93 replies to this topic

[philnolan3d]

Recovery from hitting memory limit - Currently, if some action hits an out of memory error, 3D Coat crashes and I have to restart. I normally save before any major action so it isn't a big deal (and I seem to have an imagination larger than my system's ram, lol), but it would be nice to have it recover and roll back to the beginning of the action so I can change some settings and try again.

Big huge +1

VoxStamp Object Sub-folder support - Here, it is possible that I am just missing something, but I'll blab away anyhow. When I added Tinker's models, I couldn't find them right away. Took me a bit to figure out that they were in a sub-folder of the merge folder. They don't show up in the merge list unless I move them to the top and restart 3D Coat. It would be really nice if the folders showed in the list and if you click them you move down to that set. It would make it possible to organize your merge stamps and not have a thousand random ones to search through. Again, If I'm missing some setting that makes this happen already, forgive my ignorance(certainly seem possible since the add-on pack installs them in such a way.)

I'm not sure what you mean here. The folders do all appear in the list when you click the triangle in the corner of the pallete

[AbnRanger]

You know, I was just thinking today that it might not be a bad idea after all to see if Andrew and the guys at MOI can collaborate on a plugin, or if Andrew can contract the developer to implement some NURBS tools within the Retopo Room. There are a few good reasons for this, I think.

1) Fewer points (CV's) to snap to the Voxel object and thus greatly reducing the rast-nesting that often occurs when relaxing or subdividing.

2) The object could then be exported in Nurb's or solid surface formats to a host of additional applications...as well as Maya, Max, Blender, etc. A lot of my current work is modeling displays and the client often would like to have the output in a Solid Surface format (that would go straight to production). Going straight from Rapid Prototype to Production. That would open up some major, major markets for Andrew...markets that neither ZB nor MB touch.

3) The object could be Retopo'ed in NURB's and exported/converted to an OBJ if needed.

I'd be willing to pay extra for such a plugin or a different variant called "3D Coat XTended". I really think it could help abate some of the snapping issues in the Retopo room and make the whole job easier in many cases. It might even prove to be a good alternative to the Auto-Retopo tool...as you are doing much of the same action...instead of laying down guides, you'd be laying down a spline cage and come out with much cleaner results.

In fact, I'd venture to suggest that in a NURB's mode, Andrew could use many of the very same tools, such as the strokes tool, to lay down CV Curves (closed loops) with cross-sections, in the same manner as is done with Polygons currently. He already has B-Splines in the toolset, so we could utilize those to draw CV Curves around areas like the mouth, eyes, nose, etc.

[DragonFist]

I'm not sure what you mean here. The folders do all appear in the list when you click the triangle in the corner of the pallete

Ah, cool. Looks like my lack of knowledge then. I'll check that out later and see. But looks like I missed the triangle aspect of the interface.

[philnolan3d]

Ah, cool. Looks like my lack of knowledge then. I'll check that out later and see. But looks like I missed the triangle aspect of the interface.

Also be sure you installed it via File > Install Extension. That's how the folder gets created.

[philnolan3d]

Just got word from a friend at one of the big Hollywood studios that they really like 3DCs retopo and are working on switching over from another software. She didn't know if it's public knowledge yet so I shouldn't say where she works.

[3DCNC]

You know, I was just thinking today that it might not be a bad idea after all to see if Andrew and the guys at MOI can collaborate on a plugin, or if Andrew can contract the developer to implement some NURBS tools within the Retopo Room.

1)

Hi

I think Moi use's the integrity kernel for it's nurbs creation. The Ui and display developed by Moi. I think a link could be interesting, but although Moi can generate mesh objects it can not read them at the moment.

http://www.integrityware.com/news.html

There was talk on twitter about Applinks http://twitter.com/AndrewShpagin

"Also we started writing AppLinks for many different applications.
10:08 AM Sep 24th via Chromed Bird"

[AbnRanger]

Hi

I think Moi use's the integrity kernel for it's nurbs creation. The Ui and display developed by Moi. I think a link could be interesting, but although Moi can generate mesh objects it can not read them at the moment.

http://www.integrityware.com/news.html

There was talk on twitter about Applinks http://twitter.com/AndrewShpagin

"Also we started writing AppLinks for many different applications.
10:08 AM Sep 24th via Chromed Bird"

I think I'm going to start direct exporting hard surface voxel objects and trace over them with PowerNurbs Pro in 3ds Max (Integrityware is the company that develops it). It seems like a good blend between the speed of Auto Retopo (drawing guides) and the control and precision of manual retopology.

Instead of drawing guides, it's curves. The best thing, in my opinion, is the ability to avoid the drawbacks to AutoRetopo and the Rats-nesting you sometimes get in the Retopo room, after relaxing or subdividing the mesh.

[michalis]

I think I'm going to start direct exporting hard surface voxel objects and trace over them with PowerNurbs Pro in 3ds Max

Why to trace them? These are obj traced already. Why to voxels? I can understand that you can start in 3DC as a concept sketch and for base boolean operations only.

[Lawless]

Hi there,
Where are the 3.5 updates being posted? I don't see a thread for it yet.
Thank you.

[philnolan3d]

Hi there,
Where are the 3.5 updates being posted? I don't see a thread for it yet.
Thank you.

That's because there aren't any yet. 3.5 is the latest.

[AbnRanger]

Why to trace them? These are obj traced already. Why to voxels? I can understand that you can start in 3DC as a concept sketch and for base boolean operations only.

I'm talking about skipping the Retopo stage and just exporting the hi-res (triangulated) mesh to 3ds Max, and there using PowerNurbs as a Retopo tool as it were. In Max, you can freeze the high-res mesh, and have CV's or Vertices Snap to frozen object. It would be a similar to having NURBS tools to Retopo with in 3DC. You have NURBS in Blender as well, so you could do the same thing. The only objects I might not use it on, would be characters or animals.

Again, one of the main benefits is not only fewer loops/curves, but no concern for the snapping problems that occur sometimes in the Retopo Room. I think it would be nearly as fast to do as auto-topologizing the model.

[spacepainter]

Realtime render is producing white pictures. I cannot render in 3dcoat anymore. How can I explain better?

[philnolan3d]

I think you posted in the wrong thread.

[michalis]

Sorry spacepainter, this is major problem, I don't have it. Yes, go for another post and delete preferences etc etc. Lets find out what's wrong.
@abnRanger, I'm jealous now. I see your point. Clever and efficient solution.