Mesh Optimization in testing stages.

Banshee

The recent revisions are already exporting the voxel models as textured .obj files. But that will be useless if each model has a very high polycount, so I've recently started to improve the mesh optimization technique and it is available in the latest revisions. To use it, open your voxel and make sure it is using the correct palette. Then, follow the steps below:

1) Go to Tools -> 3D Modelizer.
2) Once the Modelizer window opens, click in the button rotate buttons and it should open a huge set of options. Go to Normal Effects -> ReNormalize Mesh.
3) Then, make it textured by going to the same button and Texture Effects -> Generate Diffuse Texture.
4) Finally, you can test the mesh optimization in the same button by going to Face Settings -> Custom Mesh Optimization. Make sure that the Ignore Material Colours box is checked. The number should be something between 0 and 150. Higher numbers cut down more polygons, but they may compromise the quality or even make the object disappear completely.

In order to reset the model, go to the button mentioned in the step 2 and Model Quality -> Triangle Smoothed 3D Model (Medium).

The picture below is the Mammoth Mk2 from Tiberian Sun with all its polygons (20152).

And this picture is the same model after a mesh optimization (with 40 degrees and ignore material colours checked), with 8556 faces.

Use this topic to discuss it, post the results with your models and provide suggestions. The result in the picture above is far from being perfect and I'll try to improve it.

DaFool · Defense Minister **Joined**: 07 Nov 2006

I think a wire frame view of the before and after model would be a better visual aid.

I converted a vxl straight up once (so pretty much every voxel was a cube), and I noticed that theres alot of large faces cut up into grids, and if you can elliminate this, that would be awesome.

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Banshee · Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:46 am Post subject:

I'll add a wire frame view option.

And can you show me a picture with these large faces cut up into grids, so I can understand what's going on?

DaFool · Defense Minister **Joined**: 07 Nov 2006

lets say you made a 4x4x4 cube in voxel maker. Top corner, no? Ideally though, what you want is on the left hand side, which details being filles in by textures. Below is a voxel (thanks to m666) that I was trying to optimize by hand. To show the differences, I have half of the original model on the ride and optimization on the left.

I don't really know alot of geometric modeling-coding terms. But I guess if there was something that checked if there were faces on the same plane that shared edges, then those faces would be merged.

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MT · Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 1:46 am Post subject:

Basically, an option to un-subdivide wherever it can non-destructively (without real geometry changes i.e. on flat areas).

Banshee · Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:17 am Post subject:

This is what I do already.

The technique basically removes edges when the angle of all neighbor faces of the vertexes are lower than the one you provide. But it protects the borders of each texture sector (which I'll call partition from now on) in order to not screw up the textures.

But I've noticed that I have to do that with the borders of each partition of the model (these partitions are created during the texture generation process). But in the case of the border, it must be done only with other borders, otherwise it will create gaps.

Orac · Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 3:45 am Post subject:

Personally, I'd like to see an option in VXLSE additional to painting normals, where one can paint faces - not only would this be w way to control the stair effect on voxels, it could also be used here in defining the bounds of a face on the model.
However, that'd be time consuming to add, I assume, and would require the user to do some further work on a voxel.
...just my two cents.

Roaches · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:03 am Post subject:

Orac wrote:

Personally, I'd like to see an option in VXLSE additional to painting normals, where one can paint faces - not only would this be w way to control the stair effect on voxels, it could also be used here in defining the bounds of a face on the model.
However, that'd be time consuming to add, I assume, and would require the user to do some further work on a voxel.
...just my two cents.

I like your idea, generating 3D geometry by scanning voxel's normals topology instead of voxel physical geometry would cut down on the high polygon redundancy, theoretically producing more accurate results. Smile