Hard Surface Model Retopology related question

[SonicBlue]

In most of the cases you reuse the high poly mesh to build the low poly, simplifying the edge flow and collapsing what is not necessary for the details or silhouette of the object. In hard surface straight lines must be straight, flat surface flat, cylindrical shapes must have the correct curvature, etc. You can use the same techniques used in organic retopology, but you have to precisely snap the mesh to the high poly surface, methodically following the contours.

You probably need to follow more tutorials, there are many on YouTube.

[kaspersky1]

Can you give a example which tutorial should i follow?

and how do you retopologize your hard surface model?

[SonicBlue]

Retopology Using Quad Draw in Maya 2018 ~ 3D Tutorial

You can use this technique, or just, as I already said, collapse the unwanted edges, like this:

You can work on it further, probably, just avoid creating too long and thin triangles.

Hard_Surface_Thing_kaspersky1_002.blend (1.3 MB)

[kaspersky1]

I have mostly done the retopologizing.
Can i use this to bake normals?

[SonicBlue]

With that geometry the bake would result with errors for sure, do you know that you need UVs too, to bake?

You would have had it easier if you retopo only a 1/4 of the model, since every corner is the same.

[kaspersky1]

what geometry would be best ?
I will make the seams once I complete the retopology.

[SonicBlue]

A geometry that fits better the source mesh, that’s not wobbly and that does not contains n-gons, for starting.

[kaspersky1]

Sir if i do not create n gons than the model becomes full of edges

[SonicBlue]

The mesh, internally, is triangulated even if you don’t see the triangles directly, and the game engine you are going to use, will triangulate the mesh when importing. The triangulation will happen with a “random” orientation, so, the normal map you baked with an edge oriented in a way, will not match, creating shading issues.

You have to use quadrilateral polygon as much as you can, and, before baking but after UVing, triangulate the whole mesh.

[kaspersky1]

Man this is so stressful

[kaspersky1]

If I want to make a car model.Does it take time to retopo it like 1 to 2 weeks?

and do you do manual retopology for your models ?

[SonicBlue]

Usually you don’t bake a normal map from a car model, cars are built with the correct topology from the start.

Before thinking of retopologizing something I would invest some time understanding how to build objects with the correct topology first.

[kaspersky1]

But through catmul clarke subdivison or smooth preview of maya correct topology is very hard to achieve?

Then what to do?

[SonicBlue]

If you find it too hard, spend more time working on your mesh, and watch some tutorial on the subject.

There are no tricks to make good looking models, you need to gain experience.

[kaspersky1]

How can i join small holes with whole mesh and still maintain the quads?

[ShaafiCoffee]

In regards to your original post–bake the hole onto a map. Don’t have actual geometry represent it in the low poly. There’s just no need. Only match the geometry when needed like in a gun barrel (see below.)

From Marmosets website:

[kaspersky1]

You mean to say that i can overlap holes in my low poly mesh and then these holes will be baked on the normal map from high poly model. Right?

Is it really possible in blender?

[ShaafiCoffee]

Of course. That’s baking 101.

Your high poly detail, like holes and dents, will be represented onto your low poly through the normal map.

Cover up the area with geometry/planes. Just make sure your high poly hole is capped. Not see through.

[kaspersky1]

Can i overlap these holes too and get details on normal map ?

[kaspersky1]

I baked the normal,high poly is not baking on low poly properly.

Can you pls help with it?

The hole is also not baking properly.