Best Tool for Retopologizing a Mesh?
- Thread starter Shotster
- Start date
Swizl
0
Hi Shoster,
There are a few ways of going about it. There are some tools that try to figure it out for you (Meshlab, etc.) and some that you have to manually build a new mesh on top of the existing one where the new polygons kind of stick to the surface as you build them (something like Modo can do this). Probably better to watch a video of that happening in Modo rather than me explain it. I think there are also some sculpting apps, but I'm not sure how well they work on point clouds and 3d scans. (something like Zbrush, or 3dCoat).
There are also a few other open source apps that can do this sort of thing, but I'm not really sure they are any easier to use than Meshlab. Also, this one only works on Windows and Linux for now, but it is an option and it's free. Although people have complained about poor documentation.
https://alicevision.org
I've never had to retopo anything, so I'm only giving advice from what I've read about. Maybe someone else here has done more retopo work and will chime in with some better advice.
There are a few ways of going about it. There are some tools that try to figure it out for you (Meshlab, etc.) and some that you have to manually build a new mesh on top of the existing one where the new polygons kind of stick to the surface as you build them (something like Modo can do this). Probably better to watch a video of that happening in Modo rather than me explain it. I think there are also some sculpting apps, but I'm not sure how well they work on point clouds and 3d scans. (something like Zbrush, or 3dCoat).
There are also a few other open source apps that can do this sort of thing, but I'm not really sure they are any easier to use than Meshlab. Also, this one only works on Windows and Linux for now, but it is an option and it's free. Although people have complained about poor documentation.
https://alicevision.org
I've never had to retopo anything, so I'm only giving advice from what I've read about. Maybe someone else here has done more retopo work and will chime in with some better advice.
Cheetah3d has a great simplify polygon tool - as long as you're not looking for something specific (like quads with good 'flow' of loops).
3D Coat has great manual tools to retopolgise and its auto-retopo can work well under ideal circumstances. Both require some amount of learning though.
Instant Meshes can provide a fast quad meshes with evenly size polys - its good but not optimised for anything really.
Are you looking for a specific type of mesh topology, or would lower polycount with randomly sized triangles suffice?
Please report back and let us know how you make out.
--shift studio.
3D Coat has great manual tools to retopolgise and its auto-retopo can work well under ideal circumstances. Both require some amount of learning though.
Instant Meshes can provide a fast quad meshes with evenly size polys - its good but not optimised for anything really.
Are you looking for a specific type of mesh topology, or would lower polycount with randomly sized triangles suffice?
Please report back and let us know how you make out.
--shift studio.
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You might want to check out "Instant Meshes": https://github.com/wjakob/instant-meshes
Have a look here please: #38
Cheers
Frank
Have a look here please: #38
Cheers
Frank
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Thanks for suggestions! I'm neither a 3D artist nor modeler by profession, but I currently find myself looking to create content for web-based AR, so I'm trying to learn what I can about optimizing meshes. I think the basic principles are the same as those for game development.
I'm now looking into normal maps, so I might be back with more questions.
I'm now looking into normal maps, so I might be back with more questions.