posted 04-19- 08:48 AM               

I´m wondering how you get the polycount to show in 3dStudioMax? Also, is there a polycounter in OPS? It would be fun to see how many polys my model´s made of and compare to the ones that are already in the game. By the way, how many polys does a typical fighter plane(Fw190,Spit etc) in SDOE have?

Some qustions there, hope someone can answer them.

posted 04-19- 12:13 PM               

1. Use Wordpad to open all the high detail LODs.

2. Write down the polygon count for each high detail LOD.

3. Add them up.

Typically, the default SDOE models have a very low polygon count. At their highest level of detail, the fighters seem to range anywhere between 500 to 800 polys.

[This message has been edited by JT (edited 04-19-2000).]

posted 04-19- 03:38 PM               

Fine ! Execpt I16 and Pe-2 wich actually are build out of tri´s only. But how can I import quads and n-gons without AC3D ? There was an discussion before - I wonder, cause my graphic card manual says the the "tesselation" routine divides a model into triangles. So it might not be usefull to count only in quads and n-gons ?

Anyway - I would say 800 polys in high detail is good (very good) for a "normal" fighter.

posted 04-19- 04:38 PM               

1. To create quads, select an object and make sure it is an editable mesh.

2. Then, go into Sub-Object edge mode and select the edges you want to hide. You will want to select the shared diagonal between adjacent triangles.

3. Once you have the diagonals selected, scroll down to the "Visibility" section of the edit mesh panel and select "Invisible".

Now, eventhough, you have edges hidden, keep in mind that Max still sees everything as triangles. In fact, if you check the polygon counter, it will still read the same number of polygons as before you hid edges. The conversion does not take place until you export to OBJ. I've been using the Max2Obj plugin to perform the conversion. Unfortunately, Max2Obj only exports tris and/or quads. But even exporting as quads will greatly reduce the polygon count of an object that is composed of triangles.

Finally, you should probably export the thing out and then back in, just to make sure everything went OK. Carefully look at your object and make sure it didn't screw anything up. Sometimes it gets confused and doubles faces up.

The only thing to be careful of is don't try to combine two triangles that are way, way out of plane with respect to each other. I'd say you can get away with combining two triangles as long as they are within 30 degrees of each other.

posted 04-19- 08:35 PM               

Have you guys tried that poly optomization program i posted about?

posted 04-20- 12:39 PM               

I will check that out.

Laika you wrote:

"Anyway - I would say 800 polys in high detail is good (very good) for a "normal"
fighter."

I take it that means 800 is quite low? That means, if someone has managed to make a recognizable aircraft of just 800 polys it´s good?

posted 04-20- 05:23 PM               

I´m trying to model a Swedish Saab J21 fighter. I don´t know if you´ve heard about it. It first flew in 1943. It had a pusher prop and twin booms, so I´m using the P38 as a base for it. One interesting thing about it is that it was later converted into a jet version, they put a DeHavilland Goblin engine in it instead of the prop. The design team also had to figure out a way to make it possible for the pilot to get out of the plane in an emergency situation without being chopped to pieces by the meatgrinder behind him...Hence, one of the world´s first ejection seats were constructed.

Right now I´m replacing parts in OPS, I have a lot to learn still, but it is FUN.
Since I don´t know how to post pics here I´m giving you some links so you can see for yourself if you like.
http://www.flygvapenmuseum.nu/utstallning/j21a21.htm
http://home.bip.net/mik-y/Planes/New/J21-F9-B.jpg
http://www.hotel.wineasy.se/ipms/stuff_eng_detail_j21.htm

Easter Greetings/Robert

[This message has been edited by Robert (edited 04-20-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Robert (edited 04-20-2000).]

posted 04-21- 01:36 PM               

I tried that poly optimization program. Very cool. I can cut the numbers of polys by 25 percent on some of my objects, and they still looks as good as before. Of course there is a limit to how much one can subtract, and I guess what kind of shape it is from the beginning makes a difference as well. For example, some objects seems to be impossible to optimize further. But on some objects I really can´t tell the difference despite 25 percent less polys.
(Hmm, I hope there is no catch here.)

PS. I was just thinking, what if there was a program that worked the other way around...? You made a very simple model and then you pushed the polyslider up and it looked more and more like the aircraft of your choice...
DS
/Robert

posted 04-21- 06:49 PM               

Yeah it is pretty cool. You do have to watch it though cause it seems to shrink just a tad as it removes somtimes. Still cool though. Probly more usefull for stuff that people arn't picking about being exacly to scale like monsters in a shootem up. Still good for us though. As long as your carefull. You can do one part at a time too so thats cool.