So, I’m trying to get some more experience with my guns, and it’s real discouraging when I try selling them and see people miles if not worlds better than me.
But I always wonder, how is it sub 10k tris, to which I asked someone, and they said, “I make them part by part.”
So, he says that each part (for example the stock, mag, etc), is made separately, and each is below 10k tris.
Would that be acceptable by people looking for devs? Because if so, I would gladly make that method my primary method, I like making things as accurate as possible, and so this M4 I made recently could look better.
Hi, yes, thank you so much. So would you recommend I go each part separately, so each part would probably have like, 4-5k tris, but would be stunning as compared to the current one?
If we only care about optimisation then exporting the gun as a single model will be better optimise then compare to if you export the gun in multiple parts that have high tris. This is because of less tris count and draw calls. For years, artists around the glode have been utilising techniques like PBR to fake details on the models. If you want to make something as details as possible and also optimised then learn PBR because that will drag you a long way.
To get a model that looks very detailed, but has a low amount of geometry, we can use baking. Baking is the process of converting 3d information to a 2d texture. To do it, you’ll need to make 2 versions: a high-poly version, where you add details such as scratches and chips, and a low poly version, onto which you’ll bake the high detail model. So, the scratches and chips will just be a texture, instead of actual geometry, and it’ll look pretty good, because it’s a PBR workflow.
Also, a lot of the challenge in modelling is making clean geometry. This is especially difficult with guns, due to the ergonomic shapes found on them.
This is 15K tris. Here’s a super low poly version. Not all of the detail should be baked, some should stay geometry. For this one, specifically something like the handle (with those indents) would be great for baking out.
That’s amazing, but one question though, how would one bake textures? I have absolutely no experience with textures other than the UV editing basic colour types. Would very much appreciate your help.
Well, in Blender, you first unwrap the model. Then the material you made, you’ll add an image texture to it, and select it. Then under render options you’ll switch to cycles, and then at the bottom there’s a bake section. There are many different tutorials online. It’s not very difficult, but it does take some practice.
