[WIP] Desert Eagle + question

[SideEffect]

Hello, This is my very first attempt at a firearm model. I'm still very new at this, I think this is my 3rd actual attempt at a project. I mess around alot in 3D Studio Max though. Anyway this is meant for gaming. I realise it's still good to keep the polycount low but most games these days are using higher and higher polycounts. This model is 1,980 polygons. Now I modeled the whole thing right now so when it comes time to put it in the game I can cut that number down quite a bit but deleting the polygons on the other side of the gun since you wont see it anyway. I've also put some details that probably might not even be seen well in a first person view but I also wanted to make the whole gun heh. It's always easier getting rid of details than making them. I still haven't modeled the clip yet.

I still have to do texturing, I know my way around photoshop well so that should make things easy, I just don't know much about adjusting the UVWs to make it easier. Got a bit of research to do there.

Well heres the pics, I'd like to hear any suggestions. Prepare for massive amount of links:

Renders:
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglefin.jpg
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglefin1.jpg
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglefin2.jpg
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglefin3.jpg
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglefin4.jpg

Wireframe:
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglefinwire.jpg
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglefinwire2.jpg
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglefinwire3.jpg
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglefinwire4.jpg

Sorry bout the lighting in those renders, they're just 3DSMax 5 renders and theres no lights in the scene just the default light.

Now onto the question I have.
I've kept all my polygons down to 3-4 sided. It seems like there's alot of unneeded polygons in some of the flat spots. These pics are of the gun grip. Now wouldn't it be good to merge as many of these vertices as possible? They aren't of much use on this flat area so why not cut down the amount of triangles a bit? Would this affect the mesh in any way, and would getting rid of some of these triangles even do much as far as slowdowns on some machines?
Heres the pics:
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglewiretest1.jpg
www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglewiretest2.jpg

Thanks in advance for your time and suggestions, SideEffect

 

[The Dark Elf]

those quads need to be tripoly in game, does your poly count take into account the hand models aswell

 

[Gorgon]

Why not have a new models such as guns that has never seen before.

Look at Neotoko guns its very original, something like that..

 

[SideEffect]

Fenric:
Doh, I forgot all about the hands heh. Shouldn't the quads turn into triangles when it's exported or do I have to just unhide all those triangulations before I export it? Also should I continue to weld like that handle? You didn't say anything about that and thats whats kinda holding me up right now.

G0rgon:
Yeah, I realise this isn't anything original, but like I said I've never made a firearm before and I thought that I should start with something basic.

 

[IchI]

your barrel is a lot better shaped than mine and I just noticed where I actually went wrong, U have wasted quiet a bit of polgons on the front. I will edit one of your images to hiughlight them when I get home, but atm I am at school and can't really do much. But mine is a different desert eagle. Have u got an image of the one u modelled from?

 

[The Dark Elf]

Originally posted by SideEffect
Fenric:
Doh, I forgot all about the hands heh. Shouldn't the quads turn into triangles when it's exported or do I have to just unhide all those triangulations before I export it? Also should I continue to weld like that handle? You didn't say anything about that and thats whats kinda holding me up right now.

I'd remodel the handle, can look the same but the placement of the polygons needs to be re-thought. There will be quite a few wasted polys in that area when tripled by the looks of it. You've got the shape there though so using that as a template then just remodeling it with the polys fixed up shouldn't be too much of a problem, and should free up some polys for use elsewhere if needs be.

 

[SidewinderX]

it actually looks quite good, however the curved part of the handgrip that justs out in the back needs new smoothing groups....

Gorgon: well, maybe he was making it for a realistic mod. Maybe he jsut wanted to mode something that had plenty of reference materil. This forum is for crits on models, not crits on taste in guns or whatnot.

 

[Assasin]

lots of welding can be done on the slide

 

[SideEffect]

Ichi:
Here's the best perspective refrence pic that I've found:
http://www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/mark_desert_eagle_pistol.gif . I see what you mean about the polygons in the front, I'll fix that. At first I was going to extrude that hole in but its not even going to show up and I'll still put a textured hole there anyway.

Fenric:
I see some polygons that need to be cleaned up in there, but not quite as much as I think you're saying. Could you maybe circle it?

SideWinder:
Do you mean this part right here or somewhere else? http://www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglesmoothprob.jpg
If you are talking about that, I can't do anything there. Those are 2 different objects in the same mesh, 1 overlapping the other. I didn't think it would even show up much once it was textured. Should I do something about that?

Assasin:
Yeah you're right, I'll fix that up.
Thanks, I'll see what I can do about cleaning up this model.

 

[SideEffect]

Well I've lowered the polycount to 1538. Do you guys think I can still lower it some more or am I finally ready to texture this?

Pics of the new wireframe:

http://www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglenewwire.jpg
http://www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglenewwire2.jpg
http://www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglenewwire3.jpg
http://www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglenewwire4.jpg

Thanks again.

 

[HiroProtaganist]

that PC does not appear to be TRI's. convert the model t editablemesh and get the PC count that way. It's going to be at the least double you current number. Also you mentioned that you have two objects in th mesh; for future refernce your Poly count will be much lower and you mesh will flow much better if you create the entire model from one primitive (assuming you use box modeling). you 'll need to get very familiar with "Create" polygon as well as vertice welding. but you'll be amazed at how smoother it gets come UVW unwrapping time.


*sorry- i forgot to mention that i think it's a great model just maybe a tad high on the poly's

 

[SideEffect]

Wow thats a shitload more polygons than I thought. I also see what you mean about the UVWs now, woulda been hard enough having the slide seperate. I'm going to lower some more polys right now too for a game model. Thanks alot for that information Hiro.

 

[SideEffect]

Well I got rid of some unneeded curves near the front of the gun and I deleted the other side of the gun since you don't see it and now its down to 991 polygons. Time for texturin. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Murray_H]

Originally posted by SideEffect
Well I got rid of some unneeded curves near the front of the gun and I deleted the other side of the gun since you don't see it and now its down to 991 polygons. Time for texturin. Thanks for the help guys.

Quick tip, don't delete the 'unseen' parts of the model until it's been animated. Chances are something will have been deleted incorrectly and leave a hole in the gun when you reload it for example. Ok, it may work once or twice, but its better to be on the safe side

Anyhoo you'll have probably saved it before you deleted the side and after as different files, so you can go back and sort stuff out

 

[SideEffect]

Ya I did save it to another file before I did that, thanks for letting me know about that. If I textured it though then deleted the polygons wouldnt I have to redo the UVWs? Should I just animate it before I texture?

 

[IchI]

Originally posted by SideEffect
Well I've lowered the polycount to 1538. Do you guys think I can still lower it some more or am I finally ready to texture this?

Pics of the new wireframe:

http://www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglenewwire.jpg
http://www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglenewwire2.jpg
http://www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglenewwire3.jpg
http://www.baywebdevelopment.com/models/deaglenewwire4.jpg

Thanks again.

hmmmmm, is that a triangle count or not? if u are using 3dsmax right click your model a convert to editable patch. This will automatically convert it for u. Then click on file/status (i think)

 

[Firegold]

u gots lots of wasted polies