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LOD & optimization

D

deHavilland

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54
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switzerland
I work (in Blender) on a static model with textures that have normal maps. WRT LODs the 'optimization rules' in the SDK Documentation claim that better than introducing new resized textures it is to abandon individual textures completely. And a good way to start right from LOD01 is to dismiss the normal maps.
I don't know if it always was like this, but with latest Blender-to-MSFS export module I have all LODs as individual collections in one single blender file. Therefore when I remove a normal map from a material, it applies to all LODs the same, that is, it affects LOD00 as well.
I could avoid this by creating two materials, one with and the other without normal map, but this would probably turn 'optimization' in the wrong direction?
Maybe as a newbie I just miss a single point in all of this...
Any help appreciated.
 
I made a test object. LOD0 is full material, LOD1 drops the Normal texture, LOD2 drops the Comp texture, LOD3 is just a color... no texture in the material. Attached as RockBall,
 

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Thanks so much, Dick, that's very interesting and helpfull! I see you have 4 materials in the file/project.

1682802032725.png

So do I understand it correct: your point is that materials do not weigh or cost much in memory, it's only the actual texture files 'behind' them (in your example the cobblestone albedo, normal and comp ─ which count only once)?
 
Yes, I think the material definitions themselves don't count much. Textures do cost.
 
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