There must be a better way!!

[kurrle]

First I want to say that this is my first 3d model so go easy on me :D

I've built five different models that are around 1,000,000 polys and they all are a part of on larger model. What I was hoping to do is bring thm all together at the end and complete the big picture. The problem that I'm having is that when I start to piece the larger model together, the program really starts to slow down, to the point of complete frustration. I'm assuming it's because I have multiple million poly models on the same canvas. I have a Dual G5 with 2GB RAM.

I thought in order to get the detail I was looking for in these models (see attached image), I would need to increase the division levels, but now I'm thinking there must be a better way. Is there a way to create this type of detail at a lower level or using bump maps or displacement maps, or something. I'n the end what I would like to be able to do is bring all of the models into ZBrush or strata and render the complete model from 4 or 5 different angles.

White_Marlin.jpg

Any help you guys and gals can shed on this would be completeley appreciated
Thanks

[WingedOne]

Even with 2 gigs of ram, 5,000,000 polygons is still a lot.

As you mentioned, you might want to look at doing this using a displacement map.

There's a tutorial on how to do displacement maps that comes with Zbrush. You might want to look at that.

I think it's a great fish model, by the way. :tu:

[kurrle]

Thanks for the reply WingedOne.

I've heard the term displacement map before, but how do you use them, or do you know of a tutorial that I can go through to learn about them?

[kurrle]

I see now that you mentioned that there is a tutorial within ZBrush! I'll check it out.

[Jason Belec]

Beautiful Marlin! ;)

OK, you want to bring them in as lower res (reduce the hi-res while working/placing) in the tools palette. Place everything, say with Marker master, then when you have it all rihgt, you can increase the resolutions of the models and replace them with the lower res. You can do this in Zbrush. You should be able to do it in Strata but it's been a long time for me - 2.0 I think, just after the conversion over from Blitz)

So you have this control under Tools>Geometry

That clear? ;)

[WingedOne]

Deleted...

Oops. :lol:

[kurrle]

Thanks Jason and WingedOne!!!

I'll try your suggestions and see what happens. I really appreciate your time!

[Jason Belec]

as an example...

brought in full character that had several detail levels

reduced polys under tools Geometry

positioned and markered

repositioned and marked (can be another model)

Now clear layer

grab Tool>Multimarker

click on one of the Markers on your screen area

Now if the models in the Tool palette are low res, thatis what will appear

If you now select a model and increase it's resolution
then back to the Multimarker tool

and click on your canvas area again on a marker you will get that model in hires and the other should still be low

and so on

Multimarker scripts give you far more control though

[kurrle]

Thanks for the detailed reply Jason. I'm trying that right now!