Mesh Rendering Issue with the "Question Mark" Accessory

Bug Reports Catalog Asset Bugs
#1

Issue Description

The “Question Mark” accessory has a problem with its mesh rendering. The triangles of the mesh create odd points in the middle of some faces. This issue stems from older rendering formats, making the topology appear strange and uneven. Attempts to fix this in Blender by converting triangles to quads or modifying the shading (smooth or flat) do not resolve the issue.

After some research, I discovered a solution online related to smoothing normals and topology adjustments, which significantly improved the accessory’s appearance without altering its design.

Reproduction Steps

  1. Import the “Question Mark” accessory into Blender or another 3D editing tool.
  2. Inspect the mesh topology, noting the odd points forming in the middle of some triangular faces.
  3. Attempt the following fixes:
    3.1. Transform triangles to quads.
    3.2. Apply smooth or flat shading.
  4. Observe that these fixes fail to resolve the issue.

Expected Behavior

The “Question Mark” accessory mesh should appear smooth and consistent, with no irregular points or distortions on its surface.

Actual Behavior

The accessory’s mesh displays uneven topology, with points forming in the middle of triangular faces. These distortions persist regardless of shading adjustments or triangle-to-quad transformations.

Solution:

To resolve this issue:

  1. In Blender, check the Auto Smooth box. Use a threshold angle of 30 degrees or adjust as needed.
  2. Optionally, apply a Decimate Modifier in Unsubdivide mode with 2 iterations. This smooths the topology without drastically altering the design.

Visual Aids:

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Direct Links:

1 Like
#2

Referencing my reply to your bug report on the Bunny Ears & Bunny Ears of Caprice, I also believe this shouldn’t be changed, as it also affects the look of it quite a bit, and people enjoy the soft shading that many old items have. Although it may be unintended, it’s been there for years and is now part of the item’s legacy.

2 Likes
#3

Yeah at this point just keep it as it is, there will be more hate towards you if you keep reporting these

#4

Items that have been around for this long shouldn’t be fixed, They have their own charm to it.

1 Like
#5

The item has this shading because it is older. People like the fact that it looks older.

#6

As the other replies said, the shading kinda has its own thing to it—it’s the first thing I look for if someone has it on their avatar. Removing the shading would just make it a bland, flat question mark with nothing to it.

1 Like
#8

While the shading is too harsh right now in the modern Roblox engine, its original release in 2007 did not use sharp edges. When reporting a potential issue with an old accessory, please consider the historical context behind its design.

1 Like
#9