyhow, a quick update, have been working mainly on the chest part but have also fixed the gloves, lap thingys and pelvis just a bit. Now under 3000 tris. Don't know if I did too much to the poor chest though but don't think you'll even notice in an Unreal Tournament match anyway. Please correct me if I'm wrong and all ideas, suggestions and cretique is much appreciated
(edit: Oh I just remembered, edited the apperiance of the chest just a bit to make it a little rounder, like it better this way. Didn't remove any polygons but didn't create any new either so no harm done I hope
Yeah and by the way, just remebered that I had the blue print in a tiny version uploaded on Photobucket. Nothing fancy but they fill their purpose.
using the union tool might help, but i dont recommand it since it sometimes mess up the polygon flow
Keep checking the silhouette and clean areas that dont contribute anything, the edges that run down his jaw for example.
I wouldn't worry about the poly count so much as the flow. In the first pic for example the torso has a higher density than the tube on his back. In this case the tube has a greater curve to it so it would need more and the torso less.
By his legs spread stance I take it you're going to animate him yourself and not attach it to one of the default skeletons? He might fit the robots nicely, though he'd be really tall.
And is that a fish bowl? That's a neat idea too. I hope you actually model some of it instead of just texturing the sphere.
This feels dumb but I really need to start UV mapping now, can't fix that much more. Here's a new update, have added some detail to the chest part, making the thing behind his neck look a little better.
I will however delete some polygons in his thighs, have forgotten about them. But other than that I guess I have to feel pretty much done. 3132 tris by the way.
Haha and the thing in the chest is a hamster, not a fish, fish version will probably be done later though. Also have an idea of a parrot version having cages as shoulder pads. Anyhow, here's some concept art to show of the hamster idea a bit better (I hope). The armor itself will have hamster emblems and silly stuff like that.
Color scheme ain't final though so if anyone have any thoughts about that do't be afraid to tell me
genuine90: Yes it does, I don't know how much problem I will run into because of this though. I could try to merge the objects (using boolean and then fix the polygons), if it's necessary.
Caravaggio: I will use the standard skeleton and the standard animations. Concept/blue prints were done using that anatomy in mind. The leg stance at the skeleton that we've got is just like that.
I will not model anything inside the hamster wheel at this time, the wheel will have a opacity map and the hamster behind that will be textured. Might not be the best way to do it but I like texturing more than modelling