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Post by iruma77 on Sept 27, 2022 5:27:33 GMT -5
I want to create a net-like object (e.g. grate). In order to lower the polycounts, the net-part will be just a mesh with net texture. But I'd like the shadow to appear as net as well, and to do that I assume I will have to create a mesh with multiple grids (?) If the shadow has high polycount, how much does it affect the gameplay? Thanks in advance  nox.tips/ |
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Post by itsonlythee on Oct 20, 2022 17:42:15 GMT -5
You might be able to use alpha transparency on the shadow mesh and be able to keep that a plane as well
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Post by Fwecka (Lolabellesims) on Oct 27, 2022 2:51:37 GMT -5
No, you wouldn't be able to use alpha transparency on the shadow LOD as it would be just one mesh group and you would need it to have a phong shader which it will already have. Unless there's a better solution that someone knows of I think your best bet for the shadow LOD if you want the sun shadow to be accurate, is to make strips of crisscrossing flat planes that are back-to-back, and by back-to-back I mean you duplicate the strips with shift + D then flip the normals, or use the solidify modifier with fill rim unchecked. You could drastically reduce the polycount of your shadow LOD meshes. They only need to have the general shape of the mesh so they can cast an appropriate sun shadow. The little details don't count for shadow LODs. You can use decimate or dissolve edges. I prefer to dissolve edges; decimate can wreck the shape of your mesh. If you want to dissolve edges, here are instructions for Blender 2.7+: Select your mesh, edit mode, press T to open the side menu, press A to select all of your mesh, alt + J to make your triangles quads (making your faces quads means far fewer edges to deal with and it's easier to select edge loops this way), in the side menu put a checkmark next to compare UVs (this keeps your UV layout from getting messed up). Enter edge select and start selecting edges (hold alt to select entire edge rings; shift + alt to select multiple edge rings), X > dissolve edges. After you're done, press A to select all of your mesh, then ctrl + T to triangulate the faces.
You can do this same method in any of the newer versions of Blender but I'm still not familiar with any of them so I can't give instructions for them.
Edit: I didn't answer your initial question. Sorry. As far as I know the shadow LOD's polycount won't affect gameplay as the game is only using the shape of the mesh to cast a sun shadow when your item is outdoors. The game doesn't render the shadow LOD itself. This is as I understand it, anyway. Regardless, it's always best to keep your polycount low if you can.
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