Apply the retopo of one model to a different model?

[lotusindigo]

I'd like to know if 3d-Coat has this feature, or something like it. It's probably a long shot, but 3d-Coat has so many features that I figure I might as well ask.

I'm wondering if I can take the retopo of one model and apply it to a different model, so that the same polygons, vertices, etc. of the first model are used to retopo the second one. This is so I can create morphs for Daz Studio figures. DS requires poly count and vertex order to remain unchanged in order for a morph to work properly.

Does 3d-Coat have the ability to do this? If not, do you know of another program that does? TIA.

[johnnycore]

You can always export your retopo mesh and reimport it for another character, if the character has the same size it should be no problem.

However if it does not fit on the other character you need to perform some tweaks to make it work.

[lotusindigo]

Thanks for your reply Johnny. Unfortunately because I'm really new to 3d-Coat I often need things spelled out for me. Maybe I should have asked this question in the new users forum.

You can always export your retopo mesh and reimport it for another character

This solution sounds really simple, but I don't know how to do this. Do you think you could explain further? Or anyone else?

[AbnRanger]

Thanks for your reply Johnny. Unfortunately because I'm really new to 3d-Coat I often need things spelled out for me. Maybe I should have asked this question in the new users forum.

This solution sounds really simple, but I don't know how to do this. Do you think you could explain further? Or anyone else?

If you are using the Voxel Room/Workspace to do some sculpting edits, you would simply go to the Retopo Room and in the Retopo Menu, click "Import." You will see a grey mesh. If it's properly aligned to your Voxel Model, just hit the ENTER key. You will now be prompted with a question as to whether you want 3D Coat to snap the imported Retopo mesh to the Voxel Model.

As for exporting the first Retopo Mesh, if you've already done one model...merged it to the paint room > painted textures > exported, you can just import that mesh (into the Retopo Room), the next time around. If the model is very similar in shape and scale, it shouldn't be much of a problem. If it's very different, then you could "salvage" parts that do fit well (maybe torso and limbs), and just connect them together with the Retopo tools, or you may have to redo parts like the hands and head.

[lotusindigo]

Thanks so much for the clarification! It didn't work out as well as I would have liked because my meshes were not optimized due to limb positioning, but they were only mockup meshes anyway. I can make sure that my final meshes are more compatible for sharing a retopo. Hopefully snapping the retopo to a new mesh this way does not change the vertex order, because that would make this method of morph creation useless for Daz Studio. No way to know without doing some more experimentation, though.