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[Feature] Why MidValue is important and essential!? How to control Alpha? Is it Possible Inside 3DCoat ?


Rygaard
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Hey Everyone!
control_midvalue.thumb.jpg.1bfd1c36895fd4b92619d20bce6aa93e.jpg
I'm trying to use Falloff to try to control Alpha's MidValue. I know that falloff is not for that. The result is a surface inflated inward or inflated outwards.
To apply detailing on a character is virtually impossible, because there is no way to control the alpha on the surface of a flattened way, ie only the detailing on the surface without inflating and deforming the the surface of the character.

If you do not use Falloff, the alpha will look rectangular step inward or outward. From what I know, there is no control to solve this within 3D-Coat.

It is very complicated for an artist to use alphas to detail a character without having control of how the alpha will deform the surface of the mesh.
If the user does not have a control similar to MidValue, it will be very difficult for the artist to perform his quality work within 3D-Coat and this will cause the artist to try to do his work in another program.

And more complicated is the artist who has no knowledge of trying to fix the alpha in an external program just because of MidValue. Sometimes alphas textures (displacements) bought on websites when they are used inside 3D-Coat have the same IMAGE effects as I did (above picture) because there is no function inside 3D-Coat that controls Midvalue.

And to be very honest with you, I do not know how to fix the Alphas in an external program, even though I know that 127, 127, 127 (gray) is the point of no deformation.
I know it's annoying to say that, but unfortunately if I do not figure out a way to detail my characters inside 3D-Coat, I'm going to have to use another program for that. This makes me completely sad because I would like to do all my work within 3D-Coat because 3D-Coat is my main program.
At the moment, unfortunately, I do not like to say this, but I have to agree with many other artists that I listen to that they use the competing program to detail their characters because they have the means to do so.

The image bellow I'm trying to show the importance of MidValue to fix possibles problems with the alphas:
image.thumb.png.256b04a680ee1a4f582111a46c8ce67f.png

I made this video to demonstrate to all of you why the MidValue function is essential and important. In the video, I show the difference of this function between ZBrush and 3D-Coat. Please watch and if you want to speed up the video so you do not get bored, just be aware of Midvalue values. In Video, in this example , when midvalue has a value of 0 in ZB it has the same result as FallOff of 3D-Coat with a high value, which results in the out-inflated surface.

I already researched and I've done thousands of tests with the alphas to try to solve the MidValue problem and I could not. It knocks me down.

Please, if anyone knows how to control Alpha MidValue within 3D-Coat, share it with everyone. Or point out a way to fix these alphas in an external program.

Thank you for your attention and sorry for anything.
I already sent emails to Andrew talking about Alpha's MidValue and whether there would be a possibility for users to have a similar function to control alpha.
Please, if you agree with what I have said and demonstrated, send @Andrew Shpagin an email (support@3dcoat.com) asking for something similar to the midvalue function. This is very important.

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57 minutes ago, Carlosan said:

Hi @Carlosan

It may appear to be related functions, but in fact MidValue and Imbed have distinct features but they influence the surface of the mesh.

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- Explanation of the ZBrush manual:
The Midvalue function is located in the Alpha> Modify sub-palette:

Mid Value set the zero displacement value. If set to 1, then white is considered zero displacement and all sculpting will push in on the model. If set to 0, then black is considered zero displacement and all sculpting will push out of the model. Setting Mid Value between 0 and 1 allows you to sculpting in and out at the same time.
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Let me explain the Midvalue in a simpler way.
The midvalue is directly related to the gray level of the Alpha image.
Therefore, in order for the artists to repair the edges around the alpha (stair step appearance) and problems related to the deformation of the mesh surface caused by the inflate inward and inflate out of the surface it is essential to use the Midvalue function.
Because these problems are caused by the MidValue level of gray and it is this MidValue function that controls these gray tones.
Thanks to this function users can adjust the midpoint tone, or neutral intensity, of a surface displacement.


Now regarding the Imbed function, this function is directly related to the Brush (controlling the deformation intensity of the brush on the surface of the mesh).
The Imbed function may be more confusing or even people think that this function is the same as Edit Curves Depth (brush pressure of the tablet), but it's not the same thing.
Controlling the intensity of the tablet is not the same as the Imbed function.

So even if a user put a low value to Imbed the problems presented with the alpha would not be fixed.

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- Explanation of the ZBrush manual:

Imbed: The Brush Imbed will control the embed of selected brush. Brush Imbed gives a brush a definite control on how a brush will interact with a surface. This will allow a slight deformation on the surface or a more extreme deformation on the surface.
Depth Mask
-----------------------

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11 hours ago, Rygaard said:

Because these problems are caused by the MidValue level of gray and it is this MidValue function that controls these gray tones.
Thanks to this function users can adjust the midpoint tone, or neutral intensity, of a surface displacement. 

I forgot to say one very important thing. When the user adjusts the midpoint tone, or neutral intensity, of a surface displacement the MidValue function does not interfere with the quality of alpha texture details. The result is alpha without changes in its texture, ie the texture of the alpha you apply is the alpha without problems with edges around stair step and without problems of inflate deformations in and out. There is no change or transformation in the alpha texture at any time and no loss of alpha quality.

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  • 6 months later...
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The rest of the 3D world quietly uses cards with alpha transparency, where only a value greater than zero has an effect, thus, from zero to one, there is an increase from zero impact to maximum, which allows you to create various relief elements with smooth transitions. The fact that this rise is created over the entire area of influence of such an "alpha" is just a mistake of the developers. 

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  • Carlosan changed the title to [Feature] Why MidValue is important and essential!? How to control Alpha? Is it Possible Inside 3DCoat ?

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