Efficient way to create low poly from a high poly building scuplt

Ryandec · Apr 2014

I'm trying to get the best normal maps for this building that is suppose to look like its damaged, I have the base mesh I used for sculpting and Iv'e tried using that and I get bad results, I need to create a low poly but keep the flow around the damaged areas and more extruded places..

EarthQuake · Apr 2014

Generally speaking, this isn't how people create assets like this for games. Buildings in a game will use tiling textures, with layered materials show show wear and such. Its really inefficient to uniquely uv an asset like this, the texture memory usage is either going to be totally insane, or the textures are just going to look low res and awful.

sargentcrunch · Apr 2014

Ryandec · Apr 2014

EarthQuake wrote: »

Generally speaking, this isn't how people create assets like this for games. Buildings in a game will use tiling textures, with layered materials show show wear and such. Its really inefficient to uniquely uv an asset like this, the texture memory usage is either going to be totally insane, or the textures are just going to look low res and awful.

So basically you means its just better to use something like crazybump for normals rather than try to create a high poly?

JustMeSR · Apr 2014

Ryandec wrote: »

So basically you means its just better to use something like crazybump for normals rather than try to create a high poly?

I think he meant you should make part of the wall and then duplicating that to make walls (and then the whole building) out of already baked and textured parts.

Also don't be afraid to use reference, check out how actual damaged buildings look like. :poly121:

Ryandec · Apr 2014

JustMeSR wrote: »

I think he meant you should make part of the wall and then duplicating that to make walls (and then the whole building) out of already baked and textured parts.

Also don't be afraid to use reference, check out how actual damaged buildings look like. :poly121:

Ok I see what you mean, but I want this building to be varied in damage the concept I'm suppose to be aiming for is a Post-Apocalyptic bar set in like a nuclear fallout situation, its for my University project but at the moment I'm struggling trying to create the full building with zbrush and its of course like you say I'm doing it the wrong way atm. I'm not really aiming for interior as this is mean to be 1 asset so I don't get how I can get varied damage that can make sense if I create like 2 or every part, like I'm guessing u mean to create like a set like, walls,door,windows then like rubble and stuff..

here is my blog btw if anyone wants a look so you can actually get a feel of what I'm trying to achieve.. I feel like I'm doing it all wrong at the momemt

ryannuca.blogspot.co.uk

Obscura · Apr 2014

Tiling textures could still work, try to search for how "decals" and "vertex painting" works. These two would be the best way to do these damages.

Edit: I just quickly searched the source for the decal thing, here it is.

I hope these helps!

sargentcrunch · Apr 2014

Ryandec · May 2014

Thanks for the replys, Don't think im going to use zbrush for this now, think zbrush would be better if the building also had interior so there can be damaged walls with like holes etc..

WarrenM · May 2014

Decals and vertex painting aren't going to give great results either. You should step back and look into modular asset creation and how that works. That's how modern games are built.

Eric Chadwick · May 2014

fwiw
http://wiki.polycount.net/CategoryEnvironmentModularity

Ryandec · May 2014

I understand what everyone is saying, but for a building that is meant to looked heavily damaged I don't see how I can do it using a modular format, surely its going to mean like damaged areas will repeat if that makes sense, anyways I'm guna try it and see my results, again though thanks all this is really helpful:)

Eric Chadwick · May 2014

No, you can still do it efficiently, by cutting the damage into your model, and using tiled textures.

Here's a great example from Joshua Stubbles using no blending (which renders faster in-game):
http://wiki.polycount.net/ModelingRubbleIntoAPath

Many games use blending to add damage.
http://www.chrisalbeluhn.com/UDK_Advanced_Vertex_Painting.html
More here
http://wiki.polycount.net/Multitexture

grimsonfart · May 2014

If this is a one of a kind building that there are not supposed to be many off, i don't see the problem doing it this way.

As for your main concern, try retopologizing (in mudbox for example) or using meshlab to cut the polygons. Not sure about meshlab though, as it usually works best for organic models.

Anyways, here is what i have made using retopologize in Mudbox.

HP aprox 1 million polys. LP aprox 2500 polys. Normal map applied to LP.

Though i must warn you, due to your building haveing small objects and things such as windows, retopologizing the house to a certain level might break them, so i would only import the base house mesh, sculpt the detail you want, retopologize it, unwrap it and add all smaller details later on your house later in 3Ds.

grimsonfart · May 2014

End result is pretty decent if you look besides the fact that there is still painting on the damaged area and some other things

Just my two cents on this method. I find it overall more effective in some areas and results might seem more believable but as some people have said performance might be an issue as your maps are going to have to be probably around 4k for it too look good and crisp.

Eric Chadwick · May 2014

Still, this is not an option for the vast majority of games. Sure, there are exceptions. But best not to cater a portfolio piece to that. 4k for a single asset is a deal-breaker in any game. Learn how to make real meshes, it's not that hard.

I put some more info here
http://wiki.polycount.com/Decal

Ryandec · May 2014

I see what you mean and it is suppose to be a unique kind of building, but as for using 4k maps and such I think at the moment I have decided that I'm going to do it modular and then add extra parts, I can also vert paint in UDK for the damage and such, If this is practice for how the industry would do it I'd rather stick that, than create something that wouldn't really be used in games, thanks for the example though, but I'm stick to using as the links posted as guidance to create damage and such, thanks again

Efficient way to create low poly from a high poly building scuplt

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