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3 Dimensional Chat / A discussion on Retopology

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Quik
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Posted: 12th Nov 2014 23:48
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So, I wanted to spark a discussion, conversation, debate - whatever you want to call it. Or something.
I am in the middle of retopologizing my Pyramidhead on Zbrush and I thought; How often is manual retopology methods used in AAA/modern games? or is it all Decimation master/Automated retopology tools?
I feel that decimation master gives me too little power over edgeflow which might become an issue for UV mapping and animation, so I stick to manually placing out every polygon, however that is also a reeal pain. I would obv use decimation for inanimated objects like rocks.

Or is a combination used? Like, decimation and then tweaking?
I'm thinking since most modern models use 10k+ polygons I feel manual retopo isnt feasable really, unless some sort of subdivide is used..

Or maybe it's up to making it perfect before sculpting?

What do you guys do when you retopo?



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Stab in the Dark software
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Posted: 13th Nov 2014 16:45 Edited at: 13th Nov 2014 16:47
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The work flow that I have settled on is to make the low poly version first and UV map it.
I then subdivided, sculpt and add details. I do all of this in Wings3d.
Then I take both high and low poly models into XNormal to bake the high poly detail on to the normal maps.
I try to keep my edge flow nice in the low poly so when I subdivide I still have nice edge flow and my UV maps line up.
However there is always some retopology to do but this keeps it to a minimum.

Originally I made the high poly version and used meshlab to decimate.
The "Quadric Edge collapse Decimation" filter works quite well in meshlab.
In my experience it seems to preserve edge flow well. I would then bring it back into wings3d for the final touches.

When I researched Xnormal and what other artists where doing it seems most of them make the low poly first.

[img][/img]


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Quik
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Posted: 13th Nov 2014 18:40
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Quote: "When I researched Xnormal and what other artists where doing it seems most of them make the low poly first."

Probably to keep the UVs I assume?



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Alucard94
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Posted: 14th Nov 2014 09:33
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Production obviously differs from place to place but for deforming meshes things like decimation master just don't cut it. Generally the use of it is limited to reducing a high poly model to something another software better for retopology might be able to load to the use that software for retopologizing.

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Ortu
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Posted: 15th Nov 2014 04:30 Edited at: 15th Nov 2014 04:34
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I model out a low to mid poly base mesh, set a copy aside for later, sculpt the base into the high poly, then use the copy of the base mesh as a starting point for the retopo.

For things like characters made up of several high poly objects combined into a single low poly mesh, its sometimes easier to rebuild the geometry from scratch around the high poly. Snap and shrink wrap type tools are good for this.

I generally avoid decimate, I hate what it does to edge flow, not just for deformation but even just general aesthetics. I do use it from time to time, but mostly i want to keep control myself

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wattywatts
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Posted: 15th Nov 2014 20:32
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I decimate in meshlab, then tweak the verts. Generally I'd say it's "good enough", and not something you'd notice if uv'd and animated well. But from just the perspective of a modeler, the result is not something I'd go around showing off the wireframe for.
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Ortu
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Posted: 18th Nov 2014 06:28 Edited at: 18th Nov 2014 06:33
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There is a new for-sale addon to Blender for retopolgy which is pretty dang cool. It's $45 but check out what it can do:





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Stab in the Dark software
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Posted: 22nd Nov 2014 05:14 Edited at: 22nd Nov 2014 05:15
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That is a very interesting add on for Blender.
I guess there is no simple way for the artist to get the low poly mesh from the high poly sculpt.
I am not an artist I am a modeler. I start with the low poly design and then subdivide then
add details so I all ways have my low poly mesh. I have learned to correct my edge flow in my low poly and
it follows thru to the high poly. I can't model with out being able to see the wire frame anyway.

I can imagine for the real artist the wire frame would distract from there artistic inspiration.

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