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3D-Coat 3.3 updates thread


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Auto-Retopo...even what Andrew started out to implement, will always fall short in cases where you want the topology to follow certain contours. These guides provide a good blend between an auto-routine having to GUESS, and a manual retopo job where you have total control. In this case, it removes the time-consuming aspect of doing the task manually, and it removes the GUESSWORK for the program. It takes the best from those methods and removes the worst. That's all you can ask for. I think Andrew may be stumbling upon the Leprechan's pot of gold, so to speak. Even staunch ZB users will want to get a seat, if for no other reason than this feature. It will save up to hours per job (depending on the scope of the task).

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Unfortunately, upon closer inspection, you can see that the orc retopo isn't symmetrical. This is a big must if we're to use it, I know Andrew already knows this. :)

Either way, once it's in a build, we'll all be able to test it out and suggest ideas, workflows and other ideas to help out the progress of the tool.

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I guess some kind of resolution definition would improve this algorithm even further - to be able to paint areas with more detail

the workflow would be same as now, and there would be an additive step for painting detail areas - like face, fingers, ears, It could be a simple painttool with a gradient.

Also, I don't know why now the quads are so regular, it seems that same area and squarishness for all quads is for the algorithm more important than aligning the features really well.

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I guess some kind of resolution definition would improve this algorithm even further - to be able to paint areas with more detail

the workflow would be same as now, and there would be an additive step for painting detail areas - like face, fingers, ears, It could be a simple painttool with a gradient.

Also, I don't know why now the quads are so regular, it seems that same area and squarishness for all quads is for the algorithm more important than aligning the features really well.

You do realize you can add additional loops in seconds, in the Retopo room, with the Split Rings tool. I'd rather have less and add as I need them, than the reverse. You do know you can quickly slide edges where you want them, right? So you don't get a made-to-order model? This is the closest thing to it, and I am pretty happy about that...even if I need to tweak a bit to get the final result.
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http://bit.ly/cBZiOY

Для квадрангуляции нужны управляющие элементы?

Боюсь что на сложных моделях подобрать эти сечения будет по времени/эффективности равным созданию полноценной топологии.

Пичаль...

Quadrangulation need controls?

I'm afraid that the complex models to select these sections will be on time / efficiency equal to creating a complete topology.

Grief...

No. You can, but you are not forced to use the guidelines.

An information for all:

The routine is still not ready. That is the reason too, why Andrew has not posted a new beta release. Andrew will need some time to optimise all parts. But the routine is near to finish.

The auto retopo will work as it do already today: you can use the internal models to retopo or import models from other apps. No changes in the current workflow.

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I'm afraid that the complex models to select these sections will be on time / efficiency equal to creating a complete topology.

LOL nice one, best joke of the day :rofl:

BTW, the guidelines idea is *genious*, I still remember suggesting to Andrew almost a year ago that we should have some "magnets" to define Y-topology (3-edges) and star-topology (5 edges) vertices, since these are the ones most important to define edge flow. That'd already be great, but he made it even easier! Instead of setting 4 y-edged magnets to define a bracket loop for an appendage, all you need now is one traversal line circling the shape. ONE LINE! OMG, I'm flabbergasted :o

The only bad part of all this godliness is that I can't hold myself in anxiety to put my hands on it.. :nea:

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Auto-Retopo...even what Andrew started out to implement, will always fall short in cases where you want the topology to follow certain contours. These guides provide a good blend between an auto-routine having to GUESS, and a manual retopo job where you have total control. In this case, it removes the time-consuming aspect of doing the task manually, and it removes the GUESSWORK for the program. It takes the best from those methods and removes the worst. That's all you can ask for. I think Andrew may be stumbling upon the Leprechan's pot of gold, so to speak. Even staunch ZB users will want to get a seat, if for no other reason than this feature. It will save up to hours per job (depending on the scope of the task).

What is THIS? :P

you have access to the new tools already?

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Approx when will we have a release in our hands with this new thingy implemented into it ? after Siggraph or later ? anyone care to guess.. :)

/ Magnus

Probably after Sigraph. But with a feature like this it will never be finished. There'll always be room for improvement. So the longer we have to wait for its release the better it will be, because once it's released it may not get updated for quite some time. Jumping from one complicated piece of code to another is very difficult. So programmers tend to work on only one thing at a time and are hesitant to work on old code because they just don't understand it, despite writing it themselves :)

So in this case patience is definitely gonna be a virtue.

Take your time, Andrew! ;)

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Probably after Sigraph. But with a feature like this it will never be finished. There'll always be room for improvement. So the longer we have to wait for its release the better it will be, because once it's released it may not get updated for quite some time. Jumping from one complicated piece of code to another is very difficult. So programmers tend to work on only one thing at a time and are hesitant to work on old code because they just don't understand it, despite writing it themselves :)

So in this case patience is definitely gonna be a virtue.

Take your time, Andrew! ;)

In some ways, programming resembles animating where adjustments at one point in the timeline can adversely affect things where you thought they were all done. :blink:

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Ok, auto retopo for characters looks great. But still the characters - it is the characters. This is a piece-work, and most of the time there is spent not on toplogy, but design / modeling / rigging and animation of course. Besides, not every animator approve automatic topology.

I am worry about another sort of models (level elements, greebles). That is created in large numbers, and making topology exceeds the modeling time.

post-1407-12802481819948_thumb.jpg

post-1407-12802482069883_thumb.jpg

Actually, no idea where on such models may be a control lines for the super algorithm, and it makes me sad. I'm afraid I'll be outside playing with that nice toy :(

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Things currently appear not symmetrical, I Know he is working on this. SO just give breathing room. Siggraph is a big event and requires attention. Andrew Im sure will make things available soon, More tweaking is required, Though i can say it looks very impressive at this early stage.

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Ok, auto retopo for characters looks great. But still the characters - it is the characters. This is a piece-work, and most of the time there is spent not on toplogy, but design / modeling / rigging and animation of course. Besides, not every animator approve automatic topology.

I am worry about another sort of models (level elements, greebles). That is created in large numbers, and making topology exceeds the modeling time.

post-1407-12802481819948_thumb.jpg

post-1407-12802482069883_thumb.jpg

Actually, no idea where on such models may be a control lines for the super algorithm, and it makes me sad. I'm afraid I'll be outside playing with that nice toy :(

Actually Tinker the more conventional edges that you tend to work with in you greebled subtractive techneques will actually work very nicely with it (Without the need to add the guides). the guides are more for character and organic based quadrangulation where the desired edgeflow is less predictable.

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You might want to add both a title and comment saying that it was you did in that case. ;)

that's fine....just some people were asking for the video on youtube or vimeo, over at cgtalk...in haste I just posted it. Seemed like it's easy to see it's just someone showing a feature, not showing their model or tutorial or anything
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