3d Modelling Tecnisims?

e-barron

Hi guys, as always in my mission to become a better 3d Modeller
I have some time (1 year) without modelling a thing (have been taking useless classes in the Uni) and I have to confess that I have lost some sort of knowledge or skill. That's why i ask your help to solve this issue :P

Here i have a basic model that is intended to be a toyish tank and while I was modelling I thought about some technical things that disturbed me.

1) When I add some edges, do i have to add the entire loop or do i have to close it with another vertex or is it possible to leave it like i have in this image:


Back when i had 3d Modelling classes they teached me that there must be always 4 sided faces, or 3 sided depending the case, and this took me to my second doubt

2) The face above those two edges has 4 vertices or 6 vertices?

also is there a thread here in polycount that explains the modelling technisims to be applied for videogames?
I know it is a very basic question, but please i ask for your help thx a lot

gsokol

1) When I add some edges, do i have to add the entire loop or do i have to close it with another vertex or is it possible to leave it like i have in this image:

You will want to finish the loop.

2) The face above those two edges has 4 vertices or 6 vertices?

6

also is there a thread here in polycount that explains the modelling technisims to be applied for videogames?
I know it is a very basic question, but please i ask for your help thx a lot

Almost every thread is about modeling for games...thats what this place is all about. You won't find everything you want to know from a single thread...so keep an eye out and check out a bunch of them.

cryrid

Is this for subdivision? If it smooths correctly, then you could probably leave it alone without any problem. N-gons seem less likely to cause problems on planar surfaces.

The face above it looks to have at least 6 vertices.

e-barron

@gsokol thank you very much, but something keeps bothering me... is not more efficient (in this case) by working with a triangle rather than having to close an entire edge loop across the model which will translate in more polycount. I mean something like this:

also here i put concept of the tank:



@cryrid thx, nope is not for subD, i didn't knew that I could leave it that way with subD's

poopipe

When it goes to a game engine it Will be triangulated either way. 5 or more sided polys don't tend to triangulated in a predictable way so it is safer to stick to 4 or 3 sides. this is especially important when normal mapping as a change in the mesh can make the normal map appear wrong

Froyok

and

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56014

gsokol

you very much, but something keeps bothering me... is not more efficient (in this case) by working with a triangle rather than having to close an entire edge loop across the model which will translate in more polycount. I mean something like this:

Depends. If its for a low poly model then that is totally cool. If your doing high poly modeling or planning on bringing this into zbrush, then triangles can be an annoyance.

e-barron

wow thank you very much for ur help guys now I have this very clear so i can keep moving forward :P Seriously thank you a lot