How do they do this??? with such low poly

# 1 12-05-2009 , 06:45 AM

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I was looking at some low poly models and I was wondering how do you think they did the wheels on this? Was it just with a displacement map? How were they able to remove geometry in the wheels? If anyone could point me to some tutorials that would be great. Also explain how this was most likely done.

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# 2 12-05-2009 , 07:20 AM

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displacement,
you can tell because you can see that the little bumps actually change the surface of the wheel, unlike bump and normal mapping which would just make it look like it's different (that and the little bumps are too high to be bump or normal maps)

as far as i can tell you make a displacement map (a greyscale map like a bump map) then you make a file node in hypershade, and plug the file node into the displacement input of the shader node
then you go to Window > Rendering Editors > mental ray > Approximation Editor
select the wheel, and assign a new subdivision or displacement node and play with the settings
(i can't remember the difference off the top of my head, or what the settings do)

it should be explained more in the help files, and again if you google "maya displacement map tutorials" or something

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# 3 14-05-2009 , 10:32 PM

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i think they also used transparency map for the wheels to get the triangle shapes, but its weird because the wheel inside structure has shape to it

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# 4 14-05-2009 , 11:31 PM

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Well i think it's impossible to be 1:1 you don't have some major elements on your low poly ... like spikes in the wheels and some other things on the engin ... make the whole details from the left picture in low poly to your model. After that you could Zbrush your model or Mudbox it ... then make normal map on high quality and i think it just might work ...
It's just a prediction i did not try this method but on theory it should do the work

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# 5 14-05-2009 , 11:49 PM

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Originally posted by ColdWave
Well i think it's impossible to be 1:1 you don't have some major elements on your low poly ... like spikes in the wheels and some other things on the engin ...

Originally Posted by

This isn't my model. Someone made this low poly model, and through various maps achieved a higher "looking" poly version

Last edited by To La Bomb; 14-05-2009 at 11:51 PM.

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# 6 14-05-2009 , 11:57 PM

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Coldwave, the details like the bumps on the wheels and the stuff on the engine could only be achieved by displacement maps (with the addition of normal maps, but i don't know if normal maps show up in AO render) if not actual geometry. the purpose of displacement maps is to displace the surface, bump and normal just give the illusion

you could add all that in something like z or mudbox or you could just make the higher poly version and then use transfer maps

as for the triangle holes in the wheels, it might have been some transparency map, but i thought that would just make the surface transparent in places, the inside of the wheels have depth... i don't know how you get that... so i can't offer anything there...

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# 7 15-05-2009 , 12:57 AM

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personally, they look like 2 separate models to me, one high-res and one low-res.

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# 8 15-05-2009 , 01:45 PM

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I have to agree with mtmckinley,
even with brilliant displacement maps some details (like the little bits that connect the two bars of the roll-cage on the top) can't be achieved...

...but that was when I ruled the world

Last edited by Freaky-Freeky; 15-05-2009 at 01:47 PM.

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# 9 15-05-2009 , 02:28 PM

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They must be separate models because the horizontal bar across the roll cage is lower down on the high poly one

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# 10 21-05-2009 , 10:22 PM

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Re: How do they do this??? with such low poly

Originally posted by To La Bomb
I was looking at some low poly models and I was wondering how do you think they did the wheels on this? Was it just with a displacement map? How were they able to remove geometry in the wheels? If anyone could point me to some tutorials that would be great. Also explain how this was most likely done.

Originally Posted by

It is two different models, which you can clearly see. Did someone tell you it was the same? If so, they lied.

Also, I suspect (90%) that the bumps on the wheels are not bumped or displacement map as 1. This is clearly for an animation and it would be to visible in an animation and 2. Its depth is a bit to realistic. Of course, the guy could just kick ass, haha, but as we know the other model is a different one and not the same, we know someone lied to you.

And I doubt he/she used a transparency map on the 'wholes' on the wheels as someone else also pointed out, it would show otherwise and this is clearly modeled.

Last edited by lillsnopp; 21-05-2009 at 10:27 PM.

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