Yep, agreed. I'd make them as seperate pieces. No use making things difficult for yourself
I guess a lot of them would be seperate pieces in reality anyway as they need to rotate?
I come from a history of modeling really low poly so high poly topology hurts my head. Anyway, im kinda anal about getting things right. I modeling a shield which i intend to take into zbrush to sculpt. Does the bottom topology look okay> or is it bad practice?
calen, you could always try to make it really low poly.
Without any edge support
Import it to Zbrush, amp the HP up without using smoothing 2-3 times, then apply smooth and amp it up 1-2 times.
calen: look up creasing or panel loops for zbrush. What you can do is take out those supporting edges and just do the creasing in zbrush. With sculpting you generally want even faces. There is a alternative method which is you bring the original mesh in to zbrush and then use dynamesh.
What does the mesh look like subdivided? If it smooths fine (or close) You can just import that model into Zbrush, Divide 3-5 times, Dynamesh. Have dense evenly distributed poly's ready for detailing. Even if the bottom isn't smoothing perfectly, you can sculpt out the errors, or turn them into dents, or hide them under wood panels or whatever you have planned for the mesh.
After slowly making my way through the entirety of this thread, I have compiled a selection of 49 images and GIFs illustrating some techniques, mini-tutorials and topology for a range of objects that people may often need to model or learn better methods for. Some included are bolts, screws, cutting holes in meshes and connecting cylinders.
For some additional info, I added the link to the page the image is from in the comments of the image so it may make more sense in context of the rest of the thread.
I also extracted the individual frames from the GIFs and put them all in a single image, some with the accompanying text from the post, to allow people to study single frames more closely rather than waiting for the gif to loop again.
I hope somebody finds it useful! (You may even have improvements over some techniques)
Wow, that is awesome! Thanks so much for doing this!! I have been thinking about doing something similar to add to the wiki, because there are so many great tips in here, but it would require some digging. You've done it for us! Much appreciated!!
No problem guys, it was initially a folder for my own reference hence why I never added some of the more specific feedback examples to it, but I could never keep it all to myself! :poly124:
I think if you used a triangle, or something unconventional up there, It would look fine. The area is so small you'll likely never notice it after bake, In addition, the shape a triangle pull create resembles that spot, So it would likely look pretty natural.
I wouldn't run that detail all the way up to the edge of the blade (on the top) if you used a tris and the corner of it was on the 90 degree surface change, then you'll have problems. Could just end it right before your final control loop.
I am having the hardest time figuring this shape out. Here's what it is and what I have:
I tried doing a turbosmooth with a single iteration with an edit poly on top and tried working from that, but I still had crazy pinching issues. I really don't have any other idea of how to do this properly. Any ideas?
The black piece with the horizontal slits. Creating those circular holes isn't too hard because they're on the flat sides. The slits, however, are right on the rounded edges and I don't know how to make those without anny pinching errors.
How would you guys advise modeling some weld seams (3dsmax 2012)? I've been browsing around and notice people suggest things like the noise modifer and such, but can't seem to find images of the process
All I need to make are a few simple (but proper) floaters that replicate the weld seams.
Is there a cool and effective/accurate way to do this? Or do I literally have to deform a bunch of boxes and planes and approach it from that way.
Hi, i have another issue, and this time is the front part, the rounded finish, it look horrible smoothed, like an sphere with turbomooth, someone can bring me some help? please?
You'll just need to cap it like you would with a polysphere (subdivided cube). Like this:
In reality it most probably won't show up on the bake anyway as it is so small.
Very usefull, maybe some kinf of quadify on that part will helpefull like this, or i can ignore it and fix it with PS in the normal, but still i dont like how it look in the HP, thanks!
between some cut tool with edge/vert snapping on deleting and welding it shouldn't be too hard. Is there a specific problem your having? You'll basically want to cut the lower tube where the upper tube's edges intersect, Then bridge/weld the upper to the cut hole on the lower....>if that makes sense
1) Build the large shape without the grooves.
2) Cut in a single cut of the size you want. Make sure that the face remains planner when you push the groove in.
3) Clean up the cut out geometry and add support loops for the sub-d
4) Duplicate over as many times as you need, combine, merge verts, and add the other geo back.
Note that my edges are wayyy to tight for a normal map bake. Make sure yours are softer if you are going to bake a normal map.
Start with lots of geo and break it down into a single segment.
Steps I did.
1) Start with 64 sided cylinder because it looks like the shape has 8 of those little rounded hole things. 8 divided by 64 is 8, so it makes it easy. If you want to make more or less, just adjust accordingly.
2) Rip off 8 faces. It will be easier if you do it like I did, and not the 8 center faces. Delete the faces for the hole, move the verts into place to give the roundness of the hole.
3) I moved the edge over to narrow the gap at the end, however make sure do do this in a way that doesn't mess up the cylinder. Here is what I did for that.
