Head WIP

[Paint Guy]

Hi, here is a test I am working on. Sorry if it looks a bit evil that is just the way it turned out after doing some random sculpting. I have gleemed the basics from the forum here and have gone over the manual, but I have more questions than answers right now.

In a nutshell, I imported a model into 3DCoat and then painted it, created the UV map and then did some sculpting too. I then exported the sculpted head and then imported it into Cinema 4D and applied the UV map.

Now I am confused. I want to export a "low" poly model out of 3DCoat and not the high poly model, but I am not sure how to do this. I mean in ZBrush you can lower the subdivisions to the original low poly after sculpting on the high poly model, then you apply the displacement and color map to the low poly model.

Question

So how does a person can export a low poly model out of 3DCoat?

Question

Also if this is the correct order of things, then when do I save my displacement map? and do I need to save or export my sculpted .obj file or just the displacement map?

Please make some sense out of this for me. Please explain in detail as it's really hard to read between the lines if you know what I mean. Thanks

1) Import model

2) create UV map

3) save .uv file

4) sculpt on model

5) paint on model

Question

At what point do I create the displacement map? After sculpting in step #4 or some other time.

Important!! Now please tell me if I am understanding this correctly. I bring a low poly model into 3DCoat, then after I sculpt it in 3DCoat I export it again, along with the displacement map. Now in my 3D application I don't load the sculpted high poly model I sculpted in 3DCoat but only the "original" low poly model and the displacement map I exported out of 3DCoat. Am I correct?

Thanks

[Andrew Shpagin]

In general, exporting displacement is not trivial thing because of displacement represents normal displacement, along normals. But during sculpting you are moving surface not only along normals. So, in general baking procedure is required to get correct displacement. This is not required if you have painted displacement with paint tools or sculpted only with "Draw". But if you have used other sculpt tools, correct displacement export for low poly mesh is more complex. Please follow steps:

- File->Export model, choose "Export low poly mesh" in drop list. "Pick positions from layer 0" must be unchecked.

- Export only color & specular in this dialog - yu will get textures and OBJ file in so way

- go to File->texture baking tool

- Check "Use current low poly mesh instead...", check "Smooth mesh", choose texture for displacement map, press ok

You will get displacement map.

But - where do you wan to use it? If in game, then you need normal map instead of displacement.

If for render - there is no difference for render if there is low poly or mid poly mesh. In that case it is better to export mid poly mesh from export dialog (Pick positions from layer 0 must be checked in this case) and export displacement from File->Export/import menu.

I hope I covered the problem. If no - please ask.

[polyxo]

Thank you Andrew for these explanations!

It would be great if at some point video tutorials were made covering all sorts of possible workflows from

modeling appication xy to 3DC and vice versa. I still have a hard time to understand the roles the meshes

of different densities inside of 3DC, which one I am currently editing and what the results of the one or

the other export option will be.

Holger

[Paint Guy]

In general, exporting displacement is not trivial thing because of displacement represents normal displacement, along normals. But during sculpting you are moving surface not only along normals. So, in general baking procedure is required to get correct displacement. This is not required if you have painted displacement with paint tools or sculpted only with "Draw". But if you have used other sculpt tools, correct displacement export for low poly mesh is more complex.

(Using 3DCoat 2.17)

Thanks Andrew, sorry but I think the language barrier is preventing me from understanding your answers but I am trying

OK, you said if I use other "tools" other than the sculpt tools, then I need to bake the displacement for it to work. So let me see if I understand you correctly. If for example I were in "Paint" mode and using the "Depth" tool then that would be a situation where I would need to "Bake" the displacement? Is this correct?

So Andrew, if I am sculpting ONLY in the "Sculpt" mode and using ONLY the brushes in the sculpt mode, then I shouldn't have to "Bake" the displacement correct?

I know in ZBrush for example you don't need to "Bake" the displacement map before exporting it, so I was hoping to not have to do these extra steps in 3DCoat either.

Andrew I really appreciate the help but please answer my questions specifically so I can fill in the gaps. I have asked some other questions above which I didn't get answers to. Thanks

All I am trying to do is get an understanding of the steps required to take a model from Cinema 4D into 3DCoat, then Unwrap the model, Sculpt it, Paint it, save displacement and then export it so I can use it in Cinema 4D but without any workflow documentation it's like trying to get somewhere without a roadmap. I really like 3DCoat, but with no roadmap per say, I am really finding 3DCoat difficult to learn.

Could someone please look at my steps above and fill in the gaps. I would really appreciate it. I am getting closer!

Thanks

[Andrew Shpagin]

OK, you said if I use other "tools" other than the sculpt tools, then I need to bake the displacement for it to work. So let me see if I understand you correctly. If for example I were in "Paint" mode and using the "Depth" tool then that would be a situation where I would need to "Bake" the displacement? Is this correct?

So Andrew, if I am sculpting ONLY in the "Sculpt" mode and using ONLY the brushes in the sculpt mode, then I shouldn't have to "Bake" the displacement correct?

