Import tool to create greebles (new version of Import tool)

[Daniel]

Tutorial is made by Tinker.

(translated from Russian into English)

This short tutorial demonstrates features of the new version of Import tool.

As far as we'll work with Import tool we'll need greebles (small details that helps models to look more 'technical'.) It can be created in any application for 3D modeling, usually with a series of arbitrary extrusions. You can download greebles using link at the bottom of this tutorial.

To make your models look more interesting and unique you would probably want to create your own greebles. Details with angled surface look better than with parallel to horizon:

For easier placing of details on a model create a contour for the detail (that's an object with a name “_negative” which excludes from the model automatically and leaves a slot for the detail.)

It's important to turn on 'respect negative volume' in the Import Params tab to permit contour exclusion.

Because of “negative volume” width is bigger than detail's width we have an interesting effect:

There is a joint between the body and the object. The detail looks as if it stands right on its place, and the body looks as if it has a special slot for the detail. Such joints look good with ambient occlusion.

Here is an example of how would it look without that effect. Looks not so interesting, and also there is a problem that was caused by different curvatures of the body and the detail – the detail looks tumbled down (it wouldn't happen with negative volume).

Negative volume shouldn't have the exact form as the body. You may change its form to get various effects.

For this tutorial I've made a small set of details, they all have “negative volume” (it can't be seen on a screenshot).

We'll also need a base to which we will attach all the details, of course if you don't want to attach it to a default sphere :-). The Import tool will also help us here.

With such a concave surface you can make facets on objects.

Load an object using Import tool.

In transform regime cut any shape from a primitive.

You can also use frame for cutting but cuts made with Import tool looks more interesting than those made with a frame.

It's time to detail the object. Load the greebles using Import tool. Use 'on pen' mode. Use '9' and '0' keys to rotate the brush.

Well, that's all :-)

Thanks for watching and good luck!

Greebles: objects.zip

[Taros]

Thank you for the nice tutorial. But when I see the result I beg for a new quadrangulate function... This kind of objects must be really hard to retopo, if possible at all.

[wailingmonkey]

very nice...thank you Tinker and Daniel for sharing.

[artman]

A very good feature and very well explained .

Congrat guys!

[Tinker]

Im happy you like it

Version 3.00.08P fixed upside-down bug for .obj so i rotated tutorial objects proper way

objects_3.00.08P_and_higher.zip

[Monsoon]

Thanks. How do I make my own 'negative volume'? That's unclear.

M

[artman]

you need to name it yourname_negative .

Yourname being a name of your choice of course

[geo_n]

Cool tutorial. Thanks for translation.

Why not making negative volume an icon like hide voxel, etc.?

[ShnitzelKiller]

you need to name it “yourname_negative” .

Yourname being a name of your choice of course

I don't understand. None of the obj files in the folder have a _negative extension. I would like to know how to make my own... please be more specific on how I can specify this in the OBJ file.

[artman]

I don't understand. None of the obj files in the folder have a _negative extension. I would like to know how to make my own...

Euh....yeah,actually they have a _negative extension but inside the .obi file.

When I open turbine1.obj in max for example and choose multiple object option I get two objects

named: objCylinder and obj_negative.

Its easy in 3dsMax just name your subobjects like that and save as .obj with group as object option on.

[ShnitzelKiller]

Euh....yeah,actually they have a _negative extension but inside the .obi file.

When I open turbine1.obj in max for example and choose multiple object option I get two objects

named: objCylinder and obj_negative.

Its easy in 3dsMax just name your subobjects like that and save as .obj with group as object option on.

Thanks, that works. This is a great feature

[Daniel]

Thanks. How do I make my own 'negative volume'? That's unclear.

M

I'll try to make it clear

Steps:

1) Open your 3D app (I used Wings3D).

2) Make a detail (greeble). I got this:

3) Create another object in the same scene (that oblect will be 'negative volume'). I got this:

As you can see the detail locates inside the capsule ('cause I'm gonna use capsule as 'negative volume'):

4) Rename the second object (capsule in my case) as you like BUT (!!!) add "_negative" in the end. I had this:

5) Export in Wavefront (.obj) format.

6) Do everything as Tinker explained. And... enjoy the results:

Hope that helps

[Monsoon]

Thanks. That's much better. It wasn't obvious to go to an outside app or use two objects.

[geo_n]

Ok I misunderstood the negative function. I thought we can create negative voxel layers inside 3dc and they would be negative booleans in the scene and we can toggle them on or off incase we change our mind about boolean details like grooves, etc.

[Tinker]

Keep in mind voxels are heavy stuff, so one shot operations beter idea i think. Fast and usefull.