Texture baking?

[hallowedking]

I'm trying some retextures and learning blender,somebody told me I should try texture baking because of some shading of an original layer got lost and I would have to try baking in blender,I have not seen anything about texture baking in any tutorial or I missed it,is it possible with blender?And what is texture baking?Also while I'm here I need to make a barrel,I cannot extrude the proper region,I need to get a hole in the barrel for the gun would it be easier to somehow add a mesh and make the hole?I have heard of that method but don't know how to do it.edit:Ah I tried to attach an image but its not showing,sorry :confused:

[hallowedking]

Sorry for the double post wanted to get the image so you know what region I want to extrude or make the opening of the barrel.Never mind I got the barrel,but still don't have a clue about texture baking.

[LHammonds]

Regarding the barrel extrusion, you need to delete that center vertex. Then select the edge verticies that was connected to it and do another extrude, then press ESC to keep it from moving the extruded verticies, then press S to scale them to be smaller...almost to the point where they look like one vertex. As long as you do not merge all those vertices into a single vertex, you can use CTRL+R to create a loop edge at the precise location you circled in your image. You cannot create an edge loop if the edges are merged.

 

Once you are happy with the results and do not plan to add more edges, you can then merge the center mass into a single vertex if you like.

 

How To Learn Texture Baking in Blender

Blender Manual: Render/Bake

Texture Baking is Your Friend

Blender Texture Baking

Blender Texture Baking Video Tutorial

 

LHammonds

[rdamstrom]

http://www.blendercookie.com/2009/11/21/exporting-a-lowpoly-model-to-unity-3d/

[hallowedking]

Thanks fellas,and I got the barrel before your reply LHammonds.I made the opening a different way from box selecting the area and making some adjustments.Started the noob to pro tutorial and learned allot but couldn't find any reference to texture baking.