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Random 3D Question? (exporting multiple meshes)
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LilSnubs VIP Club Member 18+ Age Verified

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PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:17 pm    Post subject: Random 3D Question? (exporting multiple meshes) Reply with quote

If i want to export 2 separate meshes that go to the same object do I got to have some kind of file naming to do that like you would have for the textures ball[0] ball[1] ball[2] etc.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the same problem..please guys just a little help here , how do we add more textures& opacity maps, materials on the previewer?
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's what I do for hair:

Attach all the parts of the mesh together.
Go to Edit poly, select whatever part of the mesh you want to apply material 1 to (all materials will be numbered in multi-sub object mode in the material editor).
Continue doing this until all the parts of your mesh have the right texture.

Say for a hair mesh I have 3 materials, the bangs (ID 1), the base (2), and the hair (3). Bangs is ID 1, so I'd select the bangs by element (hold CTRL and click to select multiple things) and scroll down the window in the modifier tab and set the material ID to 1. Then I'd select the base, and go to the modifier tab and set that to 2, and then I'd select the hair (meaning, everything but the bangs and base) and set the material Id on the modify tab to 3.

Export the skeleton (if it's an accessory) and the mesh, both are just 1 file. Then export each texture file separately.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks.. I have done the texture for each part of the mesh, but how do I select the skeleton and the mesh whit out selecting the whole avatar..if I do it this way, 3d max tell me that I need to export one mesh at the time and one only Sad
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Try the pick by name box at the top of the tool bar .
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 3:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

DiamondDayAfter wrote:
Try the pick by name box at the top of the tool bar .

I try that , but I can`t find the file of the mesh there...thanks any way.. I have so many files of the same mesh that I can`t remember which one is the new one now LOL I think I will start over and see if I will get this,,, but another day ....I spend 8 hours trying this today.....but I have a lots of fun Smile
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 7:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote


If I'm understanding correctly . . .

If you make more than one object in 3ds, and want them all to go together as one exported mesh, you have to attach them first.

You can call them whatever you want (ball, ball01, ball02) but in the end, if you want to export a snowman, you have to attach all elements prior to export.

After you create your primitive you assign the material - ball[0]

You move on and do the same for ball01 giving it a material of ball[1] and ball02 giving it a material of ball[2].

They're all assigned set ID of 1 with smoothing group 1

After they are mapped and stacked/arranged how you want, make sure edit mesh is at top of modifier stack (you can always add it) then attach them to each other. You can double check by clicking element under the edit mesh modifier and drawing an outline around the balls to make sure they all turn pink.

Then collapse modifier stack.

Then align root node to whatever bone they will be attached to.

Then skin.

Then export xsf, xmf, then all three xrf

The question of how to add more textures/materials in previewer relates directly to how many materials you created in 3ds and how many you exported. You can only have as many materials as are exported with the mesh. Each xrf file exported from that scene directly relates to all the information you export from the scene so must be exported accordingly.

I hope this makes sense.

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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It must make sense, I actually understood it even though I'm nowhere near there! All carefully written down and added to my notebook. thanks.
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote



Well, it's abbreviated as I did not go into the details of skinning the mesh.

I will expand on that here:

You can align Attachment Root to bone either before collapsing stack, or after, it does not matter.

After collapsing the modifier stack (you should have Edit Mesh at top of stack, then right click it and Collapse All)

Align Attachment Root to bone:

Select Attachment Root, click align button on max toolbar, select (by name) your bone, make sure that Align Position (world) and Align Orientation (local) has X, Y, and Z positions ticked. Make sure Pivot points are ticked on for Current and Target objects.

Select your object, which by now should have all elements attached.
Pull down modifier menu and click "skin".
Underneath, in the parameters rollout, scroll down to where it says Bone and click Add.
Select Attachment Root node from the list.

At top of rollout there will be a button to Edit Envelopes.
Click it (should turn yellow)
Conversely, you can expand the skin modifier by clicking the + and select Envelopes right under that modifier.

Untick Envelopes and Cross Sections, tick on Vertices.

Outline your object so that each vertex turns white.

Scroll down rollout to Weight Properties. Tick on Rigid and make sure that Normalize and Rigid Handles are ticked off.
Set Abs Effect value to 1 or close to 1 (.98 will suffice)

There, you're skinned!

De-select skin. De-select object.

Export Attachment Root as your .xsf file. The window that pops up will show you the hierarchy which should look like this:

+Attachment Root
+Attachment Node

If you have any other objects in the list, then you have not selected the right item.

You can either export .xmf file next or .xrf file(s) The order does not matter however I always export .xmf next.

Select your mesh and make sure that the skin modifier is not highlighted AT ALL.

(If skin is active in any way, it will bork your mesh)

Export .xmf and make sure that the corresponding skeleton file matches the path of the .xsf file you exported.
IOW, if your 3ds file is housed in a directory/sub-directory, make sure you are referencing the proper file path.

Example:
I have my girl weighting master file in this directory:
C:\Documents and Settings\Me\Desktop\IMVU_Developer\GirlWeighting

I have all model files here:
C:\Documents and Settings\Me\Desktop\IMVU_Developer\00_2007\3d.objects
with a ton of sub directories (hair, top, add a bow, shoe, charm bracelet, etc.)

