W.I.P. Potential new soldier models (Blender)

[Mattn]

seams like you found the mirror feature

as vedrit said - some more vertices wouldn't hurt - but maybe you can play around with lod models in blender, too? i would like to implement something like that in ufo - it's just that we don't have a model that would support this yet.

[Destructavator]

To be honest I had never heard of LOD Models until you just mentioned it.  After just now looking them up (Google is a nice technology, isn't it?), they sound pretty cool, and I saw in my search that Blender does support making them, but it'll take time for me to learn how to do it that way.

If the UFO: AI game engine does support this type of thing, LOD models I mean, it probably would indeed make sense to go ahead and use them in a new model if the soldier models are going to be updated/replaced anyways.

Please correct me if I'm wrong - as I understand it, with LOD the actual model stays the same, but the texture displayed over it in the game changes with distance, becoming simpler or lower resolution at farther distances, correct?  I tried to find a guide on the web for LOD-type modeling that isn't too technical or difficult to follow for Blender, I haven't found one yet.  (If anyone has a link, that would be great.)

I'm sure the experienced modelers out there who have done this a long time and happen to be reading this are probably laughing at me and how little I know about this right now...   

[DuKe2112]

Well there is both lod models and lod textures.
Lod textures are usually called mipmaps and contain the texture at different resolutions (usually powers of two) to be used at different distance.
The same is also possible for models with several versions of the model in different poly counts.

But I haven't done it yet either.

[bayo]

And often the hi poly model is not used at all in the game but very usefull to create normal map (per pixel lighting).

[Destructavator]

Ok, I think I'm starting to get it now, thanks, but what I guess I should ask now is:

1) What does the game engine currently support?  Meaning, should I work on a model and eventually create more than one texture file that will work with it, in different resolutions?  Does the game engine support multiple possible textures like this and automatically apply the right one based on how close/far the model is from the camera?

...and,

2) If new models are going to be used in the game (with the new animations), should they all, if possible, take advantage of what the graphics engine supports with these features?

I apologize if by chance I'm misunderstanding, in which case feel free to correct me.

On a related point, I recall how sitters explained how a detailed texture could actually be created from a shot of a complex model, then taking that graphic shot and applying it onto a less-detailed physical or flat surface on a lower-poly model.  (Bayo, is this close to what you were talking about?)

[Mattn]

mipmaps are autogenerated. different lods would be cool for the mesh. but no, we don't have support for this yet. but once you would do it, i would implement it.

not sure how you can export models from blender. but it would be e.g. possible to export the object wavefront model format with an own group for every lod mesh. it would be even possible to use yourModel_0.md2 yourModel_1.md2 or whatever. I haven't really thought about it yet. But being able to use lod meshes would allow us to use much higher polycount models for zoomed views.

[Destructavator]

Crap, I found I had to re-work parts of the model so texturing could work.  On the other hand, I'm learning...

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[vedrit]

On a related point, I recall how sitters explained how a detailed texture could actually be created from a shot of a complex model, then taking that graphic shot and applying it onto a less-detailed physical or flat surface on a lower-poly model.  (Bayo, is this close to what you were talking about?)

It only works so well. Its like putting stickers on a sword, trying to get it to look like an ax. You still need it to look like good, and taking away too many verticies and, well, you get a cube trying to be a sword trying to be an ax...

[Destructavator]

OK, I think I've figured out how the texturing works now, this is a *temporary* texture mapped with just one graphic file, I didn't add little details yet.

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[Destructavator]

Slightly more work and cleaning up a bit.

At this point I'll also upload the .blend file somewhere for others, and Vedrit, to look at to see if I've screwed up anywhere and really need to fix something, although it still for sure needs more detail added before it can be a final product.

This one also has shoulder patches where a Phalanx logo can go.

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[Destructavator]

Here's the link:

http://www.destructavator.com/92dl/soldier_no_armor_1.blend

[vedrit]

yeah, the chest definatly definition. Its too flat. Import one of the older models to see how much definition you can have

[Destructavator]

OK, I was actually planning to add stuff to the chest anyways - pockets, perhaps also a simple equipment vest or something (maybe), thanks for taking a look.  Do you see anything else that needs to be reworked before adding more details?

Edit: Since that post I've found a few glitches here and there that I've fixed, a texture on the wrong side of one small face, and a few vertexes in odd places that I moved to make the model look a little better.

[vedrit]

Nope, Looked preatty good

[DuKe2112]

Ok I just loaded the model to see why the texture looks off and realised that you didn't even bother with the UV wrap. So that was probably just to give an example look?

But i noticed that you have internal polys, some are the mirror pane and a lot are in the belt area. Some are in the elbows.
You could also loose some polys by welding the belt pouches directly to the hip. (No one will notice the gaps at distance anyway)