Well TCE and ET cant have models that detailed but I can say the asses of the models does need work. Im very specific about those behinds because they dont look right - anatomically they are too small and flat to be anywhere near realistic or even stylized.

tbh, to make it true-to-life realistic, you need a good million polys for a model, and then it's still visible with magnification. there isn't an engine out that can handle that kind of thing yet, especially not in MP.

Hence we have normal mapping. It is a technique used in many games these days but most noticably in Unreal Tournament 2007. It uses the lighting and color detail of a highpoly mesh by the high millions and wraps it over a lowpoly mesh by the low thousands. Therefore recreating similar lighting values that are affect the same way by every possinle lighting effect as the highpoly mesh without requiring too much rendering.

Unfortunately, the Q3engine cannot support this shader by default. It can be programed but since TCE is a mod for WET we cant modify the engine/renderer.

I have done normal mapping before in my 3dmodelling, I use Zrush to create ultra realistic highdetail surfaces then creat a normal map to wrap it over to a low poly mesh. Normal mapping is like bump mapping taken to the next level.

That is what they do. But in a mod you dont make the entire model from scratch. TCE models are ET modeles armed with more modern armor and weapons. Those stuff in the vests and guns and the helmet are ofcourse sketched out first.

Now why would you want to make the models look like Quake2 models? Arent the Q3 based models crispy enough already? Just look at their asses.

http://screenshot.xfire.com/screenshot/large/085710a273f5cdc0c315d2ef13317c36173b9ddb.png
close enough for ya?

but as I said in the other thread, if the models/skins sucked, I'd still play. hell, if they were rivaled in quality by half-life models I'd still play.

was that CoD1 or 2 because I dont remember any Quake3 based game that has texures that look so horrid. The CoD2 engine did do a good job of rendering highres textures and still get good fps even on lower end systems while having tons of explosives blowing up all over the place. The models in CoD2 are pretty good and nearly realistic.

FYI, TCE cannot have models that look that realistic because of engine limitations. Again, working with an old engine, has its limits no matter what the devs can do about the textures.

I think the models are fine, as a 3d modeler I found that great textures are key to a low poly model more so that a high poly. Kind of tricks your eyes, if you have a low poly with good textures. ex. from Dragon http://www.3drt.com/3dm/characters/marine-02/trooper-soldier-3d-model-01.jpg If that model didn't have a good texture applied to it you would notice the poly count easier. Its all about Textures, Textures, Textures. Another ex. would be the weapons in TC:E. Great low poly models topped of with great detailed textures that take your eyes of the poly count.

You must be refering to normal mapping which gives the illussion of a much higher poly model over a low poly mesh. For the biggest mor obvious example of this, check out Unreal Tournamet2007 and UE3 based games like HUXLEY, Gears of War, etc.

No, thats not what I was refering to, although I do know what your talking about and that tech is amazing. What Im trying to say is hard for me to explain.

I think Dragonathan should become a dev so we can have the game he is wanting to create.

You kid....... right?