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Lightwave Layers to 3D Coat Layers


Rob
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I have an object in Lightwave with at least four layers. I would like each layer to be brought into 3D Coat separately, but use the 3D Coat layer system. This means I want the translation from each layer to the other program to be the same. Is this possible? If so, how?

I will have one more possible question, depending on how this is answered.

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Looks like it's possible.

I have an object in Lightwave with at least four layers. I would like each layer to be brought into 3D Coat separately, but use the 3D Coat layer system. This means I want the translation from each layer to the other program to be the same. Is this possible? If so, how?

I will have one more possible question, depending on how this is answered.

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Looks like it's possible.

I don't have any real difficulty doing that with Max, but you can choose to MERGE (instead of import) obj's in separately into the scene without too much trouble. If you don't see the texture map, you may need to import the map(s) from the Texture menu. If the texture is in the same folder as the OBJ, you usually don't have to do that.
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My next, more important, question - If I bring an LWO file in with various levels, this works fine. But, after painting in 3D Coat, if I export will there be an automated UV applied to my model? I read someone saying something about this in the Newtek forums and I clearly don't understand...yet.

I don't have any real difficulty doing that with Max, but you can choose to MERGE (instead of import) obj's in separately into the scene without too much trouble. If you don't see the texture map, you may need to import the map(s) from the Texture menu. If the texture is in the same folder as the OBJ, you usually don't have to do that.

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My next, more important, question - If I bring an LWO file in with various levels, this works fine. But, after painting in 3D Coat, if I export will there be an automated UV applied to my model? I read someone saying something about this in the Newtek forums and I clearly don't understand...yet.

If you have UV's in LW when you exported to 3DC, the UV's will stay with the objects. If you had none, then the FIRST thing you want to do in 3DC is generate your UV's. It's fast enough as it is to create seams and hit UNWRAP (if you like the results and are done laying them out, you will need to hit "APPLY UV SET." This bakes the UV's to the model, and you can different UV sets for different objects. There are tutorials covering that in the Tutorial section, accessible from the 3D Coat mainpage.
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Thanks abnRanger. I'm going through the tutorials now.

If you have UV's in LW when you exported to 3DC, the UV's will stay with the objects. If you had none, then the FIRST thing you want to do in 3DC is generate your UV's. It's fast enough as it is to create seams and hit UNWRAP (if you like the results and are done laying them out, you will need to hit "APPLY UV SET." This bakes the UV's to the model, and you can different UV sets for different objects. There are tutorials covering that in the Tutorial section, accessible from the 3D Coat mainpage.

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I have not seen anything about a mix of UVs in the layers I import. The 4 layers I imported from LW imported fine. But, selecting the layer that has no UV map shows up as no mesh (invisible mesh), when I go to the UV tab. If I go back to the painting tab, I see the mesh. Go back to the UV tab - hidden mesh.

The mesh with the UV map shows fine and I'm not presently worried about it. But, could someone give me an idea why I can't see this other mesh in the UV room?

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Thanks. I wish I could, but it's not available to anyone else right now. As for the solution, I'm planning to UV Map these in zBrush and then move that into LW and then back into 3D Coat. I really want to learn 3D Coat the right way, so I'll post my results here once finished. I will also try something simpler to see what I might have done incorrectly with the LW layers in LW 10.1.

That's a good question. Can you share the mesh?

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I'm sure you're right. UVs have always been a dread to me to learn. So using UV Master seems easier (no pun intended). But, someday I'll spend more time in 3D Coat; the more I use 3D Coat the more I see how genuinely beautiful it is.

You can mark your seams and unwrap an entire character in 5 min or so...no need to take it out of 3D Coat and then bring it back in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkqnS9qhclQ

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I have actually begun to use the 3D Coat UV functions. Here I go...

Hey I hear you. :) Each application has it's own quirks and benefits. If it helps out at all, 3DC's UV tools are strangely, somewhat similar to that of Modo's.

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I posted this on Newtek's site, but maybe it's better here. Can anyone give me an idea how I can do this?

Subpatches to 3D Coat...

To start, my mesh subpatched in Lightwave is only about 7K polys.

How do I keep a subpatched model when bringing it into 3D Coat? It is there in subpatch when I import it into 3D Coat (I can see it in Paint mode as fully subpatched), but when I delete the unused UV maps I have the pre-subpatch mesh and my beautiful subpatch disappears.

The reason I delete the UV Maps is that I want to start from scratch in 3D Coat and create my UV in 3D Coat. But, I need the smooth mesh...having trouble with the toes otherwise.

