Just how detailed

[Guest dionissimus]

It's such fun to model, I tend to just sit there and add stuff, one bell or whistle at a time : ) I am worried I am going overboard though... So here is the question:

Just how detailed should a model be for E4? I heard the poly count should be around 2000, is that right? Do the doors count in this limit? Also, since I am doing pretty much the base model now, I'd like opinions on it, if it is over-detailed or not. I cannot really use poly count as a criteria at this point, since some of the parts are still missing (mirrors, hose jacks, horns, lights etc.), and who knows what else I theoretically want to stick in there, like equipment behind the panels.

I'd appreciate if one of the local modeling masters took a look at the model and told me at a glance, if the detail level is generally right (considering i'll want some more parts added)

The back ladder is made out of hexagonal tubing, the water cannon is all octagonal.

[Hoppah]

That's definately good enough. Less detailed than that is already almost impossible. 2000 is not a limit, it's an advise to keep it around that. 10.000 polygon vehicles are not necessary.

[Guest PalaFDExplorer]

That's definately good enough. Less detailed than that is already almost impossible. 2000 is not a limit, it's an advise to keep it around that. 10.000 polygon vehicles are not necessary.

Unless your an over achiever lol. or were putting it into something like the gta series or another modifiable game

[Guest dionissimus]

That's definately good enough. Less detailed than that is already almost impossible. 2000 is not a limit, it's an advise to keep it around that. 10.000 polygon vehicles are not necessary.

Thank you for the answer : )

EDIT:

While I wouldn't mind having a 10k model in the game, I do know that the overhead perspective is the limiting factor here : ) I was asking more in terms of graphics load. Are you implying that the average modern graphics card will be able to handle some 6-8 10k-poly car models on-screen in E4? Just wondering.

[Hoppah]

Thank you for the answer : )

EDIT:

While I wouldn't mind having a 10k model in the game, I do know that the overhead perspective is the limiting factor here : ) I was asking more in terms of graphics load. Are you implying that the average modern graphics card will be able to handle some 6-8 10k-poly car models on-screen in E4? Just wondering.

For most modern graphics cards it wouldn't really matter, but what's also important is the graphics engine of the game. The EM4 engine is not really built for these high polygon vehicles, while the GTA IV engine should be able to handle them better (for example).

[Guest dionissimus]

what's also important is the graphics engine of the game

That's just what I meant, if it would run decently in E4 engine, with all the other graphics on the screen. True, older (but recent) graphics engines might not be as optimal as newer ones, but they were built with lower specs in mind : ) so this is not all that simple, is it?

This brings me to another similar topic, namely, texture resolution. I noticed your cars are 512x512, right? I also saw 1024x1024 or possibly even bigger in some other mods. Where is the sweet spot, or, rather, range? While the low-poly models look decent in E4, the low-res textures definitely don't. With selective polygon texturing, hi-res details and endless DDS export retries I could do with 512 I think, but I'd really like to skip the trick show and just have a single vehicle side for example, with a neat writing on it. So, I want my textures as big as possible. The question is: where is the sane limit : ?

Same question about buildings : )

[Voodoo_Operator]

10.000 polygon vehicles are not necessary.

Oh.

Guess my 16k poly pumper is way over-the-top, then.

[MikeyPI]

Game Engine limits, if you look at most of the "huge" textures you'll find they are rather bland in level of detail the game's compression just doesnt destroy them as badly as it does smaller, 1024 is a good number, worst case if you're really looking for high Level of detail writing just use writing plates, they add a few polygons and another texture sheet without wasting all the space for the 3000+ sized ones.