4) I added my support loops here to make sure it sub divides nicely, you can add it next step as well. If you want to add geo to the bottom then it would be easier to do it after step 5.
5) Duplicate one of the pieces using the same axis as the original cylinder. If you build it on the origin this makes it a lot easier. Make sure you edge loops line up so when you duplicate it all around it saves time. Just edit the verts of the original and snap them to the verts of the newly duplicated piece. Delete the new piece, and reduplicate the piece you just edited the verts on, and now they should line up nicely. Merge and weld the verts of the two pieces and delete 4 faces on each side, leaving 8 total faces again. Build the taper at the end, and if you want the backside geo. Duplicate the piece around the same axis, merge, weld, and thats it.
The little diamond grip stuff can be done in nDO2 or simply making the pattern and duplicating the geo around.
If this is a simple cylindrical shape with some sharp edges I would recreate this shape with a higher resolution and then just move it proportional in the sharp parts. So you will maintain the roundness but have those corners on the side.
Replies
I guess a lot of them would be seperate pieces in reality anyway as they need to rotate?
Without any edge support
Import it to Zbrush, amp the HP up without using smoothing 2-3 times, then apply smooth and amp it up 1-2 times.
For some additional info, I added the link to the page the image is from in the comments of the image so it may make more sense in context of the rest of the thread.
I also extracted the individual frames from the GIFs and put them all in a single image, some with the accompanying text from the post, to allow people to study single frames more closely rather than waiting for the gif to loop again.
I hope somebody finds it useful! (You may even have improvements over some techniques)
Download .zip (30.2 MB) https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/45171669/Polycount/Techniques.zip
Glad I could help
http://vimeo.com/9984227
http://vimeo.com/8155497
http://vimeo.com/7901273
Hey guys, looking for some help with this shape. I run into problems near the top bit.. trying to merge the geometry near the top. Thanks!
I wouldn't run that detail all the way up to the edge of the blade (on the top) if you used a tris and the corner of it was on the 90 degree surface change, then you'll have problems. Could just end it right before your final control loop.
I tried doing a turbosmooth with a single iteration with an edit poly on top and tried working from that, but I still had crazy pinching issues. I really don't have any other idea of how to do this properly. Any ideas?
Bit of a late response. I should prolly check this thread more often
All I need to make are a few simple (but proper) floaters that replicate the weld seams.
Is there a cool and effective/accurate way to do this? Or do I literally have to deform a bunch of boxes and planes and approach it from that way.
Here is a ref;
Ejection port bolt area;
Much thanks for any insight
(credit to jerimiah_bigley for this image)
Another way is to use this little welding script.
In reality it most probably won't show up on the bake anyway as it is so small.
It's a string to a crossbow
The highpoly ended up looking a lot better then my low poly
1) Build the large shape without the grooves.
2) Cut in a single cut of the size you want. Make sure that the face remains planner when you push the groove in.
3) Clean up the cut out geometry and add support loops for the sub-d
4) Duplicate over as many times as you need, combine, merge verts, and add the other geo back.
Note that my edges are wayyy to tight for a normal map bake. Make sure yours are softer if you are going to bake a normal map.
(tetra rex type) please help
Well a milk carton is just a box that folds nicely. Look at where the creases are here and build similar topology.
Not quite sure how to attack this.
Start with lots of geo and break it down into a single segment.
Steps I did.
1) Start with 64 sided cylinder because it looks like the shape has 8 of those little rounded hole things. 8 divided by 64 is 8, so it makes it easy. If you want to make more or less, just adjust accordingly.
2) Rip off 8 faces. It will be easier if you do it like I did, and not the 8 center faces. Delete the faces for the hole, move the verts into place to give the roundness of the hole.
3) I moved the edge over to narrow the gap at the end, however make sure do do this in a way that doesn't mess up the cylinder. Here is what I did for that.
4) I added my support loops here to make sure it sub divides nicely, you can add it next step as well. If you want to add geo to the bottom then it would be easier to do it after step 5.
5) Duplicate one of the pieces using the same axis as the original cylinder. If you build it on the origin this makes it a lot easier. Make sure you edge loops line up so when you duplicate it all around it saves time. Just edit the verts of the original and snap them to the verts of the newly duplicated piece. Delete the new piece, and reduplicate the piece you just edited the verts on, and now they should line up nicely. Merge and weld the verts of the two pieces and delete 4 faces on each side, leaving 8 total faces again. Build the taper at the end, and if you want the backside geo. Duplicate the piece around the same axis, merge, weld, and thats it.
The little diamond grip stuff can be done in nDO2 or simply making the pattern and duplicating the geo around.
or u can make one little gye like this, multiply it up and bend it out XD
(maybe its kinda more elegant way) I wish u good luck, sir!
BARDLER :poly124:
not just the are that afflicts you.