With the ISD I'm not building it to use Normal maps, and why not? Because we don't have them..
Just seems silly to build a mod around a feature that isn't implimented, and may not be for years to come, if at all.
So in the mean time, I'll stick to a high poly model, just high enough that FS can put a few on screen at a time. Combine that with effective LODing and detail boxes and I don't think we'll have a problem with these guys. Besides, inefficient textures tend to slow the game down just as much if not more than high numbers of polies.
And if we do get normal maps, well then I'll have a high detail source from which to make normal maps, and can easily cut down my polies to the basic level and make up the detail with the normal map that I've generated
Either way, basically, the way we're doing it now, everyone wins. The mod can be played without waiting on the SCP coders, and when they do get the feature in, it's a quick conversion to use it.
I think you should take a look at this thread:
Use the features! (Detail Box mini tutorial)Detail Boxing is a feature that was created with just the ISD and the Death Star in mind: a LOD (level of detail) modelling that allows cramming massive ammounts of detail into a model coupled with a rendering method that makes even several 100k poly monsters manageable.
AFAIK it already is implemented; and even if it is not present in current stable builds Bobbau (its creators) or someone else could easily compile a build just for you or include it in the next CVS builds.
You could consult DaBrain as he heavily experimented with the featuer - Shadows of Lyat in fact NEEDs the feature to even run -, and should have ample modding/modelling tips on scaling the massive poly counts.
Simply put, you cram detailed versions of parts of the model into a box - the model inside will only be drawn when the player is inside the box.
If the box is centered on the model it acts only as a simple LOD layer - however as you can move the box around, it could be directional allowing you to render parts that are only visible from a single direction.
Actually the feature was initially made for a specific thing: hangars for the Wingcommander Saga.
There is another wicked trick with them: embedding further detail boxes in a detail box allows a really smooth detailing down to the most miniscule details once again without a performance compromise.
