Floating Geometry How To

Dragonwalker

Hi all, though I am not new to 3Ds Max, I never had any need for hi poly stuff, or more complex normal maps as I was only doing quick arch viz and stuff (majoring in architecture not 3d stuff). However I watched a couple of threads here and started improving my Max knowlage. So... I would really like some advice on:

Floating geometry, how to set it up? How it works? And basicly the whole deal...

I am not lazy per se, I tried searching for threads and tutorials, but I seem to need a reeeealy slooow explenation since I can't seem to get it right.

Thanks

jocose

Lots of ways to do it. Your goal is to create details that are not attached to the models surface, but instead float above and conform as closely as possible to the plane or curvature of the surfaces directly below it.

• You could simply model an object and then rotate it into place.
• Extract as a copy some polygons from the surfaces and the model the floating detail out of them.
• Use a deformer or script to conform the geometry to the surface.
• If the surface is planar you can also you the "align to normal" feature in 3dsmax

There are lots of other ways to I'm sure. Good luck with your floats

MatthewS

Floating geometry is used to efficiently create high detail on an object without having to cut the crap out of it. As jocose said, it is basically just an element floating above the main body of your high poly. It needs to be as close to your main mesh as possible without actually intersecting it.

Then when you go to bake your normal maps you stretch the cage out to encompass the floating geometry.

It really isn't that difficult to do and its not completely necessary, but it is a lot more efficient.

Dragonwalker

Thanks, so there is no special topl or anything, I just slap it on and bake it with a bigger cage? When does it not work? Is it because it is not close enough?

Dragonwalker

Thanks, so thers no special tool anything.. I just slap it on top of the object a size the cage right? When does it not work? What are the common mistakes I am going to do, me being me? (=

throttlekitty

Just check your results from a few straight on views. Floating geometry should have a pretty seamless look.
The only big downside is they're usually not good for AO bakes. I make sure they're a separate mesh when it comes time to bake so they can be excluded.

Dragonwalker

Thank you all!

Racer445

throttlekitty wrote: »

Just check your results from a few straight on views. Floating geometry should have a pretty seamless look.
The only big downside is they're usually not good for AO bakes. I make sure they're a separate mesh when it comes time to bake so they can be excluded.

if you're baking AO in max just select your floaters, right click, then go to properties and do this so the rap game becomes gravy:

Mark Dygert

I worked this up ages ago as a critique of another artists model, in order to highlight the points I was trying to make, I remodeled the whole thing from scratch.

On the bottom image I pushed the floaters away from the surface where they where just barely hovering so you could see them better.




The advantage was that I didn't have to create a crazy patch work of edges in one mesh. In the shell ejection port I did cut a box for the floater to rest inside which is easier to control than the many rounded edges of the ejection port.

The trick to most of these floaters is adding that extra flat lip on the outer rim so it blends into the surface. If you look at your floater from the side, and imagine the rays from the bake being cast down onto the surface, you can begin to understand how it works.

Which is another important lesson to learn when doing floaters, if you have an indent you want to slope your edges so they catch rays. You need to slope them enough that they will capture enough pixels to form the indent otherwise AT BEST you end up with a mostly flat floater with a few scattered pixels of slightly different color.