Just while esperimenting with export setting for normal maps etc for my other project the sword; I started this relatively simplier one to get more used to the things i need to do for the other like map extraction and retopology of the low poly ... atm is this one




I would like to ask how do you go for texturing something like that to look like realistic as inthe picture?

http://eat3d.com/free/xnormal_overview

Here's an overview of how to bake from High to Low in xnormal.

After you get all your bakes done, that is basically your "Base" You can hand paint on top of that in photoshop.

Or what I commonly do for more realistic stuff is use photosource (in this case, images of metal and leather) to overlay a basic pass, then paint over that until done.

So - Base Bakes - Photosource pass - Final painting pass

Hope that makes sense.

I tried xnormal but it gets a lot of artefacts on the normal map and also the normal map is not that crisp or detailed like completely missed the sewing details , I dunno if may be it is me that didn't tune if wel but I was thinkint perhaps is better exctract maps from Zbrush , retopo in topogun and paint over in mudbox or Zbrush?
I have an idea how to paint it but I am not sure how to give it a realistic look as even if I find some textures for leather and apply them on the uvmap base , it woudl look like fake , if I add photosource material it woudl not look right with the lightning and the normal maps probably , I know I would have to go hand working that much more in PS but I was wondering if there is any link to any tips or tricks to get the best out of this ...

how the model looks btw?

Watch that video, he gets some good results. I've tried many different methods and for me, xnormal is the way to go. I re-topo in either zbrush or maya but topogun is cool too.

High poly - Probably needs more work. I think the circle and triangle shapes could be more pronounced. Even slightly exaggerated since they will calm down a bit in the bakes. The bands on the top and bottom are thick leather wrapped around a steel bar. So in yours they don't seem to be round enough.

Low Poly - I dont think you need to model the circle and diamond bits. It's better to bake them in this case. If you did want to break up the silhouette model them in a way that is integrated into the main mesh.

I'll check it out more tomorrow, keep it up!

So far i uvmappend all open with no crossovers apart the diamods stuff can i ovrlap parts in uvmapping to save and gain texture space repeating some maps nirrored? I mean for extracting normals... Thanks for ur tips btw ...

I'd advise against repeating your UVs on the circle and diamond shapes. You'd want unique texture space to show unique color and wear & tear (Like in the photo). I'd still say take them out of the low poly it's more efficient for polycount and for baking to one object.

You mean I should uvmap each of the round and diamond shapes individually and then unroll the circlet with one single open uvmap ? or I can save space somehow?

If you decide to keep the circles/diamonds in your low poly:

Yes Everything should have unique uv space to achieve the look you are going for.

If you take the circles/diamonds out of your low poly - which is what I recommend:

Still have unique uv space for the polys you have left. The circ/diamnds bake into the maps.

Try it in many different ways/iterations while you are learning and see what turns out best.

Everything is looking a bit blobby curenty, especially the details in the front. You should work on getting harder, more defined edges and forms. Try to get as many high res reference images if you don't already have multiple and really make the forms pop.

I was thinking to have only two of the plaques uvmapped , and repeat the same texture and uv on the others or eventually four to give some more variations ....

while instead initially for the crown I tought of making a flipped uvmap so initially I did only half of a mesh cutted in two ported in zbrush but I noticed I then had problems where the item had to be mirrored after with the normal map ... so I guess for a "game model" in order to get the normals from the high poly and have enough space for details is better I unwrap the whole thing and may be shrinking the inside parts of the circlet to a minimal space as anyway won't be seen usually?

or eventually just leave that part alone and may be only after uvmap it over the actual circlet? so get some more space?

as for the blobby look what you mean in particular? I tried to give a secondary pass of smooth on the edges couse someone told me that straight edges do not get well into normal extraction , since is first time I extract normals that way I want to make a good work ...

go away and work on it for a while come back with some works in progress. You might surprise yourself with how much it can improve with another sculpting pass.

In meanwhile I did an over mesh with topogun altoguh I cant make really straight lines , I did this , now I am redoing the plaques more extruded as you said ... but redoing from scratch ...

as for the zbrush thing shoudl I go redoing from scratch or I can improve from there?In wich case wiuch parts in particular?

thanks a lot for help ...

Ok I was thinking to keep the zbrush base I did and eventually improve it , I have here the low poly retopologized in topogun for the circlet , then I have added some extra stuff to eventually append in Zbrush to sculpt and bake after in the texture or eventually even use as extra detail on the low poly model ... I still have to delete back faces on most of the intruding stuff for the low poly almoust halving so the polycount , shoudl I keep all those details to use in zbrush or is better just sculpt them up ? I tought that may be having them as separate objects would be more controlled and less bulby?

Ok I finally completed it and put ingame , hope you like it ... I'ts not 100 % perfect replica but I am satisfied for a free mod for skyrim ...

what you think?