Massive noob question

[jbstans]

Hi there,

First off, sorry if I posted this in the wrong place but I wasn't really sure where else it would go!

I've been trying to model a vaulted ceiling section for part of an environment I've been procrastinating on for quite a while now! After an awful lot of trial an error I've ended up with something I'm moderately happy with in terms of shape, but I'm getting errors in the corners and I'm not sure what's causing it- the surfaces are flat but look lumpy or uneven for some reason.

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8527/mayamesh.jpg (http://img5.imageshack.us/i/mayamesh.jpg/)

You can see it slightly in Maya here, it's more pronounced with a blinn or something with some specularity on it but I was silly and took the screenie with a lambert, but nevermind.

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/6503/toolboxmesh.jpg (http://img37.imageshack.us/i/toolboxmesh.jpg/)

You can see it rather clearer in toolbox, though.

I've convinced myself it's to do with the topology in that section. I had a couple of 5 sided nasties to try to clear up in there but that's left me with some tris, though I thought they were supposed to be okay.

I'm sure it's something very daft and noobtastic but hey, after spending all afternoon staring at it and trying to work out what's causing it I figure it's more beneficial in the long term to swallow my pride and just ask the pros! What can I do to fix it? Or is it a case of "start again, but be less bad this time"?

[AreDub3D]

Well, if you actually are a noob and don't know if your edges are soft or hard ...

It looks like all of your edges are soft, but you want those corners to be hard. Try this. Select several of those edges you want to be sharp, shift-right-click on it and go

Soften/Harden Edge -> Harden Edge

Does that do anything for you?

If so, it will be so sharp that you'll probably want to bevel all those edges.

[Mark Dygert]

Looks like you need a hard edge running down the center.

With that many tris floating around you could optimize it a bit and add some supporting loops to either side of the center edge to help contain the shading.

[Grizley]

how's it going jbstans, I believe the vertex you have floating around there is contributing to your problem. Also try to continue the edge flow you have started at the bottom there cause those tris are killing it, like Vig said they could use some optimizing. Probably wouldn't hurt to throw in a couple supporting edges on the vertical edges in your arches as well. Looks like a nice start and hope to see some more.

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/1723/mayameshrepaint.jpg

[jbstans]

Thanks for the replies guys! I thought I'd softened the curved edges and hardened the centred arch edges, and I had, I know I had. However, for some bizarre utterly inexplicable reason the normals were locked on it :poly105:. I tried unlocking the normals after resoftening and rehardening the egdes didn't seem to make a difference and POW! shading problem solved :D

That said, I would like to tweak the topology of it to be better. I do intend to flesh it out somewhat and soften off the edges and everything, but what do you suggest to do with the triangles? I thought they were acceptable but looking at the bare mesh in toolbag etc they do seem to cause problems when the whole thing gets triangulated so I'd like to make it as well as possible :D

@Grizley thanks for the supportive words :) do you mean the vertex you circled on my picture? And I'm not quite following what you mean to try and help the tris :poly127: I can't see a way out of having a few >,<

This is to be part of a much bigger piece I'm planning. I fear I may have slightly overstretched my capabilities with it, but hey, I won't improve if I don't try to stretch myself! :D

[Rhinokey]

i'm not sure if maya has anything like max's symetry modifier, but it rocks at making arches like that,, just make a nice straight section then , use 2 symetrys on it with the mirror planes rotated aand its all gravey