How do I cap a hole like this (it isn't technically a hole, so "cap" doesn't work)

Shuriken UK

Heres a example picture of the problem I'm facing right now. What I want to do, is create a polygon where the middle "line/edge" is, inside the hole in the tube. I've had this problem before but could never figure out a solution.



I'm trying to make a simple japanese style screen door, with a wooden frame thats attached to a sheet of screen. I want the screen to be a flat, 2D polygon, so I can keep the polycount to a minimum. The only other way I can think of doing this (by creating a door shaped box, then insetting rectangular cavities into each side), would double the amount of poly's needed for the screen.

The reason I want to minimize the polycount is because I intend to use this as a game asset in UDK.

Hope someone can shed some light on this. Thanks!

cryrid

You just just wedge a plane/grid mesh in there. Either have it sticking into the mesh if you dont think it will cause any problems for your specific needs, or subdivide it up a bit and snap the verts so that it's shape matches the inner ring.

sprunghunt

keep in mind that a 2d plane will lightmap really badly. It's generally a bad idea to do this and much better to just model a face that is welded across the vertexes. You might save a few vertexes doing it the other way but you'll end up with a worse result.

here's a article on the UDN about this kind of thing:

http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/LightMapUnwrapping.html

Shuriken UK

Thanks for the replies!

@Cryrid: Hey can you explain a bit more about the second method you mentioned? How would I do that? Sorry, I've got some BIG grey areas when it comes to modelling! I just know "a bit of this, and a bit of that" because I've taken what I do know from various tutorials or experiments. I dont really have extensive knowledge on one particular area, but a mish mash of different stuff.

@Sprunghunt: Thanks, so if I understand this correctly, it would be better to just do this the way I WAS going to do it (just creating the base shape, then insetting a series of smaller rectangle cavities into it, which would leave me with the frame)?

Thanks!

sprunghunt

It'd be better to just select the center edge loop and chamfer it with "split" turned on. Then to cap across those open edges.

Rhinokey

sprunghunt wrote: »

It'd be better to just select the center edge loop and chamfer it with "split" turned on. Then to cap across those open edges.

bingo

Shuriken UK

Thanks for the help. Yea I ended up just "inner extruding" the cavities, because theres so many of them, but I didn't know about that chamfer technique, so I'll remember that one! This is what I have so far, its low poly because I dont really know how far I can take things on UDK before it gets stroppy on 4 gigs of RAM, a 3.0 ghz dual, and a 4870 (getting kind of dated now). I've still got to texture them, but that shouldn't take too long. I'm trying to create a set of Oriental style modular architecture, some with a futuristic edge maybe. So far I've got one of those miniature "Chinese/Japanese garden" bridges, a shrine, a set of Japanese walls, and one of those big "archway" monuments.









I'm still a "noob" when it comes to modelling things, and I dont get as much time as I need to PROPERLY sit down and learn the techniques and most efficient methods; so I'm often just sat there in a haze of confusion and frustration, knowing what I WANT to do, but not HOW to do it, but I'm slowly getting there. Its only a free time hobby, but I'm not giving up. The prospect of one day being able to create anything I can imagine is just too much to ignore!