Understanding mesh seams and overlaps

Before we start weight painting our legs, it’s important to discuss how models are made, their topology, and geometry. More specifically, we will examine mesh seams and overlaps. Take a look at Figure 5.11, which shows two different ways of merging geometry:

Figure 5.11 – Mesh overlaps

You can imagine the planes shown in Figure 5.11 as two parts of a model. An artist has decided the vertices should not be connected. There are a number of reasons for doing this, such as the following:

• Tech/engine limitations: Some engines (mostly real-time game engines) of significant age have limitations with how they can display materials and textures. Separating meshes allows artists to treat different parts completely differently. This should only apply to old tech; hopefully, you will not have to deal with anything similar.
• Artistic: Another instance where you may find geometry like this is if certain...