Non-planer Quads, when to worry
Hello folks,
To some extent, I'm finding myself stopping and trying to learn as much as possible about getting a mesh right before moving on with my game project. I had that thread on getting a shoulder right, and I'm wondering something new as I finish things up.
I suppose it's not the same with all engines, but I'll be converting to all triangles on the final mesh. My obj exporter will convert to triangles (I'm using blender, btw) or I could select the whole mesh and hit ctrl+t and that would work too, but I'm a tad concerned with the choices that the program or export will make in dividing the non-planar quads. I try to keep my quads as close to a plane as possible, but there are quite a few areas, particular in my new shoulder area, where it's a concern.
I'm already using a script to patch up my normals post export (I export the mesh as is to obj along with a triangulated obj file and run a program to take the faces defined in one with the normals from the other) but I'm still wondering if I should be trusting the export or going over my mesh once I'm "done" and making a choice on where to divide some of the quads myself.
To some extent, I'm finding myself stopping and trying to learn as much as possible about getting a mesh right before moving on with my game project. I had that thread on getting a shoulder right, and I'm wondering something new as I finish things up.
I suppose it's not the same with all engines, but I'll be converting to all triangles on the final mesh. My obj exporter will convert to triangles (I'm using blender, btw) or I could select the whole mesh and hit ctrl+t and that would work too, but I'm a tad concerned with the choices that the program or export will make in dividing the non-planar quads. I try to keep my quads as close to a plane as possible, but there are quite a few areas, particular in my new shoulder area, where it's a concern.
I'm already using a script to patch up my normals post export (I export the mesh as is to obj along with a triangulated obj file and run a program to take the faces defined in one with the normals from the other) but I'm still wondering if I should be trusting the export or going over my mesh once I'm "done" and making a choice on where to divide some of the quads myself.
Replies
I hear ya... there in-lies the question. So I guess this is pretty much a use your best judgment kind of thing?
Well what do you want to achieve by having planar quads?
From an artistic point of view as long as the model looks good nobody will care.
For technical requirements I would be worrying about the deformation, or even tri-stripping, of the model. Neither of these things have to do with the planarity of the quads. Especially if the model will be deforming (eg: during animation).
It may just be a question for a blender forum then... to see exactly how the program chooses which diagonal direction to cut a quad when a face is selected and ctrl+t is pressed.
For examples sake... here's an upward view of a section of shoulder and a face selected. You can see how the curvature is of the quad and where (you'd think) a line could/should be drawn to bisect it.
If you hit ctrl+t in Blender:
Removing the face and creating it manually with what I would have guessed it should have chosen to do...