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Blender modeling tips?


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I can't zoom in far enough on your screenshot to totally see what's going on, but an 'edge split' modifier does wonders for cleaning up models with a mix of sharp edges and broad curves, especially coupled with taking the time to mark edges that should be sharp as such.  Starting with a 40 vertex circle isn't an automatically untenable idea - it of course depends on how many loops you're going to make in the other direction!   It's total vertex count that needs to stay reasonable, so if you need more to pull off something, and can save them elsewhere, it cancels out!  I don't remember what the guidelines are for 'acceptable' vertex counts for various types of part...   what's the diameter of the part and what IS the part?  

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You can pretty much use as many vertices as you need. Performance is going to be more impacted by the number of drawing calls when it comes time to render the part in game.

Search around on this forum for post/tutorial about cutting holes in curved objects as it looks like you are attempting some variation of that process.

Edited by Kurld
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9 hours ago, artwhaley said:

I can't zoom in far enough on your screenshot to totally see what's going on, but an 'edge split' modifier does wonders for cleaning up models with a mix of sharp edges and broad curves, especially coupled with taking the time to mark edges that should be sharp as such.  Starting with a 40 vertex circle isn't an automatically untenable idea - it of course depends on how many loops you're going to make in the other direction!   It's total vertex count that needs to stay reasonable, so if you need more to pull off something, and can save them elsewhere, it cancels out!  I don't remember what the guidelines are for 'acceptable' vertex counts for various types of part...   what's the diameter of the part and what IS the part?  

I'm am using the 'edge split' modifier. I need to read into "marking edges that should be sharp as such" perhaps this will help in general. I only plan on making 3 loop cuts horizontally. Its diameter is 2m and it is a command pod inspired by the dragon v2. I have yet to complete the capsule since I have increased the vertices but I believe I can keep it to a reasonable amount. I have a earlier mock-up that is complete somewhere around 3000 vertices. I have built the thing five time already I have just yet to be satisfied with the results.

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Do feel free to post or PM me a link to the .blend file if you'd like me to take a look and see if I can figure out how to make it looks smoother then!   And it sounds like you're WAY in the range of what I'd consider reasonable vertex count.  Kurld is very right that keeping your drawing calls low is important!   I seem to recall that there were general guidelines once to model complexity for KSP, but other than going through the mess of ancient tutorials I wouldn't know where to find them!   I think you're on track!  

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I quickly made a model that somewhat resembles the one you are working on just to show you how to sharpen up the edges. As you can see, the first model (left) is just the basic mesh, no modifiers with 48 faces around (24 works fine too). The middle model has "Smooth shading" applied to it with 3 horizontal edge loops, and the one to the right has an "Edge Split" modifier applied to it.

If the Edge Split modifier does not sharpen up the model as you'd like, I suggest either marking seams as "sharp" or selecting faces like I've done in the image and press Y to split them off from the rest.

P2SQu0v.png

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