If I export my .xmf file and somehow pick up the wrong .xsf as a reference, it will confuse the mesh file and your model will not work in previewer.
This is for new attachments only. Hair that is attached to the IMVU base hair is different as it uses the default skeleton which does not need to be exported.

Confused yet?

After exporting your xmf, then export all .xrf files, as many as you have made that are applied to the mesh.
If you have 3 materials used on the mesh, when you load the .xmf file into previewer, it will populate the materials tab with the 3 material's names using the naming convention set forth by IMVU in regards to previewer (M00, M01 and M02) NOT your names which you have made up for your .xrf files and the .jpgs they reference from your materials setup.
If you do not export one of them, you can always export it later. It's easy to forget one when you are using 6 or 8 materials.

Interesting if you look at the materials tab before doing anything to it.

When you load your .xsf and your .xmf files into the previerwer, your .xmf file will bring in all sub meshes (the portions that you attached that each have different material ID's)

If you look at the material tab, you'll see corresponding Materials, listed M00 through M(however many)

You'll also notice that the name of each material .xrf has changed to Material Asset - Import.XRF

Do not be fussed if some of your materials display the default IMVU textures, those will be overwritten once you add your .xrf's and textures.

Too much detail? Just tell me to lay off the caffeine!











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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is what I mean hear http://www.imvu.com/shop/product.php?products_id=851862
Its got 2 maps for one product I want to know how to do this so I will be able to make stuff easier to derive. I want to be able to break a product down like that so it will be easier for people to derive so they will have a much better way of putting colors and details were they want.
I know pretty much how to unwrap somthing just dont know how to export it to were each template has its own spot in the previewer. So any one that can tell me how its done I will be so grateful to you...............Smile

So would I have to unwrap each one separately in the order I numbered them for assigning color?
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks mercuria for all the information is very good Smile
but I still have the same problem , DiamondDayAfter has...
this is the tutorial I have follow to add 2 materials to the same object, but how do we export those to the previewer ... one item 2 textures whit opacity maps...

http://www.geocities.com/tedracya/tutorials/multisub/multi.html

(attaching the root . making the texture, is not a problem)
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

...I should make a whole new binder just for your notes. wow, I can understand you way easier than the tutorials. I'm gonna stalk - er, I mean watch carefully for more of your tuts in the forums from now on. Very Happy
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jaleman31 wrote:
Thanks mercuria for all the information is very good Smile
but I still have the same problem , DiamondDayAfter has...
this is the tutorial I have follow to add 2 materials to the same object, but how do we export those to the previewer ... one item 2 textures whit opacity maps...

http://www.geocities.com/tedracya/tutorials/multisub/multi.html

(attaching the root . making the texture, is not a problem)

This is what (Aphoxema Jee) told me about opacity see if it helps you any.........Smile


Opacity maps are actually very straightforward. Opacity maps really aren't maps at all and I don't know why everyone calls these things 'maps'. There's only one 'map', the UVW map that tells where 2D images will appear on a 3D object. It might be more accurate to call it a 'layer'. First, make your map in Photoshop. If you're new to Opacity images, which I doubt you are but I'll run over it anyways, you use the same mappings you use for the diffuse image (the colored texture you normally detail your 3D objects with). Opacity, with most things including IMVU, uses absolute black (0 0 0) for nothingness and absolute white (255 255 255) for what is to be visible on the model. Then you use scales of gray to assign the translucency in between. In order to use Opacity on any 3d model (appropriately) you MUST have your model UVW mapped. If you do not have a UVW map planned out already on it, your opacity texture will do no good because it won't really specify anything useful. Before you bother with anything else, be certain that you do have a UVW map on your mesh already and it lines up alright. . To assign the opacity texture, go into the material editor, to the same submaterial you used for the diffuse texture. There, make sure your opacity is set to 100 (IMVU will flip out if it isn't) and then click the box next to it and find your opacity texture. After that, just re-export your .XRF file, import it into Previewer again, and specify the opacity texture.


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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote



Okay . . .

Let's just keep talking snowmen . . .

In this iteration let's say you have ball01, ball02 and ball03 and you want them to all use the same material, but be different elements of the texture.

You can make a 128X512 image that is painted in thirds - three diff colours.

Make that your material and call it something like snowman[0]

When you unwrap ball01, in the UVW editor, you can select a material to use instead of the default grey with grid. Use the drop down box to select your diffuse jpg.

This will allow you to see the entire texture, colours and all.

Go to Options>Advanced Options to play with settings.

Remove your blue gridlines, change your render options to match your jpg width and height so that when you edit your UVW's you can place it over just the colour portion of the jpg that you want it to be.

Go to Tools>Render UVW template.
Set width and height to match your jpg.
Save bitmap by clicking the little floppy disc looking icon at upper left of render window. Can save as jpg and set the compression value as needed.
Name your file something you will recognise such as ball01pinkUVW.jpg
Note, you must type in the file extension (jpg, bmp, png)

Do the same for ball02 and ball03, positioning each UVW map over the colour area of your jpg that you want the ball to be, saving each rendered UVW map as a jpg (or bmp or png) and naming properly.

In your photo editor, open up the UVW render image for each ball, and open up your jpg with the three colours.

Copy/paste each render onto new layers. They will be in the correct position according to your jpg.
Set each render layer to "screen"
See what happens Smile

Export as jpg for template for your derivable item (or save for web).





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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK ill give that a go thanks for your help ..........Smile Ill be putting that in my note book.......lol
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