Auto-retopo from groups

[Mix Mash]

I know that Quadralate (?) automatically creates a quad mesh based on the surface of you mesh but I thought it would be interesting to be able import a reference mesh that has surface groupings (parts) or surfaces that could help automatically retopologise a mesh based on the groupings. It would be like 'patching' but based on polygon groupings and your custom settings.

...Or maybe this can be done already without me knowing it?

Just an idea.

Cheers,

Paul

[cakeller]

I know that Quadralate (?) automatically creates a quad mesh based on the surface of you mesh but I thought it would be interesting to be able import a reference mesh that has surface groupings (parts) or surfaces that could help automatically retopologise a mesh based on the groupings. It would be like 'patching' but based on polygon groupings and your custom settings.

...Or maybe this can be done already without me knowing it?

Just an idea.

Cheers,

Paul

You can import any OBJ file into the retopo room, and if it is aligned, even roughly, with the voxels, or sculpted poly mesh, the new mesh can be snapped to the reference (voxel, or big-mesh, or sculpted hi-res mesh).

if these meshes are not one part, you can connect them using any retopo tools...

if you DONT snap the mesh to the reference object on import (I recomend this, if it does not line up well) then when you move vertices around, they should snap to whatever reference objects are visible.

--- so some of the function you are asking for, I think, is already there.

However, I think the part that you mentione that would be extremely cool is if the auto-quadrangulate could be used to "fill in the gaps" not just as a whole re-topo tool, but able to use our hints. you could start with one quadrangle, or perhaps several all around in key areas (e.g. outline the mouth, eyes, and nostrils, and the ear, then let the quadrangulate tool do the rest of the blending work... that'd be such a time saver and give us more control... at least in my fantasy world perhaps the algorithms become more complex/// perhaps not?

[Mix Mash]

You can import any OBJ file into the retopo room, and if it is aligned, even roughly, with the voxels, or sculpted poly mesh, the new mesh can be snapped to the reference (voxel, or big-mesh, or sculpted hi-res mesh).

if these meshes are not one part, you can connect them using any retopo tools...

if you DONT snap the mesh to the reference object on import (I recomend this, if it does not line up well) then when you move vertices around, they should snap to whatever reference objects are visible.

--- so some of the function you are asking for, I think, is already there.

However, I think the part that you mentione that would be extremely cool is if the auto-quadrangulate could be used to "fill in the gaps" not just as a whole re-topo tool, but able to use our hints. you could start with one quadrangle, or perhaps several all around in key areas (e.g. outline the mouth, eyes, and nostrils, and the ear, then let the quadrangulate tool do the rest of the blending work... that'd be such a time saver and give us more control... at least in my fantasy world perhaps the algorithms become more complex/// perhaps not?

What I actually mean is that you create an object with separate polygroups/parts/surfaces and then when you activate my suggested "auto retopo via parts" idea, it would automatically create a quadralated mesh based on the groupings. This will allow for a more intelligent dispersement of polygons AND specified edges that can help with edgeflow. So, for example, if your model body and leg are different surfaces, you would automatically get an edge loop where the body and leg meet. There could even be an option where polygon count can be uniform (EG each surface will get exactly 16 polygons) with an extra option to allow extra polygons based on grouping area and density.

Yes, it may be complicated or it may actually be simpler than imagined based on how the idea is approached. Even if the result is not perfect, the resulting mesh could be edited with the other retopo tools.

[cakeller]

Oh so perhaps an entire layer hierarchy (layer + sub-layers) could be quadrangulated together as one object, and as you said, each object could get it's own special treatment.

it's an interesting thought, however, there has been some discussions about fixing the auto-quadrangulation, and making it much more robust.

In fact, I think the discussion pointed toward bringing the auto-quadrangulation into the retopo room itself turning it into a more flexible tool that could be used for anything, from patching areas, to complete object, and, as you mentioned, multi-objects. and with much more precise control.

One suggestion was to use "poles", which could help drive the Quadrangulation engine to give more predictable output etc. Certainly being able to have some sort of setting for each object (voxel object, or sculpt) such that the density of the quads was controlled is a good idea.

I just think it belongs in the retopo room, not in the voxel room - it should be flexible, and able to do what you're asking and WAY more... I'm sure, at some point, we'll get that, and better.