What is "smoothing UV set" in the import settings of 3D-COAT's "model for pixel painting"? by lunarbor

[Carlosan]

Source...

Software used

3D-COAT2022
Lightwave 2020
Blender 3.2

When you import a "model for pixel painting " with 3D-COAT, the setting window for import opens. Among them, there is an item called "Smooth UV set", but this is a story about which one to choose.

 

It is cut off in the image above, but when you try to select this item, the following warning will be displayed.

 

So if you select "No subdivision" for "Initial subdivision (number of polygons)" two items above , you will select "No smoothing" here.

Do you want to "subdivide" this? Is it assumed that the CG model you are trying to import into 3D-COAT uses a subdivision surface (SDS) ? That's what I mean. And if you put UV textures on the SDS model, you will use the "UV smoothing interpolation" function.

 

See also this article for "initial subdivision (number of polygons)".

Please also refer to this article for "UV smoothing interpolation".

 

"Smoothing UV set" is asked what kind of "UV smoothing interpolation" is performed in the rendering software that uses it after creating a texture with 3D-COAT . And I think it's good to think.

Therefore, before importing to 3D-COAT, it is necessary to check the distortion using a checker map texture etc. with the rendering software and decide the optimal interpolation method.

 

As an example, I made a correspondence table with the software I use.

I think other software has similar functions, so it's a good idea to check in advance.

 

In the case of Lightwave , the setting location is the "Interpolation" item of the texture name used in the "Texture" of the "Vertex Map" panel.

 

In the case of Blender , "UV Smooth" in "Detailed Settings" with the " Subdivision Surface " modifier applied from the modifier item

[Carlosan]

Try to actually import

 

The initial subdivision (number of polygons) is "2604" (second from the top, equivalent to CC division level 2)
Smooth UV Set is "Preserve Corners and Smooth"
I will try to import it.

 

 

Then, the mesh model to which SDS is applied is displayed first. If you check the item "Low resolution model" from the "View" menu, the model will be replaced and the mesh model before SDS is applied will be displayed.

 

This function is assigned the default shortcut "6" on the character key side, and the model is replaced each time it is pressed.

It's just like pressing the tab key in Lightwave .

 

3D-COAT seems to treat the former as "medium resolution mesh" and the latter as "low resolution mesh". This is indicated in the settings when exporting the model.

 

Painting is done with a medium resolution mesh displayed.

The export will be the flow of selecting the low resolution mesh.

 

What is UV set smoothing doing?

This is just speculation based on the processing results.

As SDS is subdivided, the vertices move and the texture is distorted, but I think the theory is that it is distorted in the opposite direction to the distortion at the import stage, and then the distortion is corrected when SDS is applied.

[NicoHolo]

If you have an UV Stitching problem between 3DCoat and Blender, I mean, if in 3DCoat texture looks correctly, but when exporting to Blender, Textures looks stitched or distorted, the solution is to Tringulate the faces of the model before importing it from Blender to 3DCoat (You can triangulate the whole model inside Blender selecting all faces and pressing CTRL + T or you can triangulate it in the import panel inside 3DCoat checking "Triangulate" option), also you can triangulate the model after you have done your texturing work, when you bring the model again into Blender from 3DCoat you can do CTRL + T inside Blender, and the Textures will look fine, as seen inside 3DCoat.

It seems that 3DCoat internally triangulates Blender´s Model, so that if you do (6) to look Low Poly Mesh inside 3DCoat it will appear the model before it is subdivided or triangulate inside 3DCoat so the UV Stitching will appear, but it looks fine when the Mid Poly Mesh is seen because it shows the triangulated model

So it seems that paint work in 3DCoat need tris, and to look it correctly inside Blender you also need Tris. I hope this saves you lots of headaches as I had suffered with this Issue.