Another thing - why haven't they fixed the problem with disappearing vertices, and now selected edges are lined in red. These are problems that should be ironed out in the first release, you have to 'make do' because it's another of Max's foibles. For example - these have edges selected:
I think sculpting is no option. I dont know a "intelligent" decimation Programm with a change of the edge orientation. The hard edges will look like a sawtooth without retopology from hand. Computer generated decimation is in my opinion one of the most underdeveloped technologies.
Make sure the UV shell edges are hardened on both. I use this script all the time: http://jonathonstewart.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/script-harden-edges-of-all-uv-borders.html Apply that script to both meshes, then rebake and see how it turns out :)
Long day of retop so I needed these Emika - double edge sword Depeche Mode - Mercy in you Thom Yorke - Black Swan ludovico einaudi - Eros Oh Bother Where art thou - sound track Recoil - Edge to life
Website looks good, for your recent model the remington, texturing leaves little to be desired, but the model is held back by too low of a polycount and too sharp edges. With a bit softer edges -> better bake and a flawless silhouette it would be a very nice piece.
The model itself looks pretty great! Good design and has a very real feel. You have to remember though that when in a game, edges will get very jagged and your textures will become even more noisy. Always accommodate with soft edges.
What cavity maps do you mean? xNormal's "Cavity map" bake option or a edge highlight/cavity conversion from the tangent normal? The first one is usually white with black on the cavities, and the second is mostly grey, with black on cavities and white on edges.
Yeah everything is looking great so far, the one critique that I have is that edge of the columns is looking a bit too straight. For example the edge of the third column from the left is too straight, I think it should reflect the nooks and crannies of the stone.
some of those edges they are handling with alpha. They did a cool idea of using alpha for the outline corners. Not sure how they solve that tho. Perhaps the player never rotate the camera? The 2nd DOES have a hard edge, it's just antialiasing of the screenshot that makes it smooth.
yeah i agree. i started mine and have floaters galore. hahahaha. but this seems be a situation where one would learn more. may i ask how you actually started? extruding edges out from cylinder edges? then patch?