High detail on Low polygon count model?

#1

Good day guys, I have been tinkering with 3Ds Max for the past 2 years now, unfortunately everything that I know about it (modelling,texturing & rigging) are all based off from what I could find on the internet.

My question would be about how some expert modellers can project a high quality looking model by just using a model with low polygon count. What I mean by this is what this picture on the link shows. (Its by Faraz Mobin)

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/564533_308751999192362_435346430_n.jpg

And this one too.

http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/man-batman-bat-max/673542

(I noticed that the vert and poly count happen to be around 5000+ yet the model looks as if it was created using hundreds of thousands of polygons. I am currently using “Wayne’s Vector displace”, however it doesn’t do the job correctly most of the time. Sometimes the polygon projections tend to be misplaced or stretched.

I really hope someone could shed some light on this question of mine.

#2

The process is called normal mapping (or displacement mapping in movies) and is a standard practice in all AAA game titles. You can find a lot of tutorials on the subject.

http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/news/2013/03/video-games-film-whats-the-difference-its-still-3d-modeling-right/

http://www.chrisalbeluhn.com/Normal_Map_Tutorial.html

http://www.marcusdublin.com/TutorialsselectionPage.html

http://eat3d.com/free/xnormal_overview

#3

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