Okay this is a complicated question Ready for this?
https://twitter.com/M_yarrow/status/1400179728984821767
Lets start with counting quads and tris.
We NEVER count quads. When given a brief that says polys, it actually means tris. Tris tris tris.
Be very clear that your polygon counter tool is set to tris.
We NEVER count quads. When given a brief that says polys, it actually means tris. Tris tris tris.
Be very clear that your polygon counter tool is set to tris.
But, it gets worse. Your polycount isn't your polycount.
It is a lie.
Polycount is cake.
It is a lie.
Polycount is cake.
Say you have a mesh rocking in at 1000 triangles.
Nice.
But it isn't 1000 tris. Oh no.
Because it has smoothing groups and uv channels.
Oh my.
Nice.
But it isn't 1000 tris. Oh no.
Because it has smoothing groups and uv channels.
Oh my.
Every hard edge in your model is actually a break in the mesh under the hood, so though it appears to be on edge between two verts, it ain't. You actually have two edges and four verts.
The same goes for uv seams.
The same goes for uv seams.
Yunno that little checkbox that says "generate lightmap uvs" in importers? You know how you shrug and just check it on to be sure?
You just made a copy of your model, blasted it into chunks and stored that.
Are you even using that data?
You just made a copy of your model, blasted it into chunks and stored that.
Are you even using that data?
Now, you can have two or three unchannels. When you vertex color that is essentially a fourth if you do face fills... oh you wondered how filling a face in vertex color gets a hard edge? It creates two edges under the hood.
Your 60,000 poly character aint smelling so fresh now is it?
It's probably more like 120,000 triangles but with smoothing and uv channels it is now 550,000
It's probably more like 120,000 triangles but with smoothing and uv channels it is now 550,000
Your best counter is uvs. A uv is a true vertex.
So, a default cube has 8 verts, but usually 14 - 24 uvs.
On tight platforms, every bit helps.
So, a default cube has 8 verts, but usually 14 - 24 uvs.
On tight platforms, every bit helps.
Even if you are doing AAA high end, the trick is to create the illusion you want with as little resources as possible.
Just because it renders fast doesn't mean it is a good density. Factor in loading times, disc size, DLC bandwidth, yadda, yadda...
Just because it renders fast doesn't mean it is a good density. Factor in loading times, disc size, DLC bandwidth, yadda, yadda...
As a character artist, you should be able to make a character from a few thousand upwards. An RTS may require a few hundred polys.
If you can demonstrate low, we know you can always add more.
If you can demonstrate low, we know you can always add more.
Your 60,000 poly character won't impress me. Show me your 6,000 poly ones.
I can get 10 of the latter on screen for the same price.
I can get 10 of the latter on screen for the same price.
As we go forward, counts will go up. But spare a thought to skinning and deformation. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should
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