The modelling quality discussion thread

[ElChristou]

Well I couldn't resist

I have quickly done a model (a 2001 like space station) in 3 resolutions:



Number of poly:
Low: 7180
Med: 16332
High: 37884

File size:
Low: 156Ko 3ds - 396Ko cmod
Med: 364Ko 3ds - 824Ko cmod
High: 788Ko 3ds - 1.6Mo cmod

A quick test in celestia show the following:

The low model must be used from dot to 8km of distance, the Med from 8 to 1km and the High for the rest.


Meanwhile the modeling, I have noticed the following:
- As I was thinking making 3 models represent much more work in 2 aspects:

The modeling:
The use of a decimation tool is unfortunatly not the ultimate and easiest solution. Lot of meshes have to be treaten with special care, in some case you will have to create 3 versions of the mesh from scratch...

The planning of the modeling:
As the modeling represent an over charge of work, to not lose too much time, you will have to plan carrefully when you will "fork" the work between 2 resolutions. You will have to save all sections/paths used to extrude or lathe, to decimate them instead of the resulting mesh to create other resolution. I'm afraid this will be a bit hard for a majority of person...


Should I put in download only the cmod models or also the 3ds?


*************

Meanwhile I was modeling I also tough in a new point to my idea of levels for meshes:
A special gain can be done when models have intern structure; imagine you are positionned near the tail of the shuttle looking the payload; rendering big part of the FlightDeck/MidDeck is useless. With a good use of levels, we can gain a huge number of poly and in the same time have the exterior in full rendering.
In a model as ISS, this permit to model the interiors without fear...

[ElChristou]

I'm wondering about the use of memory... loading 3 models instead of one would not be worst than loading only the high res?

[rthorvald]

we need 3 (or more scripts) one pointing to a model far from any planet (far from use of memory for textures), one pointing to a model orbiting at good distance a planet, and one pointing to a model at the surface of another one

I don??t think it would be neccecary: we set up a solar system identical to our own, and attach the lores/medres/hires models to the Cassini or Voyager XYZ file. Then the script can follow the model, which will get both close and far off from several planets and moons. Only one script can then test the model together with, and without, several different types of textures.

Now it would be cool to target some kind of config for the test; for this we need several kind of boards (32, 64, 128 etc) + several kind of config, 256, 512, 1G etc ram... Also if test can be done on all patform, better.

Multi-platform is no problem. I don??t see the need to pre-define a target, just let people report what they have through checkboxes on the form. Then i??ll sort it in a database and output a chart of some kind.

-rthorvald

[Slalomsk8er]

Meanwhile the modeling, I have noticed the following:
- As I was thinking making 3 models represent much more work in 2 aspects:

The modeling:
The use of a decimation tool is unfortunatly not the ultimate and easiest solution. Lot of meshes have to be treaten with special care, in some case you will have to create 3 versions of the mesh from scratch...

The planning of the modeling:
As the modeling represent an over charge of work, to not lose too much time, you will have to plan carrefully when you will "fork" the work between 2 resolutions. You will have to save all sections/paths used to extrude or lathe, to decimate them instead of the resulting mesh to create other resolution. I'm afraid this will be a bit hard for a majority of person...


Should I put in download only the cmod models or also the 3ds?


*************

Meanwhile I was modeling I also tough in a new point to my idea of levels for meshes:
A special gain can be done when models have intern structure; imagine you are positionned near the tail of the shuttle looking the payload; rendering big part of the FlightDeck/MidDeck is useless. With a good use of levels, we can gain a huge number of poly and in the same time have the exterior in full rendering.
In a model as ISS, this permit to model the interiors without fear...

We need a way to export Blender models to cmod!

This is how I do it in Blender:

1. Model low poly version.
2. Use Catmull-Clark subdivision surfaces.
3. Make hard edges hard again by selecting, pressing SHIFT-E and move mouse till it looks good.
4. Convert the interpolated mesh to a real one by pressing ALT-C in object mode.
5. Add detail that does no longer can represented by a texture and clean up your mesh.
6. Do steps 2, 3, 4 and 5 as long as you need a more detailed meshes.
7. Texture the meshes.

As you can see, some times if it does not work optimal try to do it the other way round;)

I likeyour internal structure Idee.

[ElChristou]

We need a way to export Blender models to cmod!...

Cannot you export in 3ds and then convert the file with the cmod convertor?

[Slalomsk8er]

The 3ds export script is not officialy supported and has some issues.
I am asking me why there is a converter from a high prized commercial proprieter file format for a free opensource programm but not one single converter for a open standart file format?

[ElChristou]

Today, 3DS is a kind of 3D standard format in the PC world and so most of the 3D softwares (commercial or not) can handle this format. Cmod in comparaison is nothing, a completly unknowned format.

[Slalomsk8er]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRML
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3ds

Standard formats are strange things indeed

[ElChristou]

Guys,

HERE you can download the space station in 3 res, in 3DS and cmod.

[ElChristou]

Hey guys what happen in this topic? no more test? shall we forget it?

[maxim]

Uh, Eh ... Ahem .... No!
It just moved back a bit on my doto list. It is now on position onehundredtwenty...

Well, seriously, I'll come back do this in the not too far future (I hope)

maxim