Trick: How to get different visual variation within an unit

**Duke John** · 10-12-2006, 07:58

Using the alpha channel to make parts invisible is a bad for performance. The faces are still calculated, they just have an invisible texture. I wouldn't use it, it's an unefficient trick.

**skeletor** · 10-12-2006, 11:31

Sure you must compromise variation with preformance, and consider how mutch details you can put in one part of the model compared to other parts. If i have special parts or accessories that is crucial to defy a unit, i allways try to find ways to lower the polycount in other parts of the model, so that i can add that crucial part. I allso consider how many of that unit witch will appear on the battlefield. If it's an eliteunit with small unitsize, i dont care so mutch about the polycount, and focus more on making this unit look good.

Allso creative use of alpha can allso reduce the number of polys in pieces that can be sculptured by using alpha instead of meshes. A blade for a sabre forinstance can be made by a broad single twosided plane (8 poly's) and sculptured with alpha to both reduce the polycount and make the angles smoother. You can then allso change the shape of the blade to wathever you whant, with only changing the alpha texture. So, by using this method, you can have a variaty of diffrent sabres, and less polycoun. (Win - win situation.)

Sure the blade will be totally flat, and might disapear if you view it dead on, but the gain in variation and preformance makes up for that imo. This method must ofcource be considured from model to model, but i when possible, i allways use this method.

-Skel-

**The Blind King of Bohemia** · 10-13-2006, 19:55

Hey Skeletor mate I tried to PM you but your inbox is full. Sorry to hijack the thread.

**Sundjata Keita** · 10-15-2006, 15:36

I'm fairly sure its been confirmed that there are different meshes that are interchanged between units but I'm afraid this trick would not be possible because of the skeleton limitations. The head mesh would only apply to one bone and not to the whole skeleton and so it would be impossible to skin the mesh so it would animate properly.

**shifty157** · 10-15-2006, 17:47

Yes its been confirmed in one of the blogs that the game actually swaps out different meshes which is very good news for moddability.

**Duke John** · 10-15-2006, 19:20

From a screenshot I concluded that the head part was skinned to both the head and torso bone.

Anyway, I just thought I would post this before I leave TW entirely. Do with this whatever you want.

**wlesmana** · 10-16-2006, 05:05

It's possible the neck is part of the torso and that is the object that has the skin modifier. The head itself might be just connected to one bone and no Skin modifier is allowed. I see this as the most logical extension to their game engine as it's practically the same system as the primary/secondary weapon swap.

Perhaps this is also why the torso is only one mesh (even with multiple textures): because it has a skin modifier?