You need baking if you have used Sculpt tool. Othervice you need baking. You can avoid baking even if you have used Sculpt tool if your changes are small of you have used only Draw in Sculpt tool.

Question

So how does a person can export a low poly model out of 3DCoat?

As I described before - using baking tool or using File->Export/import in dependence on character of the displacement.

Question

Also if this is the correct order of things, then when do I save my displacement map? and do I need to save or export my sculpted .obj file or just the displacement map?

If your displacement was produced by paint tools and your object had correct UV-s before import (you have not changed them in 3DC) you don't need export object, exporting displacement is enough.

Please make some sense out of this for me. Please explain in detail as it's really hard to read between the lines if you know what I mean. Thanks

If displacement is complex and requires baking:

- File->Export model, choose "Export low poly mesh" in drop list. "Pick positions from layer 0" must be unchecked.

- Export only color & specular in this dialog - yu will get textures and OBJ file in so way

- go to File->texture baking tool

- Check "Use current low poly mesh instead...", check "Smooth mesh", choose texture for displacement map, press ok

You will get displacement map.

But - where do you wan to use it? If in game, then you need normal map instead of displacement.

If for render - there is no difference for render if there is low poly or mid poly mesh. In that case it is better to export mid poly mesh from export dialog (Pick positions from layer 0 must be checked in this case) and export displacement from File->Export/import menu.

1) Import model

2) create UV map

3) save .uv file

4) sculpt on model

5) paint on model

Question

At what point do I create the displacement map? After sculpting in step #4 or some other time.

After (5). Because painting with depth can produce additional displacement. And you don't need (3). Export object with displacement after (5).

Important!! Now please tell me if I am understanding this correctly. I bring a low poly model into 3DCoat, then after I sculpt it in 3DCoat I export it again, along with the displacement map. Now in my 3D application I don't load the sculpted high poly model I sculpted in 3DCoat but only the "original" low poly model and the displacement map I exported out of 3DCoat. Am I correct?

Yes if your object had correct uv map.

No if you created uv-map in 3DC. Because you changed UV-set. Displacement has correspndence with uv-set.

And please tell what is misunderstood in my previous post. I tried to explain carefully all aspects. English is not my native.

[Paint Guy]

And please tell what is misunderstood in my previous post. I tried to explain carefully all aspects. English is not my native.

Andrew, I thank you for your good explanation, but sorry if I don't always understand. You have helped a lot. Thank you!

[Tony Nemo]

Hi, here is a test I am working on. Sorry if it looks a bit evil that is just the way it turned out after doing some random sculpting. I have gleemed the basics from the forum here and have gone over the manual, but I have more questions than answers right now.

In a nutshell, I imported a model into 3DCoat and then painted it, created the UV map and then did some sculpting too. I then exported the sculpted head and then imported it into Cinema 4D and applied the UV map.

Now I am confused. I want to export a "low" poly model out of 3DCoat and not the high poly model, but I am not sure how to do this. I mean in ZBrush you can lower the subdivisions to the original low poly after sculpting on the high poly model, then you apply the displacement and color map to the low poly model.

Question

So how does a person can export a low poly model out of 3DCoat?

Question

Also if this is the correct order of things, then when do I save my displacement map? and do I need to save or export my sculpted .obj file or just the displacement map?

Please make some sense out of this for me. Please explain in detail as it's really hard to read between the lines if you know what I mean. Thanks

1) Import model

2) create UV map

3) save .uv file

4) sculpt on model

5) paint on model

Question

At what point do I create the displacement map? After sculpting in step #4 or some other time.

Important!! Now please tell me if I am understanding this correctly. I bring a low poly model into 3DCoat, then after I sculpt it in 3DCoat I export it again, along with the displacement map. Now in my 3D application I don't load the sculpted high poly model I sculpted in 3DCoat but only the "original" low poly model and the displacement map I exported out of 3DCoat. Am I correct?

Thanks

1) Import model

2) Let 3DC create the UV map

3) sculpt on model

4) paint on model

5) export low-poly OBJ with 3DC created UV map

6) export displacement/normal map

7) import 3DC OBJ into C4D (it has the UV map you need for your Displacement/normal maps)

[Paint Guy]

1) Import model

2) Let 3DC create the UV map

3) sculpt on model

4) paint on model

5) export low-poly OBJ with 3DC created UV map

6) export displacement/normal map

7) import 3DC OBJ into C4D (it has the UV map you need for your Displacement/normal maps)

Thanks Tony, I figured it out.

[Igorokk]

I too would like to know how the Triple head works with Vista 64 and BS, is windowed mode still needed?

Alex, 120 fps in BS is very hard to achieve, so I suggest lowering your acceptable standards

[lc8b105]

I too would like to know how the Triple head works with Vista 64 and BS, is windowed mode still needed?

Alex, 120 fps in BS is very hard to achieve, so I suggest lowering your acceptable standards

What are you talking about? I'm completely confused...