Smooth Shading Edges in XSI? [solved]

How to create models in XSI and other 3D applications and make them work in Battlefront 1 & 2. Post models, tips for application usage and share anything XSI, 3DMax, SketchUp, etc.

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Nedarb7
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Smooth Shading Edges in XSI? [solved]

Post by Nedarb7 »

I noticed that when you import a msh make some edits then export it out the edges aren't smooth as they used to be. I basically want to do this through XSI:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMgjVJogIbc

How would I do so?
Last edited by Nedarb7 on Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by Marth8880 »

That's automatically done in XSI. Could you provide screenshots of your flat-shaded polygons?
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by Nedarb7 »

Here are the screenshots:
In XSI it looks fine in most areas:
Hidden/Spoiler:
Image
Image
but...
Hidden/Spoiler:
Image
The arms and legs are sharp in-game
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by minilogoguy18 »

A lot of importers don't preserve certain normal or geometry approximation data, especially some of the more simplistic file types like .obj and .3ds. I know that the old trooper and jedi star fighter models were XSI Model files (.emdl) and in older versions of XSI I don't think it preserved user normals where as now a .emdl file can store as much info as a scene file as long as the options are set correctly in the preferences.

Just go in and manually add the hard edges, not a big deal and only takes a few mins.

The raw scene files that Pandemic exported to game more than likely had all the hard edges marked making everything look the way it does in game and the data was lost on export to .emdl.
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by sereja2 »

To loose "hard eges", I am usualy, just click, under "Modify" panel: Poly. Msh>Weld Boundary Points/Edges, and set Distance: 0,002, in pop up window.
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by Nedarb7 »

Thanks Sereja, I think that will do. I'll get back with the results soon.

-EDIT-
Hmm, still no result. What exactly is adding hard edges minilogoguy18?
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by minilogoguy18 »

If you want to have hard/creased edges you just select the edges you want creased, right click and choose mark hard edge/vertex.
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by Nedarb7 »

So if I:
right click and choose mark hard edge/vertex.
And the edges will be smooth in-game?
or do I need to:
right click and choose mark hard edge/vertex.
then
under "Modify" panel: Poly. Msh>Weld Boundary Points/Edges, and set Distance: 0,002, in pop up window.
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by sereja2 »

Well, actualy, Weld option, may help you connect polygons, if they are disconnected. Just set view from Textured to Wireframe, and select your model. If you spot some light blue lined polygons - they are disconnected, and this may cause hard edge effect. If all of your polygons are white, so, Weld option is useless, and problem hiding elsewhere...
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by Nedarb7 »

Okay, so the problem is hidden elsewhere then. Any ideas?
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by minilogoguy18 »

Why are you trying to soften edges on something that is rigid anyway?

You could always use a modifier like relax.
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by Nedarb7 »

This is why:
Hidden/Spoiler:
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Clones aren't supposed to be rigid everywhere.

I'll try to "relax" it.
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by Marth8880 »

You could always just add more edges (and of course buff it...in(?) with the angle of the cylinder) to make it more detailed and to smooth the shading more.
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by Nedarb7 »

I know that but I don't want to have too many polys, I want to keep it as close as possible to
the original meshes poly count.
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by Marth8880 »

Trust me, adding like 16 more triangles isn't going to make really any impact at all on the game's performance, but the decision is ultimately yours.
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Re: Smooth Shading Edges in XSI?

Post by Nedarb7 »

I'll think about it, first I need to try "relaxing" the mesh.

-EDIT-
Relaxing worked for the legs. I think I can fix it from now on.
Thanks for the help! :thumbs:
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