Newbie After Advice

[pseudobob]

Hi, I am new here and to 3ds max so please dont laugh too loud at my daft questions

I am currently on a steep learning curve and seem to be getting on fairly well with most aspects of modelling and material mapping.

My present learning project is to model a photo-realistic tree that would be suitable for use within a game package.

I have had no problems with the actual model, trunk, branches, leaves etc. all within acceptable poly-count and it is starting to look, well, like a tree!

My problem (and therefor my question) is with populating the tree with the leaves.
The best method I've found so far, for looks anyway, is to use a collection of particle clouds positioned round the branches. Whilst this is good in the fact that is keeps the poly count low, I'm concerned about the memory usage.

Is this the best way to aproach this, or is there a better method that I haven't thought of (or elicited enough info about from good folks like yourselves )?

Thanks in advance, any info about this would be very much apprieciated.

[e321]

Hello, ya -

Use a few different planes with different grouped leaf textures and opacity maps - scatter them around the branches using the scatter tools ... most games use this technique for trees.

[pseudobob]

Ok thanks for that, that is something I hadn't thought of.

Another quick question if I may, Alpha blend! as I understand it, basically means 'using opacity'?? (please correct me if this is wrong)

My 'Brief' for the tree exercise states

              "the tree should look good without using Alpha blend"

Which I think means that I should not use opacity mapping. Or in other words, I have to actually MAKE the leaves and find some way of displaying them that "looks good", but obviously without making 10,000+ (FPS consuming) copies.

If this is correct, then I would not be able to use the technique posted (unfortunately).

(I'm getting Confused ! )

[e321]

No. This is just using the opacity channel with a b/w map to change the opacity.

Alpha blend is something else - think photoshop its like:

Blending options include Alpha Blend, Blend, Add, Subtract, Multiply, Value Add, Overlay, Softlight and Hardlight.

I found this little site for you to take a look at I hope this is helpful!

http://francis.dupont.free.fr/coindev/english/effet3d.htm

[pseudobob]

Thanks Shacarah, thats done the trick.

Great info, just what I needed

Using 3DS is the best fun I've had in ages....but such a big learning curve....everytime I think I've got a solution somthing better comes along....It all gets a bit confusing but it's great to be able to join this community and get any help required.

Thanks again, I will be back next time I get stuck lol.