Retaining UV for imported hi res model for retopo into low res version

[VisMod]

Ok I'm lost (but not for lack of trying)

I wish to retopo an imported high res mesh, retopologize it to lower res, but keep the original UV map 'shape' for the exported mesh.

So far I've tried several of the import options available, including AUTOPO. I can slice & dice the hi res test mesh (a simple 'capsule' shape) using "Retopo->Strokes" into a much lower poly mesh, and even export the same, but getting some correspondence between my new low res object's UV and the original UV is beyond me.

... And yes I did have the "Use Original UV" box ticked prior to importing the hires mesh.

Can somebody please step me through what I need to do?

Cheers & thanks in advance!

VisMod

[AbnRanger]

Ok I'm lost (but not for lack of trying)

I wish to retopo an imported high res mesh, retopologize it to lower res, but keep the original UV map 'shape' for the exported mesh.

So far I've tried several of the import options available, including AUTOPO. I can slice & dice the hi res test mesh (a simple 'capsule' shape) using "Retopo->Strokes" into a much lower poly mesh, and even export the same, but getting some correspondence between my new low res object's UV and the original UV is beyond me.

... And yes I did have the "Use Original UV" box ticked prior to importing the hires mesh.

Can somebody please step me through what I need to do?

Cheers & thanks in advance!

VisMod

May I ask why you need to keep the UV's from the Hi-Res mesh? Is it to re-use the same textures? If so, you could just create the seams on your new low poly version in a similar fashion as you did the hi poly, unwrap it (and use the texture baking tool to bake the textures from the hi-res to the low res.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF-oaVeKJCQ

There may be another way to transfer UV maps onto a mesh with completely different topology and vertex order, but I'm not aware of it. There is a way to change UV maps to the same mesh, but the vertex order has to be identical.

[VisMod]

AbnRanger

Thanks for taking the time!

I've finally watched the linked tutorial, it seems to be on track regarding where I'm needing to go - in other words leverage existing texturing as much as possible.

... which also answers your question concerning why do I want to retain UV's & textures from the HiRes model - basically to fast track model conversion from Hi to Low res, retaining texture assets as much as possible. True, I could fall back on unwrapping / re-creating seams etc., I'm just exploring if the thing can be done faster ... time is always of the essence :-)

But I do appreciate you taking the time, so thanks again!

Cheers,

VisMod