Highpoly Minigun

PixelGoat

Here's a highpoly minigun I've been working on. The plan is to make a lowpoly version of it and bake a normalmap. If anyone have any advice on how to go about making the lowpoly it would be greatly appreciated. Since the shape is quite complex I'm not sure how to start. watertight mesh? or do I use several separate meshes?

Crits and comments mucho welcome!

coldwolf

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Here's a highpoly minigun I've been working on. The plan is to make a lowpoly version of it and bake a normalmap.

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I like that plan, it's a good plan

I find it's best to start modeling at "medium" res--not pinching polys but not indulging myself in petty details like bolts or panel creases (though keeping them in mind). From that model it's quick to build a subd mesh as well as the lowpoly version. For the hipoly you add those petty details, for the lowpoly you remove anything that doesn't contribute to the silhouette.

Nice gun so far but it's a little too mini--the trigger/handle is way too big compared to the size of the barrels, which, according to your proportions, would fire BBs.

Also, please post images without so much blank space, makes it hard to view consecutive images and just plain wastes space. Oh, and post your wires, always!

Keep it up, you're doing well.

PixelGoat

Removed some excess blackspace from the first pics, and heres a wire, unsmoothed mostly


Will look into adjusting the size of the handle, since that's easier than rebuilding the barrels. But not sure how much smaller I can make it, the character that's supposed to hold it has pretty big hands :P