Reducing Poly Counts

[jmorris111]

Has anyone come across a Maya Plug-In or MEL script that lets you resample a poly mesh to a lower count YOU specify for LOD? (without converting to sub-d)

[catalin-niculescu]

Why dont you use the Polygons/Reduce tool?

[idagrove]

My suspicion is that "jmorris" wants more control over the resulting topology.

[jmorris111]

Thanks for the suggestion, but when I use the Polygons, reduce tool, important geometry starts dissapearing.

[idagrove]

The main problem with a "global" poly reduction method is that it treats all parts of the model equally. Some areas may need denser geometry to maintain their shape. Unfortunately, only you can make those judgements, so it's best to do things manually. This is another reason why it pays to build models with minimal geometry and refine from that point. That way, there is only detail where you need it.

[campbell]

there is a poly reduction tool that allows you to 'paint weight' areas to be resistant to degredation. was a plug for 4,5 i remember, did i see something similar in 5 now?

[bruegger]

Yup. 5 has the ability to paint areas of higher importance. Those areas will resist reduction.

[user_deleted]

Hi there

Another plan here looks like to be selecting different parts of the model seperatly and then reducing the polycount using the reduce tool.

As you know you can select the specific faces ( close to gether of course ) and then apply the reduce action to them .
this way you can apply different value of reduction to different parts of the model .

Hope this works.