#map/mesh alignment
10 messages in this thread
Hi Jonas. Well, I downloaded WHALE.TXT, sounds like somebody put some pretty
impressive work together, but there was much mention of X2 (?), Photostyler,
Coreldraw and other non-3DS tools, none of which were Animator Pro or internal
3DS functions really.
I have had reasonable success using the following methods (ex:planar): Either
through screen capture in 3DS or SAVEIMG in ACAD, make a bitmap of the
geometry. Import into Animator Pro. Paint up and place a 1-pixel boundary at
the bitmap edges. Save painted bitmap, use as backgroun proxy image in Top
view, make material with texture map as bitmap, possible bump map, etc… align
mapping boundary icon to bitmap border. The alignment is close, but works well
only for plan/profile. And again the mapping functions themselves show no
"proxy" as the icon is applied to object. If a zoom takes place, all hell
breaks loose on the alignment too. After reading WHALE, I take it this
capability is not internal to 3DS? I've seen it in other progs, just want to
make sure I'm not missing something in this vast program's abilities. -dave
A good trick in ANI Pro for planar texture map is to use .CEL for the texture
instead of GIF's. Once you paint the object from the screen capture use the
CLIP(make sure key color is turned on) function and just save that part of the
image as a CEL.
Then once in 3DS go into the mapping and use the scale with the ALT key held
down to get a perfect fit on the object.
/* A good trick in ANI Pro for planar texture map is to use .CEL for the
texture instead of GIF's. Once you paint the object from the screen capture
use the CLIP(make sure key color is turned on) function and just save that
part of the image as a CEL. */
Does this reduce the actual map size too? I think I see where you're going to..
use the CEL boundary as the icon boundary for mapping since the image would
come right up to the "bounding box" edge of the icon border. I've used the
scale/ALT option to align the borders… I'll try it. Thanks Kevin.
BTW, did you lose any of the integrity using a CEL instead of GIF? I've
experienced everything from palette changes to aspect ratio changes using cels.
I use them unceasingly in ANI, but have always used GIFs for maps. -dave
Dave,
The X2 reference is Fractal Design Painter X2, and it's real strength in this
application is in being able to load your reference grid with variable
transparency, and then allowing you to paint "through" the reference to the
background texture map. Map a grid onto your object, render a number of views
for reference, then load your grid into Painter X2 as above and create the map
using it as a translucent reference.
BILL
/* The X2 reference is Fractal Design Painter X2, and it's real strength in
this application is in being able to load your reference grid with variable…
*/
Thanks for the explanation… I started looking in the 3DS manuals for X2
references… figured it had to be a separate application. Sounds pretty
powerful. -dave
Dave,
<< Bill's grids.. >>
To see Bill's excellent work with grids and his reference to X2, search the 3D
Studio section of the lib for the keyword GRID dated since 3/94. There will be
3 files. Well worth it.
jonas[adesk]
/* To see Bill's excellent work with grids and his reference to X2, search the
3D Studio section of the lib for the keyword GRID dated since 3/94. There will
be 3 files. Well worth it. */
Thanks Jonas. Will do. -dave
The trick is that you assign the mapping coords to the object for the grid map,
then, paint "over" (depending on the print program you may not paint "exactly"
OVER the grid, but close enough) then just swap the painted map for the grid
WITHOUT changing the mapping coords!
This method guarantees that your painted map is correctly positioned.
Dave
/* The trick is that you assign the mapping coords to the object for the grid
map, then, paint "over" (depending on the print program you may not paint
"exactly" OVER the grid, but close enough) then just swap the painted map for
the grid WITHOUT changing the mapping coords! */
Do you render the object with the grid so that you remember which is where? I
seem to remember some reference of using numbers in the grid to so one
remembers which box is which. -dave
Yeah — exactly. You render say elevations and top and bottom (heck – just
render from each of the 3DS non-camera viewport options), and print these out
for reference. I think Bill's got a gridded-shark in the file libs, along with
the actual grid he used. You'll probably find it following Jonas' suggestion
of browsing on KEY:GRID.
Very ingenious! (Not to mention, introduced here by another Dave (Mr.
Stinnett)!)
Dave