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Use of the term "layer" in 3d coat: voxel layer? paint layer


jima
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Up to now I've gotten by in 3dc by picking and choosing topics and looking at related videos. I honestly do not have a grasp of the over all structure of the product.

For example, now I am adding multiple objects to a scene where I have been working on single objects up to now. I wish there was written documentation that explained how things hang together. Videos complicate matters because you necessarily have to guess which one might touch on the topic you need to learn and then sit thru the video in a linear fashion to find out - or not - what you'd like to know. Another complicating factor is the fairly rapid evolution of the product and changing nomenclature. 

I get the layer concept for painting, but I have seen discussions where the term layer is applied to voxel objects: ie "put each object in a separate layer in order to confine changes to only that object".  I have made a number of missteps. So, given there are painting layers, are there also  "voxel layers"? How come the voxel tree does not automatically add a primitive as a separate voxel branch/entry when I add that primitive to the scene? 

I hope there is a document I am ignorant of that explains the structure/design of different aspects of 3dc in simple enough terms for me to understand and relate it to other software I have used. I usually model in Rhino. So, boiled down: 1) is the term layer used in more than one context within the product, or might I have blundered onto discussions where nomenclature was misused? 2) how does the voxel tree work? I apologize to more experienced users about these questions, but as I say, I have found no relevant documents for these basic foundation questions.

Thanks all.

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Yes, the term "layer" is more then on contex in that product.

But they did nearly all the same, They store informations separatly of the whole object.

 

Paint Layers - Like in Photoshop, Gimp or any other 2D Painting software.

Retopo Layers - You could retopo, shirt, shoes, pants, body, eyes, teeth and so on on differnt layers to easy hide parts of your retopo.

and they help you with baking if you want to bake more objects at ones without touchung each other.

Vox Tree Layers - These are for sculpting separate parts of your model. I think they are called SubTools in ZBrush. You dont have to sculp shoes and pants at the same time.

Sculp you pants on one layer and then on a new layer sculp your shoes. If you need changes on one of the objects, you dont change the other ones.

Very handy overall while sculpting. For your other question, why 3d coat dont create a new layer if you use a primitive, is very easy.

How should 3dcoat know what you are trying to do? You could join it with the models on the same layer or is it a new object, who knows?

Its the same in Photoshop, If you change the tool or color, a new layer wont be created automaticly.

Vox Layer Tool - A tool to create a new objects based on the surface of an other object with thickness.

Sculpting Layers - A Tool to create extra details on your object without destroying the old object. Delete the layer and you have your model untached befor sculpting. Nearly the same way as in Mudbox.

 

I hope i dont miss one :rofl:

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Thank you, Malo. I will expand my studies with this useful information. Per your explanation on adding primitives, I will be glad when 3dc has the mind-reading option :)  

Is there written doc somewhere explaining uses for these various type layers - I don't see people asking dumb questions like mine - so I wonder how they learn it>

 

Thanks again.

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I must agree with the OP.. Being a Photoshop user, I find 3DCs layers in 3DC confusing. A layer should remain the same regardless of the room. So the same objects layers should remain the same when moved from room to room IMHO.

Edited by kenmo
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PS:

That said, I think 3DC is an amazing piece of software and well worth the price. Yes, it can be quite frustrating (don't get me going on about retopologyzing) but well worth the time and effort spent fully taping into the capabiities of this incredible app.

I only wish Andrew would tighten up what is currently in 3DC instead of adding more new features.

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It depends on what you're referring to. In the manual and in the interface (as much as possible), I've tried to not use the word layer or group too much for various and different things.

In the manual and most of the UI, a Layer refers only to the layers in the Paint Layers panel (ala PS). Otherwise in the VoxTree, that is known as a Sculpt Object. So for the two more important aspects of the program, it is "nailed" down, so to speak. For tutorials that I don't mind, I cannot control that aspect. :)

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I'm not sure cluttered is the right word. Massive comes to mind☺. I think the old hands operate with the program intuitively at this point and may be concerned about embarrassing the rest of us by dumbing down their helpful explanations. Ramping up newbie productivity quickly would be good for the success of the product, I'd imagine. It may be up to us newer users to add to the wiki etc because the older hands just don't appreciate how little some of know about the several different areas of program.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

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27 minutes ago, jima said:

I'm not sure cluttered is the right word. Massive comes to mind☺. I think the old hands operate with the program intuitively at this point and may be concerned about embarrassing the rest of us by dumbing down their helpful explanations. Ramping up newbie productivity quickly would be good for the success of the product, I'd imagine. It may be up to us newer users to add to the wiki etc because the older hands just don't appreciate how little some of know about the several different areas of program.

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk

If you feel you want to add something, I would be happy to copyedit/post to the manual. :) Email me at 3dcoat AT javisjones DOT com.

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