Model and Texture Relation in these days

#1

I think about the old days, when the models were a few polys, and the detail was added with the texture. I noticed in UT2004, that even now, a great variety of characters can be achieved using the same geometry.

My question is: Is or was there any good reason to use the same geometry (regarding the engine), or it was a freedom given for artist to screw around?

What do you think will come next? Because by adding more detail to the geometry, the ability to change the entire look dims.
Or…Is the texture changing possibility kept in mind in the skething and planning phase?

#2

the same meshes/geometry are being re used because of time saving and engine optimazations
making every pillar/wall/etc unique is quite a time intensive process so people try to speed it up by making lego like pieces of meshes they can re use in various situations
once you made a wall its simply about copying it around, goes pretty fast

it will also be loaded only once in the game memory, thus saving on memory load and loading speeds

next youll see the combination, textures with geometry inside them, normal maps with integrated displacement stuff
its like a normal texture yet it looks 3d and those textures will also be re used in various of situations because you simply cant make a unique 900 000 poly wall panel for every specific situation you have
you only make one and then re use it

re use of assets is kept partialy in mind while planning it, but not that much
half of it is still go with the flow :slight_smile:

#3

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