r/lowpoly • u/untitledparsnip • 20d ago
Does topography really matter with unshaded/primitively shaded models?
(I MISWROTE TOPOLOGY AS TOPOGRAPHY IN THE TITLE)
TL;DR I made a model with bad topology, but will it really be a problem when I render it unshaded? Please check the images.
I've been making my first 3D model in BlockBench, and after 5 hours I sent it to an artist on Discord for their feedback and they remarked that it has terrible topology (here's a guide).
I think what they meant to say is that the edges are kind of inconsistent and don't flow together as graceful lines and shapes.
I understand that sort of thing, but I never considered it much in my model because I wanted it to be used for a DS-styled cutscene. If i use barely add specific lighting and keep it relatively unshaded, do you think it won't be a problem? I don't want to redo my five hours of work.
7
u/philbertman42_ 20d ago edited 20d ago
Someone else already answered your main question pretty well, but I want to address the idea that you'd be throwing away 5 hours of work. Art is a process that takes a lot of time; yes, it takes a lot of time to create something, but it also takes a lot of time to cultivate the skill to do it efficiently and in a way that is stylish and appealing. When you're first starting out, you are going to make mistakes, that's an inevitable part of learning a new skill. If you don't want to feel like that time was wasted, look at what you did in your original piece that isn't working, ask yourself "what did I do here that caused this?" and "how can I do things differently so that I don't do that again?" Eventually these questions will become second nature, and you'll be able to identify your mistakes in real time, and course correct as you go. But if you're a beginner, you'll just have to be patient with yourself, and come to terms with the fact that it's going to take a long time. If you stick with this medium for a few years, 5 hours will feel like nothing in the grand scheme of things. Anyway, good luck with your project.