character modeler needs help

#1 Well recent FPS like unreal tournament 2003 are using models that are about 1500-2500 polygons. What you should do is aim within this range and when your model is finished look for areas where you can trim it down a few polys....tahts what i do anyway.

I dont know about 3dstudio max but milkshape lets you import quake 3 models so if your looking for a model to study its polys just download one from a site like this and import it into milkshape www.planetquake.com/polycount/ Just dont use the model in your game and claim it as yours cuz well thats prick heh. but they can be great tools of learning.

OB

#2

Quote:and about the textures: do i have to make a skin for it on a 512*512 pic or something smaller?

You can make your skins any size you like. Once the UV coords have been mapped, they will automatically scale to fit whatever image you provide.

If you recall from Tribes2, you could select Hi res, or Low res skins.... the difference was Hi res was 512x512, Low was 256x256.

Hope this helps!

#3 Ok first thing, the tribes 2 models are available for download at polycount, the link was posted above :)

I personaly believe that torque can handle 2000 poly player models without tons of fps loss on newer cards. as long as you dont want more than 30 on the screen at once. 500 odd polies ofr the legs doesnt sound too bad but itll probably need to come down a little. The best thing to do is make the model then cut down the useless polies afterwards.

For references do a net search for the Loomis book or look on polycount I think its there too. Its a book written for people who want to draw humans so has all the plan view humans in correct proportions etc.

Texture sizes should be kept to a factor of 2 ie. 64, 128, 256, 512 etc you can mix and match if you want so you could have 512x512 or 64x512 (why you would want to? I dont know). UT2k3 has 1024 textures now as cool as this would be too have in torque I think the unmodified version of the engine cant handle anything above 512x512 due to how it mip-maps ( Im probably completely wrong ;) youll have to ask a programmer about it)

Also Slightly O/T. Anyone using Milkshape should try www.wings3d.com its a free 3d modelling program which in the latest versions can uv-map things reasonably well. But more importantly is very useful for cleaning up a mesh compared to milkshape anyway. I use a mixture of wings and MS to model for torque, they both export/import *.obj format. Hope that helps.

#4 thanks for the help sofar.
ive found the tibes models on polycount indeed, stupid of me not to look for them there :P

although i cant open all of the models they are of great help indeed. but this rases another question: the tribes2 models consist of seperated parts... like a robot. the foot,leg,upperleg, etc all fit intogether like a puzzle but are not 1 mesh... or 1 object like a normal human body. i know they are held together by the biped/bones but are all the gaming models are put together like this?
(maybe its a very stupid question...)

i also checked 1 model for the polycount (i think it was the med_female) and it was around +1600

oyeah before i forget, is there an importer for q3 models for max?

thanks for the help sofar,
niels

#5 Actually the UT2k3 models are between 3000 and 3500 poly's so if your thinking high end that's a fairly decent target. I don't think it would be in your best interests to shoot for that though ;).

Ya those parts on the models are seperated for animation deformation. The down side is your going to have a greater number of polygon's in your model.

Alc

#6 but do i HAVE to make my models the same way?
i dont think the halflife models are build this way right? (out of "parts")

and im not aiming for +3000 polys, this would obviously be too much for the average pc...

#7 In HL, models are made of just one "part".