How to create realistic tunic folds for units via 3dsmax

[DAVIDE]

How to create real tunic/dress folds in 3ds max, usable even for MEDII/RTW units if you prefer. Usually when people creates units for TW games, they're usual to shape folds directly on the texture via photoshop. But making them directly on 3ds max, you will avoid in game the "sticker effect" as things attached on tga as a tatoo. In game thanks to this tutorial, units will be more realistic and detailed


LETS START WITH TUTORIAL:


STEP 1

From the "create" panel, select "shape" and then "nurbs curves" and select "point curve" button




STEP 2

With the point curve mode, start to create your first shape. Obviously more complex and detailed it will be, more particular and realistic will be the folds of the dress. In this tutorial i'm creating a basic fold system to show you.






Now when you ended your first shape, click right button of mouse to copy it. Move the copied shape few cm below the first one you created. As i showed in pic below






Now create a third shape (not equal as design as the first two shapes you made), at a distance who will represent the height of folds. See pics below








STEP 3


Now select one of your three curve nurbs and go on "modify panel", then submenu "general" and click on "nurbs toolbar". Once the toolbar will be opened, click on "create ruled surface". See pic below





Now select the first shape (at the passage of mouse it will become blue coloured) drag and drop it pressing left mouse, moving it till reaching the following shape (once done you can release the mouse button). Proceed in the same way with the third shape you created






STEP 4


Now we have our basic folds.. you have to convert the model to "editable poly" (right clicking on geometry) and you can assign it a little bit of shell mode (from modifier list) to improve the same model


STEP 5

I opened Photoshop CS2 and i created a quick simple texture who will be used for my test. Dress has no folds as you can see in pic below





Now in 3ds Max, select the model and assign it your test texture as material, then set the unwrap mappings etc. and result will be like this:

[Lü Bu]

Wow!!
Very useful but how many polygons does it have?

[DAVIDE]

the one in screenshots has

Objects:
                  Cast    Receive    Motion            Generate    Receive    Generate    Receive    
  Name    Type    Verts    Faces    Shadows    Shadows    Blur    Hidden    Frozen    Caustics    Caustics    GlobIllum    GlobIllum    Material (Type)
  ------------------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------------------
  Curve01    NURBS Cu    311    528    Yes    Yes    No    No    No    No    Yes    Yes    Yes    default (Std)


Shapes:
                      Cast    Receive    Motion            Generate    Receive    Generate    Receive        
  Name    Type    Verts    Polygons    Render    Shadows    Shadows    Blur    Hidden    Frozen    Caustics    Caustics    GlobIllum    GlobIllum
  ------------------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------    ------------
  Curve02    NURBS Cu    0    0    No    n/a    n/a    n/a    No    No    No    Yes    Yes    Yes


Scene Totals:
  Objects: 1
  Shapes: 1
  Cameras: 0
  Lights: 0
  Helpers: 0
  Space Warps: 0
  Total: 2

Mesh Totals:

  Verts: 311
  Faces: 528

[Lü Bu]

well this is not so much and effects are superb!Do you btw know max ammount of vertexex one rtw model can have?

[DAVIDE]

well this is not so much and effects are superb!Do you btw know max ammount of vertexex one rtw model can have?

Well, i can tell you i tried models in game (units), with 20,000 vertex and game is still over 80 fps (i have radeon 9800 pro dated 2002). And about strat map models, i m using models with 27,000 vertex, 14540 faces and game is still over 130 fps

[Lü Bu]

ok thanks for that info

[Jarlaxe]

Well, i can tell you i tried models in game (units), with 20,000 vertex and game is still over 80 fps (i have radeon 9800 pro dated 2002). And about strat map models, i m using models with 27,000 vertex, 14540 faces and game is still over 130 fps

my pc is a bit old(6 years) everytime i tried to make a model over 800 vertexes i had big problem (frama to frame 5-6 sec)in a battle with 20 units.
i'm planning on a new pc and i certenly will try this