Thirding/Tileable Texture Help + C&C
polycounter lvl 14
Hi guys, thanks for stopping by. This is my first time trying to implement thirding and tileable textures on my model and I'm having quite a bit of difficulty. Also, this is the most complex model I have built so far, sadly (after 30 weeks of animation school), and I need some good comments and critiques on it. I'm probably going to be asking a few noob questions and asking for a bit more detailed C&C because I really haven't recieved much feedback or "you can do it better by" in school. So have patience with me!
I understand how to get a simple box to do this like below:
However, I don't understand or comprehend how I do something similar for a complex model. This is the model I am trying to do it on (nevermind that purple plane, forgot that was there when I took the screenshot. I was playing around with decaling):
Rendered
As you can see, I chopped it into a quarter and plan to add symmetry to it after to restore the model. However, I don't want it to look horribly symmetrical after doing so and I hear thirding will help with that. UV mapping even a 1/4 seems redundant, as many of the faces on it are identical. (Please note the completed subway in the background is high poly and will be used for normal mapping. The foreground one is the one is lower poly and the one I'm working on now)
I guess my first question to you guys is when thirding this do I neccisarily need to map all the 'like' portions of this model together? I hear that by using this technique you can add in details so it doesn't look the same everywhere, but still keep the tiling. Would I just not third some of the faces? Would I leave a hole, per say, in the uv mapping to where I'd like to add some unique detail? Or am I missing the point.
My next question is in regards to proper edge flow and if their is anything different I should do to set it up for thirding. I mean the main reason I'm doing this is to keep the pixel density decent but also not make it look horribly symmetrical. Are these assymetrical details added in with geometry or what?
My third question has to do with UVW mapping the model. How should I divy up the faces?
If you have a better way, let me know.
My final question is on the step by step how to third this model. I can even upload it if you want to help. Is it just as simple as deleted redundant faces and shift dragging (clone) them into position?
Thanks for taking the time to read this and hopefully you guys can help me fully wrap my mind around the technique. When completed, this model will be used inside the Unreal Engine.
I understand how to get a simple box to do this like below:
However, I don't understand or comprehend how I do something similar for a complex model. This is the model I am trying to do it on (nevermind that purple plane, forgot that was there when I took the screenshot. I was playing around with decaling):
Rendered
As you can see, I chopped it into a quarter and plan to add symmetry to it after to restore the model. However, I don't want it to look horribly symmetrical after doing so and I hear thirding will help with that. UV mapping even a 1/4 seems redundant, as many of the faces on it are identical. (Please note the completed subway in the background is high poly and will be used for normal mapping. The foreground one is the one is lower poly and the one I'm working on now)
I guess my first question to you guys is when thirding this do I neccisarily need to map all the 'like' portions of this model together? I hear that by using this technique you can add in details so it doesn't look the same everywhere, but still keep the tiling. Would I just not third some of the faces? Would I leave a hole, per say, in the uv mapping to where I'd like to add some unique detail? Or am I missing the point.
My next question is in regards to proper edge flow and if their is anything different I should do to set it up for thirding. I mean the main reason I'm doing this is to keep the pixel density decent but also not make it look horribly symmetrical. Are these assymetrical details added in with geometry or what?
My third question has to do with UVW mapping the model. How should I divy up the faces?
If you have a better way, let me know.
My final question is on the step by step how to third this model. I can even upload it if you want to help. Is it just as simple as deleted redundant faces and shift dragging (clone) them into position?
Thanks for taking the time to read this and hopefully you guys can help me fully wrap my mind around the technique. When completed, this model will be used inside the Unreal Engine.
Replies
Typically, thirding is for wall pieces. Since this is a more unique prop, I can heavily reuse parts of my texture. Vig took the liberty to draw this up for me.
The pink, yellow, and green get planar mapped and recycled down the length of the subway car. Not always in that order, but I just need to make sure they tile. Then I'll cylinder map the width of the inside windows and then I have to UV map the door.
I haven't decided if I'll make use of an alpha plane to add in some graffeti, or if I'll make two more seperate shells for that. Probably just a plane.