[Solved] Obtaining Additional Environment Maps and Where to Put Them

[Psmith]

Gentlepeople:

If there is a thread existing already - (or new information existing) - can anyone point me and other users to the instructions on where to place new environment maps (spherical panoramas?) in the 3DCoat directories?  Will they automatically appear in the drop down menu of environment map thumbnails?

Does anyone have a link to any free environment map files that actually work inside of 3D-Coat?

Skies might be nice to have available for sculpting and rendering.  Has anyone found and installed some of these?

 

Thanks,

Greg Smith

[Michaelgdrs]

1) From inside 3d coat click on the environments and then New (New +)

 

2) Folder to just copy paste is C:\Program Files\3D-Coat-V4.5.40\Panoramas

[Psmith]

Michaelgdrs:

Thank you for this information.  

Are the existing environment maps "hard wired" into 3D-Coat?  I don't see them in the C:\Program Files\3D-Coat-V4.5.40\Panoramas folder.

Is there a set of graphic file formats that 3D-Coat requires for these panoramas?

 

Greg Smith

[Michaelgdrs]

Yes i believe they are.

I found them once on a temp folder but not as HDRI ( it was DDS or something like that) somewhere and i posted the folder here so other can find them too , unfortunately i cant find the post right now.

Edited May 27, 2016 by Michaelgdrs

[Carlosan]

The default was

C:\Program Files\3D-Coat-V4.5\Temp\panoramas

 

I put the new ones in

C:\Users\username\Documents\3D-CoatV45\Panoramas

[Michaelgdrs]

Gooooooo Carlos thank you.

On latest builds is under

C:\Program Files\3D-Coat-V4.5.40\Temp\panoramas_ggx2

Edited May 27, 2016 by Michaelgdrs

[Psmith]

Michaelgdrs:

I tried using your first method of installing an environment map via the drop down environment menu.  I attempted to add the file as a .tiff file and as a .jpeg file.  Both were shown to be "greyed out" - and thus, not available.

I tried to add both files to the C:\Program Files\3D-Coat-V4.5.40\Temp\panoramas_ggx2 - and neither of them appear in the drop down menu of thumbnails, either.

This seems like quite an important thing to be able to do easily and properly - so I think we need more assistance.

Must the file be saved as a .dds file?

 

Greg Smith

[Michaelgdrs]

Hmmmmm , never had an issues to be honest Greg.

If possible can you send me one HDRI that comes out grey to you?

Have you tried restarting 3DC before using the HDRI?

[Psmith]

Michaelgdrs:

I am using the Mac version of 3D-Coat (latest) - and it does have the equivalents of both the directories suggested by you and Carlos - and now, I've even tried a converted version of the same file in .dds format - with no working result.  Maybe it is just the Mac version (figures) that does not work.  

This kind of thing happens every time I retry the latest version of 3D-Coat - going on 10 years now.  Each time I re-investigate 3D-Coat - in order to start making tutorials again - I am faced with an all new set of malfunctions.

I'd like to be of help to the community - but with outcomes like this one - I cannot proceed.

 

Thanks,

Greg Smith

EuropeanTouristSpot.dds

EuropeanTouristSpot.tiff

[Michaelgdrs]

Give me 5 minutes to check (PC here lol) and i will message you back.

Know the feeling , been there a couple times, on my side + from using 3DC is way more than the - (bugs , things randomly not working some rare times etc) , so happy user here.

[Michaelgdrs]

Ohhhh forgot to mention , it accepts only exr and hdr , thats why you get grey images

[Psmith]

Michaelgdrs:

Yes, you are absolutely right.  The only thing acceptable to 3D-Coat for Panoramic Images (via the "+" at the bottom of the "Environment Map" drop down menu) are spherical panoramic images in the .exr format.

There is actually no need to specially add such images to any directory, manually.

Whew!  Where is the documentation for this?

 

For a ready source of free spherical panoramic images (NOT in .exr format) go here:

http://texturify.com/index.php?category=environment-panoramas&items=100&str=1

For a free resource (online) that will convert such images to the .exr format (it really works and really is free) - go here:

http://image.online-convert.com/convert-hdr-exr

Converted image files will not retain the embedded HDRI lighting information and can only be used as backgrounds which do not affect the actual lighting of the 3D-Coat object.

 

The steps to add your own HDR spherical panoramic Environment Maps to 3D-Coat (for Sculpting and Rendering) is as follows:

1)  Obtain a spherical panoramic image (online or elsewhere) in the HDRI image formats:  (.exr, .hdr)  

2)  Once 3D-Coat is open and running (working in the Sculpt Room, for example) - click on the icon just to left of the Camera icon at the top right of the Viewport.

3)  Click the "+" at the bottom of the thumbnail column and select your spherical panoramic image that is in the .exr or .hdr format - and wait for 3D-Coat to load it.  Say "O.K." to the 3D-Coat dialog that pops up.

4)  Adjust both the "Exposure" and the "Contrast" of the image now displayed in the Viewport - using the icons from the row of controls at the top right of the Viewport.

 

Thanks Michaelgdrs for your patience and help,

 

Greg Smith

 

[Michaelgdrs]

No worries at all.

P.S

 

On any convertion you lose the light info , try to use hdr or exr ready from the camera or a panorama software.

[Psmith]

Michaelgdrs:

Right again.  You do lose the lighting information embedded in a genuine .exr or .hdr formatted panorama.  So, converted images are only good as backgrounds that will not influence the lighting of your 3D object.

Here are some links for genuine .exr and .hdr panoramas available online for free:

http://www.openfootage.net

http://www.sky-domes.com/?page_id=304

And here is a "master list" of free .exr and .hdr panorama sources:

https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/57531/list-of-sites-with-free-hdri

 

Greg Smith