I''m looking for 3D models for my fantasy game, but everything I could find in the WWW has a way too high level of detail. That is, the models have tens of thousands of vertices, and as the game takes place in a large outdoor space I just can''t afford using them. Is there some method for decreasing model accuracy?

a) where''d you find these high-quality models?!
b) use any modeling program to whittle down the poly count, or D3DX has some functions (including a ID3DXMesh class) that can automatically apply LOD (as opposed to manually).

Chris Pergrossi
My Realm | "Good Morning, Dave"

1. You can google for "view independent progressive meshes" and "error quadrics" and you''ll get lots of ideas for mesh simplification.

2. You can download lots of low-poly meshes of varying quality from www.polycount.com, in a variety of formats.

3. Please tell us where you find high-quality meshes with tens of thousands of polys on the web! Those are usually several hundred, each (if stock), to several thousand, each (if custom).

a)I''m getting almost all my models except for humans from 3d Cafe. A great site it is, but most models are not realtime. I make my human models myself in Poser with a little final touch in 3D Studio.

b)Well, the "tens of thousands" was an exaggeration. Most of them actually have thousands of vertices, but when the sum up, this is where then "tens of thousands" appear. For example, battles require _lots_ of weaponry, and if a sword contains a thousand vertices, the a hundred of swords contain 100,000 vertices and this is too much. Of course I can take just a long triangle and call it a sword, but the game won''t look nice at all.

quote: Original post by Sheeva_
a)I'm getting almost all my models except for humans from 3d Cafe. A great site it is, but most models are not realtime. I make my human models myself in Poser with a little final touch in 3D Studio.

b)Well, the "tens of thousands" was an exaggeration. Most of them actually have thousands of vertices, but when the sum up, this is where then "tens of thousands" appear. For example, battles require _lots_ of weaponry, and if a sword contains a thousand vertices, the a hundred of swords contain 100,000 vertices and this is too much. Of course I can take just a long triangle and call it a sword, but the game won't look nice at all.

You do human models and don't do swords? Actually I just finished a sword and axe. Here are the stats:

AXE 1-object
175 Polygons
392 Edges
219 Vertices

SWORD 2-objects (hilt & blade)
222 Faces
459 Edges
241 Vertices

OR
BLADE 26 Polygons, 53 Edges, 29 Vertices
HILT 196 Polygons 406 Edges, 212 Vertices

Here is an image of them. (I was testing different materials and textures)



[edited by - 3D on July 30, 2003 4:38:04 PM]

Hey I like the shining blue sword ! Very nice texture.
The green is a bit too ... well, green. In comparison.

Decrease polys in 3DS Max by applying "multires" or "optimize" modifier. Unfortunately, may need to apply early in the stack to keep textures from bleeding.

Increase polys in 3DS Max by applying "mesh smooth" modifier.

The one major problem with the optimize modifer is that you instantly looks control of your mesh... it can do things that you really don''t want it too and can have some nastry results when you start animating...