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Shawn Driscoll

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Posts posted by Shawn Driscoll

  2. Help with Normal maps - Vue - Dazstudio

    in CG & Hardware Discussion

    Posted

    I thought I'd import the 3D-Coat normal map into my Carrara 5 to see what it would do with it. The Deeper plugin didn't like the map all that much (lost all my phoung shading for the model). The Baker plugin, though, has about 7 options to tick for normal maps. I had to flip it first (aka invert, not mirror flip). Then I had to tell Carrara that it was a Relative Tangential Map, whatever that is. And the normal map looks perfect on my fighter jet from all viewing angles and lighting direction. Basically, the normal map is just metal plating with rivets that I painted in 3D-Coat using per-pixel texture mode.

    Anyway, Vue doesn't have any option settings to tick for imported normal map textures. I tried the Max, Blender, Maya, B & T, T & B settings in 3D-Coat and nothing looked better in Vue. 3D-Coat's Normalize setting, though, I'm not sure of what that is. Vue has a normalize also, but no way of driving it with a normal map image.

  10. Breaking model while retaining UV map and textures?

    in General 3DCoat

    Posted

    The BREAK command in Silo 2.2 creates two objects from one. Each object has its own name. But they both retain UV map information. So I figured, "Hey, doesn't Hexagon 1.21 have that same feature?" So I loaded my model in it and used the Face Extraction tool. It did the same thing. Split one model into two and each model keeps its UV info. No vertex re-ordering, or UV map scrambling. So I am good with that.

    What's really cool is how I can then import the broken model into 3D-Coat and do an off-the-cuff auto-UV mapping and my painted textures are still in their right place using all new UVs.

    ADDED:

    I did the same thing in modo 401, using the "Create null mesh, then cut/copy/paste piece of model into null mesh, then drag mesh to texture mapping folder (and/or assign existing UV'd material to dragged mesh)" method. Painful. Modeling in modo is like driving a car where you have to enable your turn signal first before the steering wheel will unlock and be able to turn only in the direction of the turn signal you enabled.

    It too creates more than one model when the split is done. And it keeps the UVs intact.

  11. Breaking model while retaining UV map and textures?

    in General 3DCoat

    Posted

    If I can get the mesh broken up, I won't need to use the model in 3D-Coat again after that. The model will be in pieces anyway, so it won't matter if the poly edges of the pieces don't smooth just right.

    I'm going to download Hexagon 2.5 whatever from DAZ now. I'm not a fan of the program, but if it works....

    Anyone know if Silo 2.2 does the disassociate thing?

    ADDED:

    I just found Silo's BREAK feature. So maybe I don't need to fuss with buggy Hexagon 2.5. I just need to keep in mind that the models I break up need to stay as one object as far as my rendering app is concerned.

  12. Breaking model while retaining UV map and textures?

    in General 3DCoat

    Posted

    Clever. I forgot about that tool. Does 3D-Coat have such a tool?

    So the mesh is still one object. Just in parts. That may work. I was thinking I'd end up with three objects. modo 401 was not being friendly with OBJ exporting for me. I love how 3D-Coat lets you export an OBJ with texture maps, and then turn around and let you import the OBJ and it scoops up all the texture maps that come with it. modo only semi-imports texture maps with OBJ models, and doesn't export texture maps at all with new OBJ exports. Its MTL file is blank for all practical purposes.

  15. Breaking model while retaining UV map and textures?

    in General 3DCoat

    Posted

    So if I had a simple egg mesh that was already painted in some easter egg coloring, I would not be able to import it into 3D-Coat 3.7.18 (latest beta) and divide the mesh into a few parts (say the egg broke or something) and have each one retain a part of the UV mapping so they don't lose their textures?

    I'm still learning 3D-Coat in this area. I supposed I could learn how modo would handle it. I only use modo for rendering. Not for any UV mapping or texturing.

  23. Shrunken Head.obj?

    in General 3DCoat

    Posted

    I'm taking about PPP mode and importing the sample head.obj model with subdivision chosen.

    http://www.shonner.com/drafts/polygon_smoothing.htm shows how low-poly objects do shrink a bit. With more polys, there is almost no shrinkage. The head.obj seems to have enough polys in it that it would not shrink when smoothed just a little.

    Other sample OBJs don't shrink as much. My own OBJs don't shrink. So I'm wondering why the head.obj model is so small? Or is the camera being moved away from the model? I have to bring the camera in closer when this happens before I can do any painting.

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