Floor modeling/materaial question

[Arnold Grove]

newbie modelign question..hope I make sence...

 

I have a large floor that has sevral details. The main part of the floor is a parquet pattern and then there is a different parquet pattern around the parimeter. In addition, there are a few 'trap doors' in the floor with yet another parqet pattern.

 

Right now, I have the floor as an editbale poly converted from a plane. I have it divided up in several segments from which Ill UV map. I set my mat ID's. 3 totlal....parimeter...main part and trap doors.

 

But there are many segments that make up the main pattern because I needed to place these other Ids at particular points on the floor.

 

I am getting exactly what I want w/ this metohod. But Im wondering if this plane divided up into so many sections will make for longer render times.

 

If so...after selecting the proper polys...how can do I merge them together to reduce the poly count?

 

I guess I should be asking what is the most efficient way to split up your floor?

 

thanks

[Arnold Grove]

yes..no? anyone???

[cferman]

How many polygons are we talking?

Can you attach a screenshot?

[jucaro]

Is doing the layout of the parquet pattern not a viable option in photoshop and then applied as texture map on the whole floor?

[manta]

I wouldn't worry about the poly count...keep it under 100,000...

[Arnold Grove]

Is doing the layout of the parquet pattern not a viable option in photoshop and then applied as texture map on the whole floor?

 

Glad you asked. Im working on the map...a tough one because of the size of the tiles...in a herringbone pattern.

 

Around the sides there is a different pattern...and trap doors with yet another. If it was all one pattern no biggies.

 

What i did was create a plane...I made several W and L segments. I then converted to edit poly and in vertex mode I moved the points to create the odd placing on the outside and in middle of floor.

 

I then made 3 ID's..the outter...the trap doors and the rest of the floor. So like 10 sections in all. The problem is the trap doors arent placed evenly on the floor where the sections were created so I had to move things around.

 

The problem is I cant get the ids to go where I want them. Im about to try to work on edge sub-object, select edge and connect. from the Editable poly for Interiors Part 1 tutroial...hopefully this will give me what im after.

[Arnold Grove]

I guess my problem is moving from Lightwave to Max. IM finding my way around pretty well, Im just missing a few pieces. I can model, serface and render the most kick ass logos..Im finidng my way around Im just missing a few peices.

 

In LW to make a poly...select your points in order and hit P key..to merge ploys you select and hit the merge tab....I need to do this in max..not sure how

 

simple stuff i know...its right in my face somehwere

[jucaro]

 

In LW to make a poly...select your points in order and hit P key..to merge ploys you select and hit the merge tab....I need to do this in max..not sure how

 

 

right click...convert to editable poly

merge in LW is called Collapse in Max. You may also weld together your collapsed verts.

[only3d]

people are too stressed about the poly count issue. if ur using vray or any other gi engine than the main issue is the geometry and not the poly count.

if u have a plane with 1 polygon or a million its supposed to render the same times. the only siginificant difference is the file size and of course working in viewport (orbit and such)

 

am i correct?

be glad to hear more opinions on the subject

 

oh and y dont u upload a screenshot? would be very helpful

[BrianKitts]

people are too stressed about the poly count issue. if ur using vray or any other gi engine than the main issue is the geometry and not the poly count.

if u have a plane with 1 polygon or a million its supposed to render the same times. the only siginificant difference is the file size and of course working in viewport (orbit and such)

 

that's pretty much my understanding as well.... I think you'd be pretty hard pressed to make a floor pattern with a such a high polygon count to be problematic considering we sometimes use terrain maps in models that push a half a million polys.

 

My personal preference for doing floor patterns is to actually draw out each section as it's own closed spline and then to apply all the materials idividually rather than messing around with all the material ID's. Although once I have it set sometimes I'll attach all the floor objects and let max automatically assign the ID's and create a multi-sub object for the material.