Creating structures with GMax

[Guest]

It is better to create a solid structure, say a box, and then use the boolean method to cut out windows, or seperate boxes to create the building, and boolean method again to cut out windows and doors.I know if I used the separate box method and cut out the windows users will be able to see in the building. I guess its a matter of personal preference. I just want to keep the scenery fps friendly and I understand that Gmax created buildings are fps friendly.Thanks Dave

[Guest]

Could you re-phrase the question? I'm not sure what you're asking.Most of my windows and doors are textures.

[Guest]

If I use a box and shape it to look like a house, I can apply textures that will have windows and doors. There are textures that are also used for night lights. It is better just to use solid boxes for building and add the textures for the doors and windows, or use separate boxes made thin to make the walls of the building, use the boolean method to cut out doors and windows, and use textures for the siding? In other words, complex buildings or simple box buildings, do the complex buildings have higher fps hits than a building made out of simple box.

[Guest]

The logical way to speak to this question is probably to state that using the fewest triangles, (gmax "faces"), and still get the effect you want is a reasonable goal.Mostly I use simple structures and textures to create illusion, and given the subtle shadows in photos, I usually think the results look nicer than cutouts. Still, some features are easier to create with the "windows" being seperate parts...no one rule fits all situations. It may also be good to point out that the difference between good an bad number of polygons or triangles is also subjective. The more you add, the more load on the processor, whether its done in a smart or dumb fashion. I doubt that a couple polys one way or the other is enough to matter.Bob B

[Guest]

Thanks Bob.

[Guest]

A simple house with a 5 sided polygon on each end has 7 polygons. GMAX devides them into triangles, 3 for the ends and 2 for all the others. I get 16.If you create a box for every surface you have 6 polys for each of the 5 rectangular surfaces and 7 for the 5 sided ends. Devided into triangles I get 62. If you start punching 4 sided holes in the building add 8 triangles for every hole you punch. 2 doors and 4 windows would add 48 triangles.If all these triangles eliminated textures then you'd be able to argue that they would me worth it but to make it look good you'd have to texture most of the exterior polys and because you have holes in the building you might want to texture some of the interior ones as well. Plus doors are usually closed requiring more polys to fill them in. The only compelling reason to do this that I could see would be to show interior detail. An Atrium comes to mind.

[Guest]

Hello Dave some of the isues have been covered in this thread butif you really want come windows one simple way to do what you wantis to model your mesh from extruded splines. 1st create a simple rectangle as a line( spline) drawing 1st then all you have to do isuncheck "create new shape" (in the create rollout) and simply drawthe shape of your "window" inside of your spline and then simply extrude that spline and vola a 3D wall with any cutout you need.Try the above (it does not have the problems that boolies can have)so it allways works. Dan

[Guest]

Hi Dan,Thanks for the info. I will give that a try later tonight. Dave