[ART] Invisible model + Poly reduction

[ClayPigeon]

So I've imported an imported Jeep from Alan Wake (yep, imported an import) and exported it with openCOLLADA as I usually do, with the same settings.
The model looks fine in Maya, but when I load it up on the modelview, I can only see the black windows floating, even though they don't exist in the model itself. Pictures to demonstrate:

In maya


In modelview


Also, you can notice that the polygon count is EXTREMELY high (around 5.5k), but whenever I reduce it, the model gets twisted. How can I reduce the poly count without getting the model screwed?

[WALP]

are textures assigned to the entire model and are they in the amnesia folder, what format are they?
is it one combined mesh or seperated per texture?
did you check if all faces are facing the right way?, backface culling makes faces invisible from the backside

[ClayPigeon]

are textures assigned to the entire model and are they in the amnesia folder, what format are they?
is it one combined mesh or seperated per texture?
did you check if all faces are facing the right way?, backface culling makes faces invisible from the backside

There are 3 textures assigned to one mesh.
And they are in the mod folder, 2 of them (outside and inside) are .dds and the windows are .tga.
And how can I check if the faces are facing the right way?

Oh and also, I'd really like it if you can help me with the poly count problem:

Also, you can notice that the polygon count is EXTREMELY high (around 5.5k), but whenever I reduce it, the model gets twisted. How can I reduce the poly count without getting the model screwed?

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Also, you can notice that the polygon count is EXTREMELY high (around 5.5k), but whenever I reduce it, the model gets twisted. How can I reduce the poly count without getting the model screwed?

If it's triangulated, there's pretty much no way to do it properly on a mesh like this without retopologizing it by hand. (= Building a new mesh on the surface of the old one) There are automatic poly reducing tools, but as you could see first-hand, they often tend to screw up a model. They work okay on irregular stuff like rocks or trees, but on precise meshes like cars...

If it's made up of quadrangles, you can quickly select edgeloops that are not essential for the shape of the model by double-clicking and deleting them. Make sure you really delete the edgeloop WITH the vertices that belong to it! Simply hitting backspace will make Maya leave the vertices there, resulting in nasty n-gons. You'll have to hold Ctl and RMB, then select EdgeLoopUtilities>To Edgeloop and delete to properly delete the loop. (Make a keybind for it if you have to do it often )

What you could try if the model is made of triangles, is using Mayas "quadrangulate" function. (Mesh> Quadrangulate) It can give you decent results, but only if the mesh's topology used to be made of quadrangles before it was triangulated on export. If not, the result will most likely be quite...creative.

[ClayPigeon]

Also, you can notice that the polygon count is EXTREMELY high (around 5.5k), but whenever I reduce it, the model gets twisted. How can I reduce the poly count without getting the model screwed?

If it's triangulated, there's pretty much no way to do it properly on a mesh like this without retopologizing it by hand. (= Building a new mesh on the surface of the old one) There are automatic poly reducing tools, but as you could see first-hand, they often tend to screw up a model. They work okay on irregular stuff like rocks or trees, but on precise meshes like cars...

If it's made up of quadrangles, you can quickly select edgeloops that are not essential for the shape of the model by double-clicking and deleting them. Make sure you really delete the edgeloop WITH the vertices that belong to it! Simply hitting backspace will make Maya leave the vertices there, resulting in nasty n-gons. You'll have to hold Ctl and RMB, then select EdgeLoopUtilities>To Edgeloop and delete to properly delete the loop. (Make a keybind for it if you have to do it often )

What you could try if the model is made of triangles, is using Mayas "quadrangulate" function. (Mesh> Quadrangulate) It can give you decent results, but only if the mesh's topology used to be made of quadrangles before it was triangulated on export. If not, the result will most likely be quite...creative.

I'm kinda lost with the edgeloops part, kinda new to this whole deal.
And unfortunately, the model won't be quadrangulated, it stays triangulated, so I can't reduce the polys correctly

I can't think of having a model with 5.5k poly's in the mod... and all the other free-to-use car mods I found were way higher, somewhere between 130k and over 1M.

Anyway, I'm still looking forward to get some fix with the invisibility problem. Thanks a bunch for the comment though

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

An Edgeloop is...well..just that. A loop of edges. On a triangulated mesh, double clicking an edge will do nothing, edgeloops only exist on quadrangulated meshes. Just make a cube with some subdivisions, double click on an edge and you'll see that the selected edges form a loop.

Anyway, just a kind word of warning - if this car is from the original Alan Wake game or otherwise copyrighted (not sure what you meant with "imported import? Is it fan-made?), the mods will probably not allow you to advertise or link to your custom story or full conversion here. There's a pretty strict rule concerning copyrighted content in these forums and while one can certainly argue whether or not it makes sense, that's just the way it is right now

Speaking of polycount though: It's quite high for hpl standards, but it won't kill an average PC to have that car in a level of yours either...if it's only in the level once or twice and not spammed 50 times to simulate a traffic jam, you probably won't feel a hit on performance. It IS a model that was made for a game after all (and a console game no less!), not a highpoly for movies and the like!

As for the invisibility problem: Try what martinnord suggested - Backface culling to see if there are flipped polygons (shading> backface culling, right above maya's viewport) and separate your meshes so that there's one mesh per material instead of several materials on one mesh. (select parts you want to separate from the rest, then use mesh> extract)

[ClayPigeon]

An Edgeloop is...well..just that. A loop of edges. On a triangulated mesh, double clicking an edge will do nothing, edgeloops only exist on quadrangulated meshes. Just make a cube with some subdivisions, double click on an edge and you'll see that the selected edges form a loop.

Anyway, just a kind word of warning - if this car is from the original Alan Wake game or otherwise copyrighted (not sure what you meant with "imported import? Is it fan-made?), the mods will probably not allow you to advertise or link to your custom story or full conversion here. There's a pretty strict rule concerning copyrighted content in these forums and while one can certainly argue whether or not it makes sense, that's just the way it is right now

Speaking of polycount though: It's quite high for hpl standards, but it won't kill an average PC to have that car in a level of yours either...if it's only in the level once or twice and not spammed 50 times to simulate a traffic jam, you probably won't feel a hit on performance. It IS a model that was made for a game after all (and a console game no less!), not a highpoly for movies and the like!

As for the invisibility problem: Try what martinnord suggested - Backface culling to see if there are flipped polygons (shading> backface culling, right above maya's viewport) and separate your meshes so that there's one mesh per material instead of several materials on one mesh. (select parts you want to separate from the rest, then use mesh> extract)

Lovely! The separation did the job, the model is now visible
Can't thank you enough!

As for the imported-import, I meant that someone imported a vehicle from Alan Wake(I had no idea it's from there, never played it), and exported it to an .obj file, and I imported that exported obj file and re-exported it to .dae. (http://thefree3dmodels.com/stuff/vehicle...3-1-0-5239)

I really do hope that the mods won't do any problems with the import, though.

[Statyk]

It is a problem though as it's ripped. You may be better off making due with something else.

[ClayPigeon]

It is a problem though as it's ripped. You may be better off making due with something else.

I'm not really getting this sentence...
Do you want to say that I need to change the model because it's copyrighted?

[plutomaniac]

No and Yes. You need to find another model that's not copyrighted, not slightly change it.