I'll be using this thread for asking questions so first question, while converting, how do I lower the polycount? I've been looking up how to do it but i can't find anything on it.

Many ways to reduce polycount or vertices count. Tools such as Balancer N Pro do a good job, and can also be used to create L2 and L3. https://www.atangeo.com/download. Free version has limits to how big a mesh it will do. Blender (I use 2.80, primarily), has decimate modifier, but I prefer the one from the mesh drop down tab, as I can better see effect on the edges and faces, as well as UV map. I only use decimate to make L2 and L3, not to do general poly/ vertices count reductions. The program tends to concern itself with topology to a certain extent, and will lose edge rows that are needed for bone weights to work properly.

A controlled method, but takes longer is manual reduction. This, JoshQ showed me, and I hope I convey it correctly. The model is an MMD bot by Kuroyu. First, switch tris to quads.

To select a row of edges, set edit mode for edges. Hold alt and click an edge in the row you want. To select multiple rows, hold alt AND shift, and select more rows. With the rows selected, press x and dissolve edges. Edges can be dissolved both horizontal and vertical. Use an EA mesh as a guide.


You must understand the basics of how bone weights follow the edges, as well as how joints work, and not to dissolve too many edges at elbows, knees and other joints.
There are topology videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kt0gW3_kio and other tools, such as remesh. I did not like how remesh and other tools worked, but you may find them useful.

NOTE: If the mesh you are working on was made using Marvelous Designer, I can't help you. It's a topology program for fashion design that creates random sized triangles to create topology, and I find to be a mess to fix for use with TS3.

The more above EA vertice count limits the mesh is to start, the harder it will be to reduce and maintain appearance. Sacrifices may need to be made.

Thank you! I will try this! :D

What is the right size for a uv texture?

Basic for TS3 garment is 1024 x 1024, in .dds format. I save an "original" multiplier uncompressed. DDS compression can, and will create artifacts. If you compress to dxt5, then make changes and save as dxt5, then go back to make more changes, your multiplier will have deteriorated, and eventually not look so good. So always keep an uncompressed image to work from.

Also, MurfeeL has a basic map layout on one of her pages https://murfeelee.tumblr.com/post/1...-advice-clothes
One thing I saw is that it has a straight line at the waist. TS3 actually follows the edge that is close to the map line. Outfits do not matter as much, if you have top or bottom parts mixed, but for separates, it matters a lot, and never use the area marked for shoes, for garments.

Her map has (looks like) am body UV on it. Af is similar, but not exactly same. Any visible skin should be aligned with the EA skin mapping, as that is where the skin textures align. You may be surprised how bad things can look if the shading of the neck or arms does not match up.

Thank you! This is big help!