Videogame Topology

iZac · Jan 2013

So I am making a character for a xblig game and im pretty new to all of this game art stuff.

I have this character ready to get texture and normal mapped but am wondering how to lower my polycount and mix the clothing (Subtools) to my character so i dont have extra quads.

My pants are and shirt are pretty high

pants 99k
shirt 66k
and body 2,650

And i did try merging all my subtools and doing autop in 3dcoat
though... it didnt turnout

What should I do to get this guy at low polycount?

Remake shirt and pants from original low poly mesh and cut out the areas hidden by the shirt and pants?

Retopogize over a merged tool?

Add3r · Jan 2013

You have 3D coat, yet did auto-topo? lol Kidding aside, dont ever do auto topo in any program if you want clean work. Since you have 3D coat already, use some of the amazing tools it has for re-topo! I would research basic character topology guides and studies to get an idea where you should be adding extra cuts for animation as well as clean edge loops for UVs and to remove texture stretch when baking down, etc. I use zbrush for sculpting HP, do a basic decimate to get a reasonable "LP/HP", create the low poly and cage in Maya/Max and/or create the LP in 3D coat, and then bake in Xnormal. I then use photoshop and other texturing tools to do micro cleanup of bakes, adjustments, and then texture, with the maps I get from Xnormal, etc.

iZac · Jan 2013

Add3r wrote: »

I use zbrush for sculpting HP, do a basic decimate to get a reasonable "LP/HP", create the low poly and cage in Maya/Max and/or create the LP in 3D coat, and then bake in Xnormal. I then use photoshop and other texturing tools to do micro cleanup of bakes, adjustments, and then texture, with the maps I get from Xnormal, etc.

Soooo Let me try and see if i understand everything (yes im that noobish)

1: Merge all subtools
2: export to obj
3: make that obj to a lowpoly through 3DC
4: Cage in Maya (which is for rigging right?)
5: Then import both obj to Xnormal and and create normals based off HP obj?

sorry for ignorance i only know the basics of modeling though i think i got the hold on sculpting and painting.

THANKS for helping

4evra · Jan 2013

U get the high poly object and extract fine details from it into a normal map,which u then glue onto low poly.

That way,the normal map will simulate advanced geo and shapes on mostlz flat surfaces that map is applied to.

Cage is there to make sure every detail from high poly gets placed into right position on low poly,if i recall correctly.

This could help:
http://www.surlybird.com/tutorials/ImportDetail/index.html

Add3r · Jan 2013

If you do not understand the basics of what a cage is, etc (not trying to be mean, just trying to help in any way possible, I was once at your stage, as everyone here has been), I would start researching basic baking techniques and terms. The high poly baking tutorials in the Wiki here on PC are amazing as a start.

For starters; A cage is a "mesh" per say, that is used as like a projection object. You create a tight outer shell (normally a larger LP, modified for a clean bake in cracks/crevices), and each face is used as a projector on the correlating adjacent face of the LP. Basically, you are creating the envelope in which the LP will sit, and the HP will project onto the LP. Its an extremely hard concept to explain without images and face to face, interactive explanations. You are better off researching baking, cages, etc on your own

lol.

As for the sequence:

- All your HP work from the base mesh
- Can merge or keep subtool seperate - Decimate each subtool with decimation master to something more manageable, but keep all the major detail shapes for a proper LP build, but help keep your comp from exploding.
- Export the decimated subtool(s) as OBJs into 3D coat or into Maya/Max
- Create the LP and Cage from the decimated object (Can just use a simplified HP if your workstation can handle it)
- Use a program (I use Xnormal, as a lot of others do as well) to "bake" the HP details via cage, onto the LP, in the form of the normal map, displacement maps, AO, etc.
- Clean up maps in desired 2D programs.

That is an entire HP to LP workflow in a nutshell, the rest is up to you to research and practice. Each artist has their workflow, and that is mine. Once you can grasp a basic, tried and true workflow, you can start adapting a workflow that works better for you and helps you cut time down, as that is the key here right? Make quick, good, production level work. More work = mo-money. Fast, good work = More contracts and a good rep.

Its all about research, and practice. The internet is an AMAZING thing. Use every single crevice of it to your advantage. Dont be daunted by the programs. Just using them and pushing your comfort level and taking on project after project, progressing a little more and more every time will push you to get onto the level of most professional artists pretty quickly. When I first started, I was honestly terrified of failure, not being as good as everyone else, and just the troubles of trying to learn how to use the programs, zbrush mainly. I didnt know where to start with my workflow, but just working and researching helped me with that.

Goodluck and cheers mate!

iZac · Jan 2013

Thanks soooooo much. That was really really helpful. I love this community!

Videogame Topology

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