Sub-division

[Rhino]

If I'm importing an OBJ containing multiple objects into 3D Coat , using either Per-pixel or Microvertex, is there any way of choosing which objects get sub-divided and which ones don't? If not, what would be the best way of getting a reasonably uniform geometry density across a model? Perhaps sub-dividing it in Blender before export? And can you choose to sub-divide after the initial import into 3D Coat?

Thanks in advance.

[The Candy-floss Kid]

If I'm importing an OBJ containing multiple objects into 3D Coat , using either Per-pixel or Microvertex, is there any way of choosing which objects get sub-divided and which ones don't?

Not as far as I'm aware as part of the initial automated process.

In Retopo room - after import per pixel >Menu>use current low poly mesh. In the Retopo room you could hide your objects as required , select the faces of the chosen mesh component - create a new retopo layer -select the faces from that group then > select from the retopo group panel at the bottom - "move selected faces to the current layer". From there you could subdivide the mesh - using the subdivide icon at the bottom of the groups panel. Export this modified retopo and reimport - which is kinda a long winded way to subdivide in your app before such operations.

You could also use Merge -check "select without voxelizing" and "merge to separate instances" - right click in the voxel layer and create your maps from there per mesh component. This is the method I tend to use when splitting models and just create a map per sub object and reassemble/recombine the exported uv'ed meshes etc back in my modelling app.

Perhaps one of the more qualified experts in retopo and uv's could offer a better solution.

[Rhino]

Hi Kid,

Thanks for the reply - I shall try one of the methods you suggest. The reason I'm asking is basically so I don't get a really high polycount on objects that don't really need it, or have the lion's share of polys for tight details that don't benefit from being subdivided any more than they are. It's just a bit of a pain to subdivide bigger, less-detailed meshes before exporting from Blender / Max or whatever before hand.

Having said that, I do like the way that 3D Coat handles the subdivision levels, and the way you can work on a lower poly version but then export a higher one for the purposes of baking stuff in xNormal, say.

The other thing I love about 3D Coat is that where Mudbox used to crash on me 10-20 times a day, 3D Coat hasn't yet crashed once

Thanks again.