Getting used to the interface also, I figured how to start with a 'zsphere' and extrude out like in max. I found it quite a lot easier to do organic shapes like this as you had a bit more leeway where things could go.
As zbrush is a sculpting program there isn't really a way to make it that low poly - you are able to play with the resolution which changes it slightly but I found that it made stray vertices everywhere and simply wasnt that good.
Anyway this was my zbrush result, with the zpheres
and in 'reality' it looks like this.
There are quite a few triangles here, more so than I would like.
I did find out that there was a way to retopologise the tree using the... well retopologise button with a new zsphere. It seemed to work pretty well but some of the quads went a bit skew-wiff and didnt really work.
Just to try an export, I managed to get it in max and made into an editable poly and My plan was to see how long it would take to target weld the verts together to get it back into low poly.
This was a couple of hours later..
It is possible and in Essence this is pretty easy to do using the target weld feature but it takes so long! If possible I would like to be able to set it up low poly in zbrush and import to max to edit a little bit but just having a scout around tutorials there doesnt seem to be a way other than to topologise in zbrush - Which I had difficulty, also thought it would take a while to make quads over the entire model..
I prefer retopologising in 3dsmax but I think i need be able to do it a lot quicker, ill try a few techniques as I try to get this test up to scratch.
This may not make sence but basically after a few tests this way seemed the quickest to retopologise. The idea is that you first of all determine what areas you want as a rectangle then with vertices, target weld each one to the other (and every other one), then select all the faces inbetween this, delete then with the boarder tool select the lowtri sided empty circle, and the other one adjacent and pres Bridge.
Complicated to explain but if done at a moderate speed it takes a couple of minutes to do per section - this is probably my best bet for now at least.
Yes this technique does work but I think you need to be in the correct frame of mind to do it, it can get very confusing if you don't focus and concentrate. With practice its done quicker but its something that needs worked into.
I have a few more segments to do then ill try to get leaves back on it.
And there we go... after a little while I was able to do it pretty quickly and I do like how this has gone, perhaps slower than my 3dsmax test but I think this looks more realistic and it was easier to construct.
650 triangles (from 32000 odd)
I then made myself a little branch which will be used for the alpha, and looking around I found a way to make the branch a little lower polygon (there were still many segments when brought into max but not as many as to cause a headache).
What you do; get your sculpt done in zbrush, then go to 'geometry' and put the resolution slider down (8 is the lowest) then pres 'Dynamesh' above it, Press yes on the following window and it reduces the segments. Then export as an obj as normal, you still have to target weld but not as to the extent which I had to do.
Now for the leaves which I hope to improve upon since last time, Model a few basic shapes and apply a texture to them, and put them all on a stalk. Its good to have reference for what the leaves look like and how they are arranged on a branch first.
After making, make them 1 object and I will be duplicating them all around this little branch iv made.
Ok this is fairly reasonable, now to render with premultiplied alpha ready to put around the tree!.
Ok so now its a case of making an instance of my branches and placing them around the entire tree. For editing later on since they are instances they will work with everything so quick editing would be possible.
This'll take a while..
..A while later..
Managed to get to this stage which is an improovement from my last test but since this is technically a test also I may not be using it, and I only applied very basic textures to everything. I really need better reference for trees to use as textures and right now still being in winter is a little difficult.
The tricount.. I thought would be lower than 1804. It seems a bit steep for what it is as in the level these will be around the level in a lot of areas.
Still as an experiment im fairly happy - it still lacks the realistic tree feel to it but I think that is down to the textures rather than the model.
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