#What are common Blender features or techniques to be aware of that don’t apply to modding?

33 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

shut barn
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I stepped into Blender, importing and exporting SCS models, changing some values, seeing what happens.

Now that I go through Blender beginner tutorials, I wonder what limitations there are. For example, I know that I can use textures from material libraries, but not their shading setup. As I understand I also can’t just manipulate shaders and add things like procedural textures.

Are there features or techniques you can think of, that could well be part of beginner tutorials, but we’re restricted to use in this context?

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What are common Blender features or techniques to be aware of that don’t apply to modding?

muted ledge
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blender shader nodes, any form of blender metadata doesn't get preserved outside of the blender project file, haven't tried but I do not believe the scs formats support weight painting

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and @shut barn it's a bit advanced if you are just starting but there is a way of using procedurally made textures

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you can make the procedural material and then bake a color texture from that as well as any other maps required that scs shaders might support

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just have to uv unwrap the object

shut barn
shut barn
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Is smooth/flat shading also supported? Is there a way to tell the game which to use? Are normals used for textures/surfaces only? Or do I remember correctly that smooth shading also has something to do with normals?

muted ledge
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flat shading doesnt exist for most things outside of 3d programs

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most if not all game engines shade smooth by default

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and will always try to shade smooth

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there are two ways to tell the game to preserve correct shading

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one is to use the edge split modifier which I really don’t recommend

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the second and in my opinion much better option is going to normals > auto smooth under the green triangle tab on the right and turning that on

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then, go to modifiers and add a weighted normals modifier and check keep sharp on it and that will preserve correct shading without modifying the geometry, only normals

shut barn
shut barn
fringe crest
muted ledge
muted ledge
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also have found weighted normals to correct previously weird reflections on edge split stuff

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just my preferred method now

fringe crest
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how does it create a shitfuck of split geometry when you don't apply the modifier at all?

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Never had a problem with edge split before

muted ledge
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you don’t have to switch to my method

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it applies on export so if you ever need to deal with an exported model with edge split it’s a pain

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I just prefer it now, to me gives a little more flexibility

fringe crest
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The only time I could think of dealing with a split mesh is working on other people' stuff. Which I avoid at all costs. Are there any other reasons? I mean I do have backups so losing the source is unlikely.

muted ledge
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again you don’t have to use or consider my method if you don’t think it makes a difference

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I, personally, have found it makes a difference in weird surface normals that contribute to weird reflections. In my opinion it’s better and works better for me.

shut barn
muted ledge
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yeah auto smooth alone won’t work