I want to be a male MODEL(er)
Basically I have been pretty abscent from 3D related stuff the past few months. The last few days I have been practicing hard surface sub-division modeling.
Whats that I hear you scream? OK well I will explain for anyone in GS8 if your reading this...
Sub-division modeling is the process of creating a basic 3D model and spliting it up into many segments in order for a modififer (Such as turbosmooth or meshsmooth) to sub-divide the segments into higher polygon geometry. This process ultimately results in very smooth life like results if done correctly. When you subdivide, your mesh will dramatically increase in polycount. So why would this be useful for realtime rendering in games I hear you ask? The answer is 'normal mapping'.
So what is normal mapping? Basically, a normal map is a generated or 'baked' image file which contains lighting information. This can be added to the low polygon game model to 'fake' lighting. Ultimitely this enables the engine to render the low polygon game model, but render the lighting from the original high polygon model. So your basically getting the ilusion of light from an extemelly high polygon model, but the engine is only having to render a low polygon. Normal mapping is MEGA important today, every and I mean EVERY modern game/engine use some form of normal mapping technique.
I will give you an example: Say for instance you have a screw, a very minor detail to many objects in the real world, and too minor to actually bother about modeling for realtime rendering. Before normal mapping came around, you would of had to add it to your diffuse texture because there was no alternative, this would look flat and planar. Nowadays, you can add the screw into a normal map and on the in-game model you will see the screw as if it was modeled into the geometry of the object and actually react to the various light sources within the game world. This is awesome because you can actually create an ubber detailed model without having to worry about performance issues.
Thought I would post about this because it's extremelly important if you want to get into next-gen modeling. However, try to learn traditional methods of game asset creation first off. This will help you learn and understand texturing light sources and such, although most engine render lighting in realtime nowadays, it's best to have a firm grasp on light sources and how light reacts with real life materials/objects etc...
Whats that I hear you scream? OK well I will explain for anyone in GS8 if your reading this...
Sub-division modeling is the process of creating a basic 3D model and spliting it up into many segments in order for a modififer (Such as turbosmooth or meshsmooth) to sub-divide the segments into higher polygon geometry. This process ultimately results in very smooth life like results if done correctly. When you subdivide, your mesh will dramatically increase in polycount. So why would this be useful for realtime rendering in games I hear you ask? The answer is 'normal mapping'.
So what is normal mapping? Basically, a normal map is a generated or 'baked' image file which contains lighting information. This can be added to the low polygon game model to 'fake' lighting. Ultimitely this enables the engine to render the low polygon game model, but render the lighting from the original high polygon model. So your basically getting the ilusion of light from an extemelly high polygon model, but the engine is only having to render a low polygon. Normal mapping is MEGA important today, every and I mean EVERY modern game/engine use some form of normal mapping technique.
I will give you an example: Say for instance you have a screw, a very minor detail to many objects in the real world, and too minor to actually bother about modeling for realtime rendering. Before normal mapping came around, you would of had to add it to your diffuse texture because there was no alternative, this would look flat and planar. Nowadays, you can add the screw into a normal map and on the in-game model you will see the screw as if it was modeled into the geometry of the object and actually react to the various light sources within the game world. This is awesome because you can actually create an ubber detailed model without having to worry about performance issues.
Thought I would post about this because it's extremelly important if you want to get into next-gen modeling. However, try to learn traditional methods of game asset creation first off. This will help you learn and understand texturing light sources and such, although most engine render lighting in realtime nowadays, it's best to have a firm grasp on light sources and how light reacts with real life materials/objects etc...