Simple skeletal mesh with sockets VS Complex skeletal mesh

[mizarates]

Hi, I need to create a character that contains 10 rigid moving parts. I see two ways to do that:

1. Do a skeletal mesh with 1 triangle and many bones. Then attach those moving parts to the bones as sockets as static meshes.

• No overhead of skeletal mesh with a lot of vertexes;

• Easy to change meshes (damage system);

• Easy to remove meshes (dismemberment);

• Each part will add 2 draw calls;

2. Do a complex skeletal mesh where all moving parts are just 1 mesh and they have discrete weights (0 or 1) so each bone moves only one part.

• Only 3 draw calls;

• Slightly easier to operate since it’s one object;

• Difficult to change meshes (dismemberment is ok though);

• Overhead of skeletal mesh with a lot of vertexes;

What would you choose?