Bump vs Normal vs Displacement Maps (Smooth Low Poly?)

[Shotster]

I'm creating some simple models for use in web-based AR. It's important for the models to be "lightweight". I've been doing some reading on how to create low poly models with a smooth appearance, and it seems normal maps are the way to go.

Attached is a "cartoon-like" rocket that I'd like to use. Is there a way, using C3D, to maintain the low poly count of the first image but have it look like the second image below when rendered in real time?

The engine being used supports normal maps, and I read that a baked texture from a high poly mesh can be used to create a normal map for a low poly model. However, I have no firsthand experience doing this, and it's unclear if it can be done directly with C3D or not. Any info or insights appreciated. (C3D model file attached.)

 

[frank beckmann]

I guess you don´t need a normal map but normal break smoothing; Select "rocket" - go Smooth->Smooth: Normal break/Smooth angle: >60,0. Leave crease edges at its current stage:

Cheers
Frank

 

[Daemoc]

The best option for that particular application is using smoothing / normal breaks as Frank has suggested.

If you want to use proper normal maps though you can in fact use Cheetah3D to create them using “world space” if the application supports them. “World space” normal maps are created using the world “Z” as the map “Z”.

Most game engines use “object space” normal maps however. “Object space” normal maps use the models face normals as “Z” rather than the world “Z”. I have not found a way to do that in Cheetah3D unfortunately.

There might be a way to do this with the node editor though. All you would need to do is use a modifier to change the z output from the world to the face normal…
…I will have to play around with that when I get some free time.

If you have access to a PC, there used to be a free tool from nVidia that you could create normal maps with. I do not see it on the site anymore though. They must have dropped it. Not surprising considering the game dev market controlled by Maya and MAX, both of which do normal map generation natively. You may still be able to find a copy of melody on the net somewhere if you look for it though, just make sure it is a site you trust and scan it.

 

[Shotster]

Thanks for the suggestions, @frank beckmann and @Daemoc. Smoothing should work for this particular situation, but I was wanting to familiarize myself with the workflow for creating normal maps because I know it will come in handy in the future. Anyway, I'll just get this working and then try to improve it with normal maps if time permits.

I did find this and this in the forum, but I've yet to try out either the Blender or C3D approach.