Spy model...in progress

[frvge]

Split topic + ranting topic deleted with permission of most posters.

Unlocked, but please stay on-topic.

[Tidenburg]

Luv u. This is my favourite thread :D

[reason3d]

sort of on topic , definitely related since the spies on page 14 look amazing and it uses this method :

does anyone know where they put the 3ds max normal map baking video tutorial ? it was originally for version 8 i think , and its been gone since 9 and 2008 came out .

or goodkebab i know i butted heads with you and it was my fault , mostly because i wanted a spot as a concept character modeler and it was definitive that i could not contribute in that way , it still seems really unfair lol , but thats business ive learned ...

goodkebab , could you write a brief summary on how to render the normals map onto the low res model ? basically all i need to know is if both models need to be uvw unwrapped (high poly would be a nightmare) and does the smoothing in the high poly control smoothing groups in the low poly ?

[Farley4Fan]

Good to see you in a better mood lol

I love the spy armor.  Looks like batman, badass.

[reason3d]

yeah its a duty of mine to apologize for my ridiculous behavior i exhibited before to each one who got pissed off at me .

i love splinter cell , and i saw only some odd images of the spy and merc . and a handful of threads with , not to be mean , but nonsense in them . basically ramblings about one side of things or the other , and how the mod was going to turn out . i was totally wrong about what it was and lost everything that is my professional attitude ( yeah ubi forums come back to haunt but i was never real there except in the map discussion with other serious unrealed users ) , i lost my mind in a sense and forgot there was an entire forum dedicated to the progress of dev's , that only dev's can see .

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i want to propose the idea for the late late future of the mod , of a multi-player version of splinter cell solo . you know the wetsuit , the lethal force NATO rounds and gadget launcher , all of that ... into a multiplayer mode where the spies dont just have to temporarily disable the merc , but completely wipe him from the game (until respawn if that was the case , but i like it with no respawn ) . heck i would even model a second spy and skin it (could use help though ) for a versus mode with lethal force on both sides . again i know you are all busy but that would certainly perk me up to play PS . i just cant get enough hard action , and im not very patient with stealthy tactics unless i know im gonna cap someone . personality flaw .

[B1nArY_001]

Reason Kebab uses Maya but here is how it is done in 3dsmax9

1: Create your high polygon normal map model, you don't need to UV this model

2: Create your real-time mesh making sure it completely encases the high poly model (If it's not perfect you can fake it to an extent using a Push modifier but be careful, this can produce some nasty results if you push it above about 1.5 depending on the model, some you just can't use the Push on at all)

3: UV your real-time mesh

4: Apply a Projection modifier to your real-time mesh and in the roll-out go to Reference Geometry, Pick List, select the corresponding high poly mesh from the list.

5: Making sure the real-time mesh with the Projection modifier is selected go to Render, Render to Texture

6: Enable Projection Mapping in the Render to Texture dialogue box, click on options, uncheck Use Cage and adjust your Offset, if your real-time mesh properly encases the high polygon you should be able to use a setting of 0.25 to 0.5 This takes the place of the cage and sets the distance the rays are cast from.

7: In the Render to Texture Dialogue box scroll down to Output and click Add. Select NormalsMap, set your output path and map size.

8: RENDER!

Note: Most of the time it will behoove you to break your model into multiple pieces if any of the geometry is close to intersecting I.E. groin, under the arms etc. This will prevent artifacts in the map and also make sure to hide or delete the pieces not being rendered at the moment, even after being detached they can still get in the way of ray casting. Also it is a good idea to render a diffuse map first (It's MUCH faster) and use it to check for any artifacts, if everything looks good then render your normals map. Chances are you might see a few 1 pixel red spots in your normals map, don't sweat these they are ray misses and can be fixed in a matter of seconds in Photoshop. Just zoom in and using a 1 pixel brush on the smudge tool smudge 1 pixel adjacent to the offending pixel right onto the sucker and viola, done. If it is in a high detail area the healing brush can be a better candidate. Sometimes it's better to work in each channel individually (Red Green Blue) depending on how bad the artifact is. Some artifacts just refuse to go away no matter what offset or how much you break the model up. In these cases you may want to just delete all extraneous geometry completely (hiding it always worked for me but some people say deleting it fixes some artifacts hiding won't).

[reason3d]

awesome , copied to text and uploaded , thanks

i remembered most of it i just couldnt put the missing links in the blanks .

btw you can always edit the cages instead of modifying the actual mesh , it will result in the same un-tweaked model and a perfectly fit cage .

[B1nArY_001]

Yes you can but I've found using the offset and a carefully made low poly version yields cleaner results. If you have to use a push modifier you just delete it once the texture baking is done. The cage also doesn't retain the offset settings if you push it so it can be hard to remember the exact amount you pushed the cage out. The Push modifier however retains the setting in the spinner.

Edit: Another thing that really helps to get superior results with max is to work with Editable Poly instead of Editable mesh and before generating your normals map tessellate the mesh once (don't mess with the tension) and then select all polygons and set them to 1 smoothing group. Having hard edges on the mesh you are using as the projector can produce some funky results messing up details in the normals map. That being said there are times when hard edges in the projection model can be used to achive certain effects.

[Farley4Fan]

The wiping merc out from the game idea is basically a one sided deathmatch.  Could be interesting to play, it'd be like FEAR if you ask me.  It would be creepy shit looking for a spy with a gun and kill him before he can pop you off.  But, it isn't for PS if you ask me.  Plus it shouldn't be posted in this thread, it already got enough off topic as it was.

[reason3d]

k god , you are a hypocrite as well lol .

sorry for attempted hijacking but i dont know where to put this shit since im treated like a wart on the ass of society and not allowed to work with the team .

[Westfall]

k god , you are a hypocrite as well lol .

sorry for attempted hijacking but i dont know where to put this shit since im treated like a wart on the ass of society and not allowed to work with the team .

He's not being hypocritical. He gave his opinion of your idea. I agree with what Papa is saying here. Maybe for a different game, sure. PS has a set gameplay.

[B1nArY_001]

sorry for attempted hijacking but i dont know where to put this shit since im treated like a wart on the ass of society and not allowed to work with the team .

I wouldn't call taking the time to write you a tutorial treating you like a wart on the ass of society...... You might have changed the way you present yourself but I wouldn't expect everyone to do a 360 on how they feel about the way you acted.

They are right about the game play too, it's not a bad idea, but not for PS. PS is dedicated to particular type of game play that's all.

[InvisibleMan999]

wow.. Just saw the spy model (I dont check into this forum as often as I should)... Incredible.

The professional quality of this project continues to amaze me.

[reason3d]

i agree , amazing model and artwork .

a tutorial is appreciated and my good behavior and willingness to learn about PS is qa good reason to write it . i cant say i dont appreciate it , but what i was hoping for is the chance to work with the team and create something that wont die before a release candidate is released .

i dont want a 360 turnaround or anything of the sory , simply a chance as a game artist to show what i can do and make quality content for amod thats obviously going in the right direction .

goodkebab would be the first time i would work with a professional thats modding on a team . i applied for the 007 mod for HL2 and was accepted but sadly the dev's there decided not to start the project .

could i please have a test model to complete , unrwrap and skin so i can at least feel worthy in here ?

[frvge]

I'll have talk about that. However, a full dev-position is most likely a no-no.