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Autodesk Multimedia Forum · IPAS Usage

#Skinning

11 messages in this thread

#153482From: James FranssenFeb 16, 1995 12:08 AM

I am trying to skin (using Disk #6) a torso with muscles. I am not sure if my object is too big or what, but after using Boolean to attach the muscles to the torso, I try to SLICE the whole object so that I have more than 2 cross sections. But when I try to raise the amount of sections, it redraws the image in the window, then redraws it again apparently going back to its original value of 2. What am I doing wrong. Is there a better way to make muscles appear seamless on an object without purchasing Metaballs? Thanks. -James Franssen

#153487From: Yost GroupFeb 16, 1995 1:08 AM

James, you can only Slice objects that have come straight out of the lofter. It sounds like you're doing a boolean and THEN attempting to slice, which is a no-no. It sounds like you might also want to look at using a bones-based deformation system for this job. – G

#153498From: James FranssenFeb 16, 1995 2:19 AM

>> It sounds like you might also want to look at using a bones-based deformation system for this job. << Are you suggesting that I use the "smooth" option in Bones Pro? I've tried that. I still get a huge amount of seam connects. Is there something else in Bones that I should know about? Thanks. -James Franssen

#153544From: Yost GroupFeb 16, 1995 10:12 AM

Now you've got me confused. Are you using bones or skin? – G

#153577From: James FranssenFeb 16, 1995 1:28 PM

>> Now you've got me confused. Are you using bones or skin? << I've tried both, seperately. -James Franssen

#153588From: Yost GroupFeb 16, 1995 1:47 PM

So, have I answered your question about why Slice isn't slicing up your boolean'd model? – G

#153595From: James FranssenFeb 16, 1995 2:09 PM

>> So, have I answered your question about why Slice isn't slicing up your boolean'd model? << Yes. Now, how do I create a muscular torso without seams? This was my initial inquiry, in a round-about way. By explaining that I have tried two methods I was hoping someone could suggest another method, one that works. Thanks. -James Franssen

#153670From: Ian ChristieFeb 16, 1995 7:32 PM

You may be having a problem with smooth groups. Try running 3dS's object/auto-smooth at 180 degrees. Ian.

#153756From: James FranssenFeb 17, 1995 3:31 AM

>> You may be having a problem with smooth groups. Try running 3dS's object/auto-smooth at 180 degrees. Ian. << Thanks Ian, I'll give this a try. -James Franssen

#153922From: david W. mennenohFeb 17, 1995 5:33 PM

James, Have you tried using displace to form the muscles on your torso? This would allow you to then use skin. I'm not sure whether or not slice would still work after you use displace. You could try it. Otherwise like Gary suggested Bones Pro would be just the ticket. I just got my copy a few days ago and love it so far. Very powerful package indeed. DM

#154444From: MARTIN G FOSTERFeb 20, 1995 3:15 PM

James, there's several approaches you could take: 1) with skin you loft a torso with enough CV's (control vertices) to show musculature. There'd be a fair amount of vertex tweaking to be done in the 3d editor before it looked right. No booleans allowed. 2) with skin you'd use the method I used of augmenting a fairly simply torso with a complex bump map. (see 3d Studio Special Effects by NRP for my example) 3) you could use displace with a complex displace map (showing all the muscular groups) on a dense torso mesh. 4) you could do what you originally started doing which was booleaning muscles to a torso and use bonesPRO for animation purposes. I imagine this would involve a HUGE amount of cleanup, since the boolean edges don't always smooth well. By cleanup I mean vertex moves and welds, edge divides and rotates etc.