How to create facetted light reflector without altering the model?

[flipside]

Hi,

I have this model of a light reflector, which has a mirror material on it. However the surface should appear to be facetted, as in the rendering next to it. The model is smooth, and I would like to find a material solution to make it look like it's facetted. I cannot modify the model, as I need to apply this look to hundreds of other imported step files, so remodeling each reflector is just too much work.

I have been trying stuff with bump maps created from z-depth maps, checkers etc...

I also tried to apply a 3ds max material with the facetted option turned on, but for some reason this doesn't work on this imported step. Even converting to editable poly and removing smoothing groups doesn't help. It stays smooth all the time. But even this would not be a good solution as the mesh will be triangles instead of squares.

Anyone has any ideas about how to get a similar look by using maps/materials?

Thanks for any suggestions,

wouter

[lukx]

so turning off smoothing group didn't work ?

[flipside]

No, but as I said, even that wouldn't give a proper result as the mesh consists of triangles and not squares (see attachment).

[Neilg]

Have you considered using clone and align? you can model one faceted object, clone it to all of them then just look at one while you move it into place using 'local' pivot mode, which will affect all of them the same.
You may need to reset the xform on all the lights first, to make sure the cloned versions align properly. Should only take a couple minutes to set it up though.

[flipside]

Yes, but the lights will vary in size too, and they will all be in different files so I cannot do this in one go (talking about a lot of files

[flipside]

Maybe I simply have to map a real picture of an existing reflector to it.

[Neilg]

How many different variations do you have? I still cant imagine it taking more than a couple of minutes.

If they dont need to be lit up, mapping would be quick as.

[flipside]

I have to render out about 20 'families' of profiles containing lights. Each family consist of +-50 different lights that can be placed on them.

I get 1 file for each light in each family. So that is about 1000 files. Not every file has this type of reflector spot af course, some are TL lights etc...

So I am not sure about how many of these types there will be, and I am not sure on how many variations there are. Since I don't want to check each file to see of the reflector is the same size and shape, I was looking for a solution with maps. Then if the light is a bit bigger or anything, it doesn't matter (ok the squares will be bigger too but that is not a problem).

They do need to be lit, but maybe I can use a combination of diffuse map and reflections to make it look ok.

I have to do a lot of steps allready to go from each step file to a max file that can be rendered. So every step I can leave away saves me loads of time in the end.

cheers

[Neilg]

ok, you win. that sounds like a mare. Maps are definatly the way to go!

Maybe try a test with normal maps, see if you can get a faceted look on a smoothed object? once it's set up it's no extra step beyond the mapping.

[flipside]

Ok will do. Never used normal maps so not sure on how it works or what the actual use for it is. Have to do some homework

[flino2004]

No, but as I said, even that wouldn't give a proper result as the mesh consists of triangles and not squares (see attachment).

there is a script to convert triangles in quads.

[winberg]

This might not work, but try to attach the reflector to a newly created box or something similar, I have done this on imported cad models to reset the seemingly baked in normals. This should make you able to turn off smoothing..

-Tom

[simmsimaging]

A normal/bump map should do what you need, I think. You just need a grid of squares/rectangles, each with a different linear gradient in it - just make it in Photoshop. Convert to normal (e.g use CrazyBump etc) and you should be good to go. You could search for a disco ball material and see if someone already made one, but it wouldn't take long to make.

/b

[simmsimaging]

I had some time tonight so made one for you to try:



left is a normal map, right is bump. It doesn't really make much difference for something like this, but both are here if you want them:


http://www.simmsimaging.com/upload/f...o_ball.zip.zip (1.16 MB)