[warfull]

For LOD1 and LOD2 textures , in 3Dsmax you can use texture baking with projection from LOD0 to LOD1 or LOD2. With different UVmapping and textures sizes on LOD0, LOD1 or LOD2.
It's realy quick but you still need little fixing  in gimp or photoshop.

[bobbtmann]

So you use 2 textures? 1 for LOD0 and a second for LOD1?

I'm asking because I've read a thread that urges the modders to use as fewer textures as possible so I was curious as per where might I have a limit, regarding texture sizes and quantities.

nope. I use the same one. I just move polygons for LOD1+ overtop of where the corresponding LOD0 poygons wuld be. By LOD2 I've usually abandoned that, and have placed them wherever they look good.

Like so:




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[Scooby_Doo]

A lot depends on the shape of the model.  Anything with large long flat surfaces will result in multiple textures.  For the fighters I usually stick with two detail maps (including cockpit and glass) and 1-3 2048 body textures.  Larger fighters/bombers  (like the Devastator) goes up to ~5 body textures.

Multiple 2048 maps for a single fighter? I can see that looking good for still renders, but would anyone notice in-game? Fighters are usually whizzing by pretty fast, you hardly ever get to see one from up close (at least in FS).

They should be able to downsize nicely though and a way for future improvements.

[Scooby_Doo]

For LOD1 and LOD2 textures , in 3Dsmax you can use texture baking with projection from LOD0 to LOD1 or LOD2. With different UVmapping and textures sizes on LOD0, LOD1 or LOD2.
It's realy quick but you still need little fixing  in gimp or photoshop.

With Max's Poly Editing you can usually preserve the uvmapping when you remove vertices/edges.