I am assuming the subpatch weight map is being deleted when I delete all unused UV maps in 3D Coat. But, there must be a better way - the subpatch is too dense of a mesh. All I need is my regular mesh smoothed out so I can get in between the toes.

Cool! Let us know if you have any questions. :)

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Any recommendations about moving a subpatched mesh into 3D Coat for the UV creation? Maybe I'm asking the wrong question. Is it possible I need to change something in the mesh? But, I've seen Abnranger's video here about UV creation and his mesh is smooth.

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Hey there!

Yes you can definitely do that. When you first import an object, in the import prompt there is an option that says "Initial subdivision", if you select one of the options in the drop down list it will SubD the mesh.

The first option will not subdivide, while subsequent options will be a step up in in SubD levels (1, 2, 3, etc.).

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I appreciate the advice. I followed it and it makes sense. But, the three image here show the progression of what happens when I do it this way. What could I be doing incorrectly?

1. (1_import) Imported with the first level of subdivision.

2. (_import) Switch to UV mode.

3. (3_import) Deleted the unused UVs.

Hey there!

Yes you can definitely do that. When you first import an object, in the import prompt there is an option that says "Initial subdivision", if you select one of the options in the drop down list it will SubD the mesh.

The first option will not subdivide, while subsequent options will be a step up in in SubD levels (1, 2, 3, etc.).

post-6163-0-68970300-1313100891_thumb.jp

post-6163-0-93270300-1313100898_thumb.jp

post-6163-0-94325100-1313100910_thumb.jp

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Hi!

It's hard to say, but it looks like there are no UVs for the object, that would usually cause the mesh to no longer display. Can you use the auto UV feature when you import, and then create new UVs after it's been imported? Does it still disappear after you try this?

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Yes, I've tried the autoimport and then deleted these as the unused UVs and I still get a blank mesh. I see it appears to lose the mesh, since there are no UVs. Should I just select the option to create a UV and then (and only then) mark my borders then? I'm sorry for my apparent ignorance. The UV space thing is something I've stayed away from learning until recently and I think the 3D Coat functionality might be the best way to do this, from what I've seen from many other applications with the same sort of UV tools.

Thanks for your quick response. I'm appreciating all I'm learning.

Hi!

It's hard to say, but it looks like there are no UVs for the object, that would usually cause the mesh to no longer display. Can you use the auto UV feature when you import, and then create new UVs after it's been imported? Does it still disappear after you try this?

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I understand. :) Doing UVs can be pretty tedious, and definitely annoying at times.

I guess the biggest question remains, when you've done the UVs, have you hit the "Apply UV Set" button? If that isn't hit after you've created your UVs, they will just remain in limbo, in the UV room. Applying them to the mesh ensures that they are actually a part of the mesh.

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I'll make sure I do this tonight or tomorrow. Whatever I figure out I'm doing wrong, I'll explain it here.

Thanks again.

I understand. :) Doing UVs can be pretty tedious, and definitely annoying at times.

I guess the biggest question remains, when you've done the UVs, have you hit the "Apply UV Set" button? If that isn't hit after you've created your UVs, they will just remain in limbo, in the UV room. Applying them to the mesh ensures that they are actually a part of the mesh.

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If you bring a model into 3D Coat that has no UV's on them, you need to select Auto UV in the import dialog. "Keep UV's" won't help since there are none to keep. You need to initially assign it something to work with, in the viewports. Go to the UV room, and you can CLEAR SEAMS. This will unclutter the Auto UV seams and let you start from scratch. Now, you just select your seams > Unwrap > Assign UV Set.

In the Retopo Room, you do not have this step...not sure why, since importing a mesh there will often have UV's assigned to them, so if there is a "Are you SURE about that?" button in the UV Room, then there should be one in the Retopo Room, for consistency's sake.

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Thanks AbnRanger and just a quick update - I reworked the model to make it more consistent in form and tightened the mesh. Now I'm starting with the seams. Will post my progress soon, if all goes well.

Thanks for all of the help.

post-6163-0-37894200-1313282308_thumb.jp

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Here's my progress. Next on my list is to learn better UV management and the texturing. I will probably do all of this inside of 3D Coat.

Thanks for all of the help. I think it's time to find some tutorials on these next items and I'm thinking about this one - http://www.learn3dsoftware.com/3DC_35_LW_Users_Photo_Painting_Vol_2_Human_Product_Shot_400pix.jpg or this one - http://adamgibson3dtraining.com/products/video0001/

post-6163-0-85495400-1313346939_thumb.jp

post-6163-0-28312700-1313346962_thumb.jp

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