Hi folks (sorry - no fancy art here to show 
“How many polys?” seems to be question discussed here (and other forums as well) many times. I just realized that the current techniques (bump mapping) can make it possible to use low poly characters with very high poly bump map so they look like high poly guys.
There’s a demo behind this link…
http://www.blitzbasic.com/Community/posts.php?topic=27357
Actually it’s called normal mapping… it’s is different than regular bump mapping…although I can’t give you a good tchncial explanation… bump maps simple stick to whatever surface they are applied to whereas normal maps make it appears as if there is surfaces that are there that aren’t. I dunno that doesn’t sound right…
Here’s some links
To help Gmask,
Normal mapping is mostly just a more complex bump map. If you think of a bump map on a plane, with the bump going up in Y, then 50% value will not appear to move the surface at all, value ranging to 0% will appear to make a hole or dent, and values up to 100% will be a bump.
Now if we apply that with 3 colours, RGB, instead of 1, we have Normal mapping.
I’m not sure which is which for direction, but we’ll assume it’s R=X, G=Y, and B=Z for now.
So the idea is that the value of G - if at 50%, does nothing, if anywhere down to 0% moves down the normal, and above 50% goes up the normal.
With Red, 50% does nothing, towards 0% it goes down in U, and up to 100% it goes up in U.
With Blue, 50% does nothing, towards 0% it goes down in V, and up to 100% it goes up in V.
So you essentially have the 3 quardinates nessessary, in pixel space to define any form.
Theoretically, given a blazingly fast enough super-giga-computer, you could play a game at 30 fps or more with models consisting of millions of polygons, environments with similar polygon counts with global illumination, final gather, and all those other lighting effects and stuff on.
Though to do that you’d need like a something something petahertz or zetaherts computer.
Instead of explaining it (because I am not good at that) I have a link with a movie you can watch. It’s basically VALVe team working on Half Life 2, and they are explaining how they used that technique. Go to this link…
http://www.planethalflife.com/half-life2/videos/
and under “SIGGRAPH Editing Videos” click on the link for “Normal Mapping” Editing Movie.
VAVLe is using XSI to model and animate props and characters for HL2, but the same can be achieved in Maya or MAX. Enjoy 
I posted some info about normal mapping here, with lots of links. Might help you.
Normal Mapping in 3ds max
http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=87991
Yeah, normal mapping was really introduced by Id software when they revealed Doom 3. They use it on all their characters in the game, which is why they look so damn detailed in-game. Not all developers are using it as effectively, but upcoming games such as Doom 3, Far Cry, and to a lesser extent… Half Life 2 use it.
The game Halo 2 uses BUMP-maps though… but they are actually drawn onto the model directly by the artists, which produces a really similar effect to the normal mapping process, and saves time ;).
Originally posted by gmask
[B]Actually it’s called normal mapping… it’s is different than regular bump mapping…although I can’t give you a good tchncial explanation… bump maps simple stick to whatever surface they are applied to whereas normal maps make it appears as if there is surfaces that are there that aren’t. I dunno that doesn’t sound right…Here’s some links
Nah, normal maps are basically bump maps, but more advanced because it enables 180 degrees of light interactions in an environment, whereas regular bumpmaps only allow 90 degrees. Bumpmaps are applies using 2d greyscale images, while normal maps are applied using 3d RBG ones.
So in reality talk… normals maps regularly just produce a cleaner look than regular bumpmaps, although it is really the same technology.
Normal mapping is on DOOM III and HL2 like stated. It’s also hard to do with some software and time cosuming. Though Normal Mapping and Pixel shading=:eek: if done right. Though Simple bump mapping can do the same IF done right.
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