[Solved] Dummy question of the week

[Glitterati3D]

OK, I have watched videos until I am blue in the face, I have searched and searched and searched and I'm so completely lost, I'm ready to just remove 3DCoat from my computer.

I have a simple task I want to perform - I want to take a model into 3DCoat, add wrinkles and folds and export a normal map.

It should be a simple process (and IS so using Sculptris) and I've seen a couple of videos on it, but when I try to follow them, the menu items don't match, the screen displays are completely different and I end up on a hunt to find the menu, getting lost in 3DCoat never to return to the task at hand.

Or, I follow the videos, hit Merge and boom, the 3DCoat screen goes blank.  No model, no anything.

To say I am frustrated is an understatement.  I've been modeling and rigging for 10+ years.  It shouldn't BE this difficult to figure out a program.

Can someone just provide a TEXT cheat sheet for the steps to get a model successfully into 3DCoat to sculpt wrinkles and folds?  Please.

 

[Ridnic]

I've been through similar situations. Problem is, that the program has been updated over and over again and the Introduction Videos are outdated.

Well, here is your cheat sheet: (at least how I would do it, i am new as well but have been working in 3D for several years..)

1) Import Low poly into the Retopo room
2) Do your Retopo/UV unwrap there if needed
3) Go to the sculpt room > Geometry > Retopo mesh to Sculpt Mesh
4) Now you can subdivide and or switch to voxel mode
5) Sculpt :-)
6) When finished sculpting adjust low poly mesh in Retopo room if needed
7) In The retopo room go to Bake and bake your high poly details onto your low poly mesh
8 ) Go to the paint room to paint the model
9) Enjoy

[Glitterati3D]

Ridnic, thank you for that!  See, it should be that simple.

I'm a bit confused though, I would never have thought to go through Retopo.  Is there a reason for this?

I have a model I UV mapped and smoothed to about 350K polygons for the sculpt, in quads.  Do I need to retopo?

Thank you again!  Simple, succinct instructions showing that it, indeed, should be a simple process.

 

[Ridnic]

Well, the reason for starting from the retopo room is, that you need it for the Baking/Texturing anyway.

It is also possible to jump to sculpting right away and then load your low poly model into the retopo room or do a new retopo.
"Do I need to retopo?" > That is up to what you need :-)

If you have no model you would be starting in the Sculpting room

3D Coat is very complex despite it being so new. Having so many efficient workspaces in one program is rare. Thats why this complexity is so overwhelming at first.

[Glitterati3D]

Thank you, Ridnic, for your help.  I have figured it out.  Finally.

 

[Ridnic]

You are welcome ;-)