CompuServe Messages

Michael, << I divided my box in three smaller boxes (top(head), middle(a…), bottom(legs)) and want to apply skin to this three boxes to let it look like one. >> Why ? I mean, what's the point in doing this ? If you Skin the box as a single mesh, you can deform by PD Bones, Digi. Bones, Deform & other IPAS, or by transforming/deforming vertices in morph targets. Or, you can Slice the mesh after Lofting, and use traditional transformation/deformation techniques and/or IK from the Keyframer. Or, you can build the individual slices in the Shaper/Lofter. With either or both of the methods, you can animate the box to mimic anything you've ever seen, other than some smartskin stuff….with a Keyscript, you can do most of that stuff. << Uhhh! I`m very confused with the UV coordinates, grids and so on. >> It's easy, and the same as when lofting an un-skinned mesh with mapping coordinates on, and then using them instead of one of the three projection methods….orienting & scaling the map wrt the mesh is the same scheme. Just make a grid with numbers in each cell for reference, apply mapping coord's when lofting the mesh, and assign the grid map. Then move an omni light as necessary to illuminate & render higher-res Top, Bottom, Front, Back, Left & Right Side Orthogonal views. Then, in a program like Painter X/2 or 3.0, create a blank BG image of the desired resolution (matching the grid), and load the grid on top of it as a FG layer, with just enough opacity to be able to read the numbers. Then load your test renderings. In this case, when looking at a Top View for example, you can see what cells of the grid mapped to the top of the box mesh. Make the BG image the active layer, and "paint through" the FG layer at the appropriate places, using the grid for reference…or cut/paste/scale pre-existing box artwork into the appropriate place. Then repeat this for all the other sides, using the corresponding reference rendered views as a guide. When finished, make the FG layer 100% transparent & combine it (drop it) into the new image & save. If you did it correctly, the artwork for all sides will be mapped perfectly when you substitute the new map for the reference grid map. Anyway, gotta' get back to screwing up my new system <g>. BILL