Mid Poly>Surface>Bake Normal Map

[AbnRanger]

I wonder if there is a way to import a mid poly character/object, with UV's already done, and to prevent from having to retoplogize and redo UV's, bake the work done in voxels and/or surface mode straight to a normal/displacement map (to be used on the original model)? If not, I wonder if Andrew could enable the original model's mesh to snap/conform in the retopo room...instead of having to redo all of that by hand...again.

[artman]

I wonder if there is a way to import a mid poly character/object, with UV's already done, and to prevent from having to retoplogize and redo UV's, bake the work done in voxels and/or surface mode straight to a normal/displacement map (to be used on the original model)? If not, I wonder if Andrew could enable the original model's mesh to snap/conform in the retopo room...instead of having to redo all of that by hand...again.

Hmmm Im not sure I understand...

Import trough retopo room the midpoly char/object using Import.

The Uvs will be imported as well.

Then on import 3DCoat offers you to to snap/conform the mesh.

Then using merging commands in retopo menu, you just merge for perpixel to get normal map (or microvertx to get a displacement map).

Is it what you were asking?

[digman]

Artman, said it already but I will add a few things.

I first merge my uv mapped low polygon model into voxels

Before sculpting, in the retopo room, import and snap that model to your voxel model. The imported model will snap to your voxel model correctly.

Since you have a uv map already in place large changes in your voxel mesh will produce stretching in your uv map. As you know there is no sub-division history in 3DC coat like Zbrush. Though you can still do quite a bit to your model without noticeable stretching.

The reason you want to import and snap your uv mapped mid or low polygon model to the voxels right away, is if you get the voxel extrustion to exteme in distance from the polygon mesh, The polygon mesh will snap incorrectly in places.

What I do is as I sculpt in voxels, is I will resnap several times during the process. That way your low or mid polygon model with the uv map unchanged is always close to the voxel mesh and does not have to snap to exteme distances.. This works out quite well, though at times be sure to check your mesh to see if any vertices got overlapped.

My new method:

I though now am starting to just snap my low or mid range polygon model without a uv map. Once you get though the sculpting and snapping process, then uv map your model.

Also if you plan well you can add extra edge loops where you need them as you scuplt nice...

Uv map in 3DC or your favorite uv unwrapping program and make a uv map for it. You can use the voxel model as a guide to help plan out your uv map as to where to place your seams. Once done with the uv map, Clear the other mesh with the clear button in 3DC. Then reimport into and snap that now uv mapped model to the voxel model. Since it was already snapped to the voxel model it will snap correctly again. Yeah, a extra step or two but no problem and you get little stretching.

So in reality you still are just making one uv map but simply waiting till that unmapped uv low or mid-range model has been snap to your voxels,then uv map it.

For the normal map as Artman said under the retopo menu, choose merge scene for per-pixel painting with normal map. Your normal map will be created. Once in the paint room under the textures menu use:

export--normal map (TS low poly mesh) no need to use the texture baking tool as your normal map was already created.

For a displacment map choose merge into scene (mircoverts)( I choose a large carcass mesh) Once it is done,then in the retopo room or paint room use the texture baking tool to bake a displacment map.

The above new process is what I used for the golden bust model.

http://www.3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4305

I hope this helps and was not too confusing and it's a read but it is really fast once you get it down.

I also included a link to a post I did when I was having problems baking a displacement map for imported obj models, I included it here if you need it.

http://www.3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4477

[AbnRanger]

Hmmm Im not sure I understand...

Import trough retopo room the midpoly char/object using Import.

The Uvs will be imported as well.

Then on import 3DCoat offers you to to snap/conform the mesh.

Then using merging commands in retopo menu, you just merge for perpixel to get normal map (or microvertx to get a displacement map).

Is it what you were asking?

Yes. I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to skip or minimize the retopo and UV process...trying to keep closer to a more traditional workflow.

I wonder if it's possible to use the base/original mesh with (UV's imported as well) in the retopo room as a starting point (once done in voxels/surface mode), and just make some tweaks, instead of having to start from scratch. One could also just use the relax brush in UV's, perhaps to relieve any UV stretching, or apply ABF unfolding to the original UV's?

[digman]

Yes. I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to skip or minimize the retopo and UV process...trying to keep closer to a more traditional workflow.

I wonder if it's possible to use the base/original mesh with (UV's imported as well) in the retopo room as a starting point (once done in voxels/surface mode), and just make some tweaks, instead of having to start from scratch. One could also just use the relax brush in UV's, perhaps to relieve any UV stretching, or apply ABF unfolding to the original UV's?

I spent a week of testing importing uv mapped models to see what you could do and not do. The main problem you get with importing and snapping your uv mapped Low or mid-range model to the completed Voxel sculpt is that the software because of the large difference in extrusions will not snap correctly in some areas. Sometimes going in wierd spots that no amout of relaxing could help and too time consuming to fix. Hence the reason I resnap (not reimport just resnap) several times during voxel sculpting if I am using an imported uv model as my base.

If the voxel sculpt is only adding smaller details then the original snap is all you probably will need. You could relax the mesh some if needed.

Once done, then do the normal merging into scene for your normal or displacement map as the above post explain.

That is close as I could get to a tradional work flow...

I hope all my long bah, bah was somewhat helpfull.

[AbnRanger]

I spent a week of testing importing uv mapped models to see what you could do and not do. The main problem you get with importing and snapping your uv mapped Low or mid-range model to the completed Voxel sculpt is that the software because of the large difference in extrusions will not snap correctly in some areas. Sometimes going in wierd spots that no amout of relaxing could help and too time consuming to fix. Hence the reason I resnap (not reimport just resnap) several times during voxel sculpting if I am using an imported uv model as my base.

If the voxel sculpt is only adding smaller details then the original snap is all you probably will need. You could relax the mesh some if needed.

Once done, then do the normal merging into scene for your normal or displacement map as the above post explain.

That is close as I could get to a tradional work flow...

I hope all my long bah, bah was somewhat helpfull.

Very helpful....I didn't even realize this was possible until you mentioned it. Any chance you can post a video tutorial (up on the Vimeo 3DC channel) so others learning 3DC can pick up on this and not have to go through the same amount of guesswork/trial and error? I think it's a very efficient flow if you are just adding detail to an imported model and want to be able to access the voxel/surface tools and mode.

[digman]

When I can find some spare time. I have done a few tutorials in the past for 3DC and enjoy doing them.