Problems with Voxel Merge (new guy here)

[tradekan]

This is the first time Im trying this and I am very new to 3d coat, but enjoying the program. Heres what Im trying to do. I created a (very high-res) figure in DAZ 3d and saved it out as a .obj. I loaded it into Lightwave and made some more edits to the model. I then deleted everything, but the body from the model (teeth, tongue, eyes). I tried to use merge in the voxel room to turn the model into voxels and then do some editing to it, then retopo it. The problem I am running into is the model does not seem to come into 3d coat. When I click the Select Mesh, then pick the .lwo file the estimated polycount is only 4. I cant transform the model or anything. And I am not sure what Im doing wrong. Should I even be using merge to load such a high res model into 3d coat?.

Some things Ive tried I tried saving the model as .lwo and .obj. Ive tried to close the eye sockets and leave them open.

Thank for anyhelp,

Ross

[philnolan3d]

Scale the model up with the white cube before pressing Enter. You'll see the estimated poly count go up. The model will import best if here are no open edges, those can create these "streaks" of voxels in empty space. There's also a button that can make the mesh closed before you press Enter.

[tradekan]

Scale the model up with the white cube before pressing Enter. You'll see the estimated poly count go up. The model will import best if here are no open edges, those can create these "streaks" of voxels in empty space. There's also a button that can make the mesh closed before you press Enter.

Thanks Phil, I will give that a try.

Ross

[philnolan3d]

You can try a low poly count first and hit Enter, if that's not enough hit undo and scale up some more, hit Enter, etc. You should have the lowest amount as you can it's easier to work that way.

[tradekan]

You can try a low poly count first and hit Enter, if that's not enough hit undo and scale up some more, hit Enter, etc. You should have the lowest amount as you can it's easier to work that way.

Thanks! That all worked and I got my model into 3dcoat, but none of the voxel tools seem to work on the model. Example of what Ive done, I start with one of 3d coats default spheres (the large one), then I merge my model into it, so that the upper part of the body sticks out of the sphere. I can use the tools (Build, smooth, extrude) on the sphere, but when I move it to the model, they have no affect on it. Do I need to do anything to my model after I have hit merged it into the scene?

Thanks Again,

Ross

[AbnRanger]

Thanks! That all worked and I got my model into 3dcoat, but none of the voxel tools seem to work on the model. Example of what I’ve done, I start with one of 3d coats default spheres (the large one), then I merge my model into it, so that the upper part of the body sticks out of the sphere. I can use the tools (Build, smooth, extrude…) on the sphere, but when I move it to the model, they have no affect on it. Do I need to do anything to my model after I have hit merged it into the scene?

Thanks Again,

Ross

Make sure that it's not actually on a separate layer in the Vox Tree Panel. If it is, then you can hold SHIFT and drag that layer onto the sphere layer. That will merge them together.

[3DArtist]

You can try a low poly count first and hit Enter, if that's not enough hit undo and scale up some more, hit Enter, etc. You should have the lowest amount as you can it's easier to work that way.

I was just thinking about this and the hassle of the trial and error of merging into voxels. It would be so much easier if we could have increase\decrease voxel resolution buttons in the merge palette. All we would have to do would be:

1. place and scale the obj in the scene.

2. press enter to fill with voxels.

3. then use the increase\decrease buttons to re-fill the obj to the res we need.

[philnolan3d]

Yeah and if you don't want the sphere You can pick one of these (load file or empty scene)

I was just thinking about this and the hassle of the trial and error of merging into voxels. It would be so much easier if we could have increase\decrease voxel resolution buttons in the merge palette. All we would have to do would be:

1. place and scale the obj in the scene.

2. press enter to fill with voxels.

3. then use the increase\decrease buttons to re-fill the obj to the res we need.

What you're talking about is basically multi-res.

[3DArtist]

What you're talking about is basically multi-res.

But multi-res won't conform more closely to the boundaries of the obj (preserve more detail from the poly obj) when it's being up-res'd. Whatever detail the obj is merged at, that's all you got.

My feature request would be mainly for when we merge an obj to voxels but the res is not high enough to preserve the details of the merged object.

And when the increase button is pressed, it would refill the object at a higher resolution, and capture more of the detail from the object.

This would speed the process of: merge object, undo, increase res of layer (or scale obj), merge obj again, undo, etc.

I hope that makes sense.

[AbnRanger]

But multi-res won't conform more closely to the boundaries of the obj (preserve more detail from the poly obj) when it's being up-res'd. Whatever detail the obj is merged at, that's all you got.

My feature request would be mainly for when we merge an obj to voxels but the res is not high enough to preserve the details of the merged object.

And when the increase button is pressed, it would refill the object at a higher resolution, and capture more of the detail from the object.

This would speed the process of: merge object, undo, increase res of layer (or scale obj), merge obj again, undo, etc.

I hope that makes sense.

What needs to happen, in my opinion, is to have a popup dialogue (like Andrew has for exporting and such), that asks you what resolution you want to merge it as, and perhaps have a tool tip that points out need to know info for new users (such as needing to close open edges, etc.). I think it's critical for Andrew to make the program as smooth as possible for prospective customers/new users, as many will get frustrated with a number of quirky methods used to accomplish the most basic tasks...like Transforming objects, anywhere in 3DC. When you import something into the Paint Room...if the axis is flipped, or is really tiny,etc., the person trying the demo will get really frustrated with 3DC and may just give up on it.

It needs a thorough makeover in this regard...making it more intuitive. It's not intuitive to make a prospective customer have to waste time trying to find out where the transform gizmo is in the Paint Room (there isn't one, and there is no way to move your model in Paint)...the new user HAS to come to these forums to figure that out. That shouldn't be happening. Many people will find something annoying and it will just turn them off to the application immediately, never to touch it again.

Making the application as intuitive (and using common commands) as possible will probably sell more seats than a major feature, like Ptex (although Ptex is cool and all).

[3DArtist]

I agree that 3DC could use a more intuitive make-over. It's also sometimes easy for me to forget what it might be like for a new user.

[new user] I'm trying to do A, B, C but it's not working

[experienced user] That's easy, you just have to do A, B, D.2 then do C

Now as far as voxel merge, I wouldn't know what resolution to start at and that also depends on the size and detail of the object.

If there could be some kind of preview, I think that would help alot towards a more intuitive workflow.