What does simplify do?

Development Asset Creation
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1

Promo user. Version 1.0.2.1915.

What does the new “simplify” button do extactly?
I tried it on a model of a contruction yard consisting of 87 images.
Without simply, the exported mesh was 1,1Gb size (.ply format)
After simplify, the exported mesh was only 20Kb size - thats great!
BUT: quality was far, far worse than in the original version, it was deteriorated so much that I couldn’t use it anymore.
Before simply:

before.jpg

After simply:

after.jpg

So, anybody what this function does exactly and how to use it?

2

Hi steven verver

SIMPLIFY will reduce-simplify the mesh to desired values of triangle count. And when decimating you loosing details.

you need create UV maps and then TEXTURE to have good looking “low res” model with not so much triangles but the overall look will be improved with texture.

For now try decimate it to some reasonable size, say 5-10 mil triangles and they just use TEXTURE, even default values should be OK for this sort of image count and model complexity. hten export as OBJ with texture because PLY cannot export-use textures in external application.

3

Ok thanks, I will try.
But what are “UV maps” and how do I create them?

4

Hi steven verver

recommend you to digg a bit more with help of Google search for this “uv maps” of “uv mapping”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping

5

steven verver wrote:

Promo user. Version 1.0.2.1915.
What does the new “simplify” button do extactly?

This tool enables you to reduce the number of model triangles so that it connects surfaces which are approximately flat, for example a wall consisting of 1,000 triangles will be replaced by a equivalent wall of 2 triangles.

6

Hi Steven,

Thought it might make better sense to explain it this way:

When you simplify the mesh, you are modifying the texturing coordinates (The UV map). If you do this, then the texture is no longer mapped to the mesh correctly and needs to be “re-projected”. Thats what the texture option does. It essentially throws the colours from the images back onto the mesh and thus improving the look dramatically.

Hope this helps!

7

Jon wrote:

Hi Steven,

Thought it might make better sense to explain it this way:

When you simplify the mesh, you are modifying the texturing coordinates (The UV map). If you do this, then the texture is no longer mapped to the mesh correctly and needs to be “re-projected”. Thats what the texture option does. It essentially throws the colours from the images back onto the mesh and thus improving the look dramatically.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the insight :wink: