Question about how meshes work in the new UnrealEd

[Omnes Vulnerant]

Hopefully someone can answer this. I am sifting through some skeletal mesh packages in the GoW editor and the poly count registers as 11,200 for one of the main guys, but it appears to be much much higher than that, I think I saw on the unreal technology page that the models are in the 2,000,000 poly count range? If that's true then I don't see anything in the new unreal editor for this enormous poly count. Could someone explain to me how I would make a model in maya, and have it be low poly count in the editor but giving it the fake high res overlay in the game?

[InvadrZIM]

I remember a tech demonstration from 2004 that said that 2 models are created. one with millions of polys and one with thousands. Then some normal mapping tool takes the difference between them and makes a low poly mesh with a very elaborate normal Map

whether or not this is how all meshs/models are going to be created from now on i don't know

[-=¤willhaven¤=-]

The source art for characters are usually in the millions of polys and are made with high end modeling tools. The source art is not used or included in the game. The source art is used to create normal maps which help simulate that level of detail.

[Omnes Vulnerant]

So how exactly do you get that high-res model look in the game exactly? Because I'm trying to help a friend out with making a model for UT3 / the new editor and need as much info as possible.

[-=¤willhaven¤=-]

http://www.unrealtechnology.com/html...ogy/ue30.shtml

[Denny]

If you look in the material properties of said models you'll take notice of the normal map. The normalmap is a projection of a high detailed model onto the uv map of the lowpoly one, and the result is a 2D image which you assign to the material's normal map slot. How you make the normal map is independant to each program and there are different types of normal maps depending on usage.

[Caravaggio]

Does anyone know if a propietary normal map maker is still packaged in the editor? I thought I heard that at one point and it would be easier than using melody/xnormal/max to make them.

[Denny]

Most high poly stuff is usually made in Zbrush, which is actually cheap to buy, so I see no big reason to have a normal map generator in the editor.

So my guess is no.

[Darth Axel 007]

Character modelers create a low poly model in 3DS Max and import it into Zbrush, uv mapped. In Zbrush, they subdivide the mesh so it's millions of polygons, then they start adding details such as scars, veins etc. From that, they create a normal map which bends the light etc to make the low poly model look like the high poly model.

[Caravaggio]

Character modelers create a low poly model in 3DS Max and import it into Zbrush, uv mapped. In Zbrush, they subdivide the mesh so it's millions of polygons, then they start adding details such as scars, veins etc. From that, they create a normal map which bends the light etc to make the low poly model look like the high poly model.

Most high poly stuff is usually made in Zbrush, which is actually cheap to buy, so I see no big reason to have a normal map generator in the editor.

So my guess is no.

Not to be rude but 1. I was talking about rendering the normal map, not making the high poly mesh, 2. considering that xnormal is free zbrush is infinitely more expensive and 3. please don't tell people there is only one pipeline to making models for this game, if we start doing that it'll just confuse people into trying things they don't need to when they might have all the needed tools already.

[Denny]

I can't see why you became stingy on us bringing up samples on modeling solutions as it's both step one and two in making a normal map for models.All high poly solutions does it. In both MayaPLE and XSI Softimage Mod Tools you can generate normal maps and make the high/low poly model for free and get it exported to UT3, so I still see no use for xnormal. Heck, it wouldn't make me surprised if blender can do it as well, except exporting.

By the way, be happy that we're giving support at all.

[Sentientv2]

If you're using Maya, you might want to take a look at this tutorial,

http://www.drone.org/tutorials/normal_maps.html

I am not saying this is the end all solution for Maya, because I know it isn't, but I know I've used the Convert to File Texture command before. It is quite slow, but produces pretty good results.

Nvidia also has a plugin for creating normal maps for Photoshop, but the results are very low quality. You would use this for flat surface textures that would not have that much elevation.

For 3dsMax, check out the following:
http://www.game-artist.net/forums/vb...e&articleid=16


Once again, there are multiple ways you can go about doing this. I know a lot of my friends prefer working with Maya for the base model and then using Zbrush to give it an unparalleled level of realism and make that into a normal map, which you'd then connect to the normal channel in the material editor of the new Unreal Ed. It is also my meager understanding that the process of creating a normal from a model is much quicker in Zbrush than it would be if you were to render to texture in Maya (Maya is a very powerful tool, but some things it really takes its time with)

I would experiment around and find a solution that you feel comfortable with.