Workflow Help.

[Mike DaPrimate]

Sup guys:

 

I've been trying to figure out how to port over workflows and use 3D Coat in several different ways.

 

First, I know using 3D Coat to make tileable textures is possible, just having the hardest time figuring it out. Here are some workflows I've been trying to accomplish.

 

1: Tiling Bricks: The idea is that I want to sculpt, paint and then bake the tile onto a plane that I can use for a working "highpoly" texture in a game engine (Perhaps a workflow with instancing?). Extract Diffuse, Ambient Occlusion, Specular, Normals, etc., and use those maps to composite in Photoshop for my final Diffuse. Once done, move on to the game engine without the need for the geometry. 

 

2: Importing from 3DS Max: Pretty much how it sounds. I've tried to import geometry into 3D Coat so I can paint my details/textures, to then re-import back to Max so I can setup for an engine export from Max. Thing is, when I import, my mesh looks like crap. I know this is due to my lack of knowledge with the app, but this is where you guys can help me out. Truth is, the times I feel sculpting is required for an object, I'd much rather finish it all inside of 3DC and extract all maps/textures from it so I can begin compositing in Photoshop. Or import into Max with a final object and just setup for an export into the engine from Max.

 

An understanding of these first 2 workflows will go a long way with my studies/research and help me evolve a work flow with 3DS Max.

 

If I left anything out, just ask. 

 

Thanks

Edited April 9, 2014 by Mike DaPrimate

[Javis]

Hey man!

 

 

For #1, you can use the pre-built tiling scene from the splash window. It's under "Paint directly over UV model", there should be two tiling modes there. It let's you do painting and image based normal map "sculpting". That said, I'm also looking into some ways you could incorporate poly and voxel sculpting into this method. It would allow some cool stuff.

 

#2, I'm really not sure on this one, I haven't touched max since the late 90s! Sorry. I know there are some max users around here, so hopefully one of them can jump in to help you there. I could try with a close approximation for Modo, but I'm not sure how helpful that would be since it sounds like a max specific issue.

 

 

Hope this helps Mike!

[Mike DaPrimate]

For #1, you can use the pre-built tiling scene from the splash window. It's under "Paint directly over UV model", there should be two tiling modes there. It let's you do painting and image based normal map "sculpting". That said, I'm also looking into some ways you could incorporate poly and voxel sculpting into this method. It would allow some cool stuff.

 

I'm going to check it out now and see what type of results I can come up with. Will keep you posted. 

Edited April 12, 2014 by Mike DaPrimate

[lildragon]

I can probably help with #2 if you can show a screenshot of the issue... I've started using 3dcoat in production and I use max with it successfully.

[Mike DaPrimate]

I can probably help with #2 if you can show a screenshot of the issue... I've started using 3dcoat in production and I use max with it successfully.

 

Cool!

 

Here's one example.

 

The image below will show you that I modeled bricks in 3DS Max with an instancing technique. In Max, I can then project all information from the bricks onto the plane below and extract diffuse, spec, normal, displacement maps, and more, and save as images so I can use within a game engine (1024/2048/4096). This is the workflow I'm trying to replicate in 3D Coat. I came across a "Texture Projection Tool" in 3DC, but I'm not sue if I'm using it correctly or if it can even perform the task I'm looking to accomplish. 

 

This will allow me to complete all work best suited for sculpting in 3DC and separate workflows that are best suited for Max. Even better, I can export out of Max and use 3DC as my texture panting tool, with this being one example of how I can import objects for use in 3DC. 

 

[lildragon]

I don't believe texture projection is what you're after here, if I'm not mistaken I believe it's just to paint an existing texture/image onto a model... what you're looking for is a way to bake the info to a plane in 3DC. I'm still a little to green with bridging the gap with certain things between apps but you might find something here within the first 10mins.

 

[Carlosan]

This old request post have info related

http://3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11454&hl=tiling

[Mike DaPrimate]

I don't believe texture projection is what you're after here, if I'm not mistaken I believe it's just to paint an existing texture/image onto a model... what you're looking for is a way to bake the info to a plane in 3DC. I'm still a little to green with bridging the gap with certain things between apps but you might find something here within the first 10mins.

 

I learned some new stuff with this video, just didn't see anything I can use to replicate Max's "Render To Texture" tool.

 

This old request post have info related

http://3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11454&hl=tiling

I'm still trying to piece this together. Apparently it was accomplished, but I'm still not getting how.

 

Creating seamless tiling textures in 3D Coat would be a great tutorial in the YouTube Channel resource.  

[Mike DaPrimate]

So, I started playing around with instancing and thought I can also render out an image from a front orthographic view. Before I finished, I'd thought to test out rendering settings. This is where I realized I could not render out in powers of two. Am I doing something wrong? It's also proportionate/locked to the view size...why? 

 

Edited April 18, 2014 by Mike DaPrimate