Retopo Mess

[Bloodsong]

heyas guys!

 

   i'm so happy, i've just completed my first model in 3d coat!   now i need to retopologize it.  and, of course, i have a problem.

 

 

   first, i tried autopo.  and it made ugly, clunky retopo mesh.  didn't like that.

 

   so then i'm following the spider (legs) tutorial (

).%C2'>

 

   when i hit enter... i don't get a nice retopo mesh, i get some chunks hanging out in space.  see attached illustration.

 

 

   i do not understand why i am getting this result.

 

 

notes:

 

for the detail bit on the side... the main voxel layer has the indent subtracted from it.  the convex capsules in the indent are on a different voxel layer.  i don't know if the retopo is looking at those, or ignoring those, or becoming completely confused by those.

 

i tried raising the number of segments from 12 to 32, and the spline points density from 100 to 295.  that did not alter the results at all.

 

i tried drawing only one vertical line (as in the video), but that didn't have the desired effect.  instead, there were fewer chunks and more empty space.

 

 

 

any guidance as to what i am doing wrong would be appreciated!  and... how to do it right, even more so!  thanks

 

[AbnRanger]

heyas guys!

 

   i'm so happy, i've just completed my first model in 3d coat!   now i need to retopologize it.  and, of course, i have a problem.

 

 

   first, i tried autopo.  and it made ugly, clunky retopo mesh.  didn't like that.

 

   so then i'm following the spider (legs) tutorial (

 

   when i hit enter... i don't get a nice retopo mesh, i get some chunks hanging out in space.  see attached illustration.

 

RetopoFUBAR.png

 

   i do not understand why i am getting this result.

 

 

notes:

 

for the detail bit on the side... the main voxel layer has the indent subtracted from it.  the convex capsules in the indent are on a different voxel layer.  i don't know if the retopo is looking at those, or ignoring those, or becoming completely confused by those.

 

i tried raising the number of segments from 12 to 32, and the spline points density from 100 to 295.  that did not alter the results at all.

 

i tried drawing only one vertical line (as in the video), but that didn't have the desired effect.  instead, there were fewer chunks and more empty space.

 

 

 

any guidance as to what i am doing wrong would be appreciated!  and... how to do it right, even more so!  thanks

I had this happen some time ago, and Andrew said to increase the "Spline Points Density" (tool bar at the top of the UI) some more.It can vary based on the size of the object. From the look of it in the image, it is WAY too low. You probably want to have it dense enough to have a point (along the stroke) in between each loop...so that it can take a sample between them.

Edited August 15, 2013 by AbnRanger

[Bloodsong]

hey, thanks abn.

 

 

   not working, though.

 

   i changed the spline density setting from 100 to 1000 to 5000 to whatever the maximum is, because i just put int 99999999999999 and hit enter.  it does not alter the results at all.

 

   i raised the number of segments setting, but that only gave me more subdivisions/polygons in the chunks.

 

   i also merged the two voxel layers of the grip into one.  that didn't do anything, either.  i noticed that the spline cuts were already following the sub-layer surfaces.

 

 

 

oh, WAIT A MINUTE!   okay, i have found the problem.

when i drew the strokes, they drew themselves across both the front and the back of the capsule inserts, which caused loops in the slices (looked like the eye of a needle in the middle of the stroke.)

 

i merged the capsules with the rest, re-drew the cross strokes, and now i get a mesh that actually looks like the thing.  whew!

 

 

 

okay, now... why is it when i draw a bunch of cross sections, then one line to link them, and apply, it works okay; but as soon as i try to add more "vertical" lines to control the shape of the mesh better, it goes FUBAR again?  it doesn't work like autopo hints?  :/

Edited August 15, 2013 by Bloodsong

[AbnRanger]

No...it doesn't work the same as Auto Retopo, in that regard. One cross section (green stroke) and that is it. That tells 3D coat to lay down the specified amount of cross segments. Any more than one, and 3D Coat assumes you want to do it all yourself.

[TimmyZDesign]

Also remember that you can select edge loops and transform them with the transform tool if you want. Remember to snap it back onto the mesh when you are done.

[Bloodsong]

The Return of Retopo FUBAR

 

   i'm back, and as frustrated as ever.

 

 

   this is me, painstakingly drawing the strokes that i want the mesh to follow.  and the result.

 

ABN: can you clarify please?

 

autoRetopo = one green line only or else it messes up?

manual strokes = many green lines okay?

 

or the other way around??

 

 

  in either case, i have painstakingly REMOVED all the green lines from my strokes and used only closed loops on the whole blasted thing. not helping.

 

 

 

  okay, bottom line:

What is the quickest, easiest, and most effective way to retopo this piece?

it's basically a rectangle, bent, flared, and has some regular and irregular holes through it.

 

 

 

   preferably without having to draw every single vertex.  (how do you get rid of those, btw?)  or every single quad.  i did hand-retopo one hole then duplicated it up the other holes, but then didn't know how to work it in with the flare at the bottom.