max-mudbox (mp>hp>lp)

zerg

im working on a gun model, in max, and used edge-loops to constrain the turbosmooth modifier for my mid-poly model. im going to unwrap it, import in into mudbox and get a high-poly normal map.

what i am wondering is: can i optimize my mid-poly (by getting rid of the extra edge-loops) and still retain good normal map uvs?

my goal to retain a low,mid, and high poly version. :poly141:

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img1: mp

img2: hp

img3: hp w/ wireframe off

PredatorGSR

You don't need to have UV's on the high poly for sculpting detail in mudbox. You just need to UV the low poly and bake the detail from the high poly.

My workflow is usually that I'll create the high poly with those control loops, then for the low poly just delete the turbosmooth modifier and the extra edge loops, optimize the topology, and then uv.

To answer your specific question, yea you could, as long as you don't have any uv seams on edges that you will delete. However, in practice you are always probably going to have a seam on an edge you are going to optimize somewhere, so it will be very difficult and limiting to try to keep the uvs the same between the high and low poly. Especially since the low poly can change a lot compared to the high poly.

zerg

thank you so much! by the way, killer portfolio man.