Holla all.

When textureing and baking, is it worth it to add polygons to a repeating wall, this way to bump out the normal that would otherwise be flat if viewed from the side( two left side)? you know, matching the highPoly mesh more better. Or would it just be better to leave it one flat plane (far right image.)

Iam also aware that I could "cut" edges into the side of my "wall" to better match the high-poly mesh. But I think that if I do create stone blocks for the lowpoly then its worth it to keep em seperate because I can make those lower and look better. I think at least.

Anybody have any ideas or suggestions, I would love hear em'. Iam at the crossroads at which method to take and which would actually be the best.



Cheers!

depends on the polygon budget you have, but i like doing this kind of stuff sometimes, it can be worth the extra 10 triangles or so to get rid of the flatness =)

If you have the budget for a more fancy shader, you could try parallax.
http://wiki.polycount.net/Parallax_Map

Parallax doesn't solve the edge problem though, only the interior "extrusions". Some great images and tips in the rock tutorials thread. Simply put, you can make a quick displacement map of your wall, use that map to displace a highly-subdivided plane, then run Polycruncher on it.

Thanks guys.

You know, Ive had polycruncher sitting on my compurter for awhile now, but never actually installed because I only started using max about 4months ago. But this morning all of that changed.
Wow! the power of polycruncher is amazing.

So amazing they rolled it into 3dsmax2009 as part of the creative extensions pack. Along with my other favorite plug-in SoundTrax.

I would be careful about sticking a mesh directly on top of a plane, this can really ruin the effect and make the parts that are flat, much more obviously so. But giving a little shape to everything can go a long way.

Yeah, Iam noticing that, Earthquake. It seems that I have to tastefully put a mesh here and a mesh there to make it look good and the others not to look flat. Any other ideas.

man, polycruncher is badass.