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MultiRes Modifier 739
channels. The status window displays how many
channels were moved.
Approx imate Memor y Usage—Displays an
approxima tion of the current memory usage.
MultiRes Modifier
Select an object. > Modify panel > Modifiers List >
Object–Space Modifiers > MultiRes
Make a selection. > M od ifiers menu > M esh Editing >
MultiRes
The MultiRes modifier reduces the memory
overhead needed to render mo dels by decreasing
the number of vertices and polygons. This is useful
not only within 3ds Max but for game and Web
content creators who export models for use outside
oftheprogram.MultiResoffersseveraladvantages
over the Optimize modifier, including faster
operation and the ability to specify reduction as an
exact percentage or vertex count.
The MultiRes modifier now supports the
preservation of map channels when face count is
increased or reduced.
Left: Original model
Center and right: Model progressively simplified by the
MultiRes modifier
Modeling T ips for MultiRes
The MultiRes multi-resolution mesh algorithms
are designed to be general-purpose, and yield
high-quality meshes on a wide variety of model
types. However, careful modeling can improve
the results of the algorithm. The following are
suggestions to y ield high-quality multi-resolution
meshes:
• Avoid using complex model hierarchies with
MultiRes. For such models you should generate
an individual multi-resolution mesh for each
model component, or collapse the entire model
into a single mesh. In general, single-skin
meshes work best with animation engines like
Physique in character studio.MultiResworks
especially well with single-skin meshes.
• Avoid duplicating vertices. The presence of
extraverticesisanoften-overlookedartifact
of some modeling techniques. The Weld
function in the Edit Mesh modifier (page 1–634)
and Editable Poly (page 1–1022) is useful for
cleaning these up.
• Beconservativewithtextureandnormal
discontinuities. For example, an artist might
associate multiple texture coordinates with a
single vertex. MultiRes will seek to preserve
this discontinuity and the border between the
two texture mappings, but it mig ht do so at the
expense of model shape.
• Create high-resolution models.
High-resolution models provide M ultiR es with
more faces and vertices that descr ibe the shape
of the model. The more init ial in formation
MultiRes has about t he shape of the model, the
better the decisions it makes in generating a
final multi-resolution mesh.
Procedures
To use the MultiR es modifier:
1.
Select a model and apply the MultiRes modifier.