Modelling A Hi-res basketball

[[X]treme]

hey, I want to create a hi-res basketball scene, which requires a closeup of a hi-res basketball

how do I go about modelling the basketball? it seems the bump maps would be easier, but I would prefer to model the ball because it will be very close to the camera, as mentioned above

so should I model it (and if so how?) or go with a bump map?

[Fusion]

I think you should model the basketball using bump maps. You can still get away with it at very close range as long as you havea very good colour map as well as a very detailed bump.

[Psistorm]

bumpmapping is the way to go imho

maybe displacement mapping, but that needs an aweful amount of triangles

[Fusion]

ah yes. . . .something that not even I can handle, unfortuantly :(

[[X]treme]

okay then, so about how big maps should i use (i haven't done much hi-res texture work)?

like 1024x1024?

[Fusion]

yup, that sounds about right. . . . . its all about the textures now.

[[X]treme]

okay here it is with 1024x1024 diffuse and bump maps, nothin too fancy, and all from scratch, so it's probably a lil shaky (taking my lack of texturing experience into account)

[Fusion]

you are definatly going to need a specular map on that, as well as a more controled detailed bump map. Basketballs have tiny creases in them that also extrude up and can be patterned as a bump map as well as following up that with a spec. If your planning on getting close then since your cutting back on modeling, you have to make up for it in 2d. No other way, check out some ref shots of b.balls maybe you can get an idea of how things should be created in 2d.