pixelplucker

Doesn't sound like an os problem but rather a driver problem where it only loads one device. Similar devices on windows should show up as individual devices under the device manager such as the case as multiple scanners, cameras, mice etc. What driver are you using? Is there another you could use?

Nice!

Here is an eagle model done in 3d coat. I exported approx poly counts, 100k, 50k and 2k. Anything below 50k really started to degrade in quality but I don't think anyone would really want to spline that much anyways. eaglemodel.zip

Can you import stl files or just want a plain ole obj?

That looks pretty cool, what kind of poly counts can it handle? I do a lot of work in 3dCoat and a direct export of the voxel would be sweet but unlikely AM can handle a few mil poly stl.

I don't think that will happen... why do you need that? You can save to the AI 8 format from any newer version (including CS5) and it will work very well. All you have to do is to get rid of groups.... See you *Fuchur* I'm surprised CS works. I typically use old Illustrator 7 because there is so much bloat in the cs series. There are all kinds of issues with the live feature that may be a problem. I know my cad software doesn't like cs much and I have to down save the files.

This uses the Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinnect. http://davidleonardtv.wordpress.com/2011/0...rial-with-code/ Any ambitious programmers with some free time could make a plug-in for the new AM that has retopo tools. Be pretty convenient to scan in an object into the model window. Maybe even capture the surface colors for reference bitmap as well.

Keeping the handles from auto adjusting can also be useful when subdividing a spline. Make a circle and if you subdivide one segment "y" key the circle deforms. That make sense?

I'm thinking that locking the bias handles might not be so hard. If you open the properties menu you will see the numbers change when moving the handles. To lock those should be possible through that menu which would keep those values exact. Maybe even have a short key for that purpose. When I model I keep the handles hidden and fiddle with them last but sometimes you need to adjust them as you go along. I have found in some cases especially with long splines that they would change after cfa or extrude and I end up tweaking double the number of handles since mirror mode doesn't work on bias handles and moving them isn't undo-able. On another note, are there going to be any auto riggers in the new version similar to TSM2? Some sort of auto boning and cp assignment might make a great add-on to AM for those that want to take it to the next level. I had an idea of a system that would create bones from the user defined pre-made joints that have all the transform data already set.

Around the lights there should be an additional shape that the lights fit into, they don't typically just hang there. Copy paste of the splines that meet other panels to create the new panels should help. This is a method I have used before with nurbs. Tiny details use displacement maps and don't kill yourself with splines since you will probably go insane fixing bias handles. You can do the same with holes in areas along with a cookie cutter map that is contracted by a few pixels. This will create the depression around the hole and face a nice bevel.. Also, just model the half and cfa it later. Really nice job, love to see the final. I'm a big fan of rally cars and the Evo is one of my favorites.

I was thinking more along the modeling stage rather than texturing. I think it could be implemented and keeping the existing hide/unhide lock/unlock buttons that would over ride and reset the group controls. I like the workflow in AM but there are small things I miss that I have become so used to using from other programs that would make this really sing. Stupid little things like the above, universal gizmo to manipulate selections rather than relying on modifier keys. My biggest request is some way of locking bias handles so once you get them the way you want they stay that way. I think I spend more time fiddling with handles and re-adjusting them than actually modeling and texturing. A lot of unnecessary tweaking imo when it comes to mech modeling.

Wouldn't it hide that cp? What would be the purpose of a shared cp?

If the retopo works anything like 3d coat then the lathe and extrude probably aren't applicable but instead you draw over the reference surface and I'm guessing simply stitch the patches together. This will be awesome! Is this how it works in AM? Any chance for Bias handle freezing? Be nice to be able to turn off the auto adjusting when doing mech models. Also like to see visibility and lock icons show up next to the groups much like the roto shows. Would find that to be extremely handy on complex models with tons of groups.

Found this link, pretty handy for proportions: http://realcolorwheel.com/human.htm

I use cm's in AM becuase at one point there was an issue with one of the plug ins not supporting the other units. It really doesn't matter as long as proportions are correct. If your making objects that are going to be made into real life objects then you should always check the model in an outside program and change the units if necessary.

Never heard anything back on this, if you want you can post a mdl, I can try to convert it to nurbs for you and provide open nurbs file you can use. Specify the exact dimensions on the object and I can confirm if there is distortion or not. Exporting to size really doesn't matter since I would be converting units to real dimensions. In AM I usually stick with cm which it seems happiest.

Depending on the complexity I might be able to convert the files to true cad files and provide a set of open nurbs for you from an obj file using Amapi Pro. Steps I did from the test AM file I had is I exported out an obj at a tesselation of 16. Imported the obj to Amapi Pro merging all points and duplicate uv's etc Sub divided the obj using a doo sabian at a minimal smooth of 1 converted the sub d to a nurbs smooth. If your doing tons of models for injection modeling you should be using another program other than a program that exports polygon based models. The closest thing to Amapi is T-splines for Rhino or Max but the investment is pretty big along with the learning curves. Organic models that aren't dimensionally critical can be done in many programs and stl files are usually fine. There might be other programs that can convert the objects the way I did that I'm not aware of.

Model is coming along really nicely. Reminds me of a diddy my uncle used to say, "get off the table Mable, the next 2 bucks are for beer". Noticed the knuckles on the fingers have a ridge going down the side but i'm sure you saw that and is tweaking.

Nahh, your a far better mechanical modeler in AM than I am. I posted the pics so people can see the extreme shape variations. I always have trouble with bias handles moving after I get things set the way I want and find myself going back and adjusting them. Wish there was a way of selecting certain cp's and freezing their position and bias angles. Thanks

The bow grip is actually much rounder. You definitely should model it by extrusions. The grip portion is very round and almost made of an oval profile rather than the harsh bevels. You could model the whole grip so it's very organic except where the arrow rests. I made a real recurve bow grip, limbs and string.

Embedding isn't all that great, I had another program that would do that and made updates a pain and the file was just bigger and bloated. Collecting the files is always a better approach. I have a directory of models, directory of textures another for materials. If I improve a texture or model all my previous projects get updated. If I need a variation I just make a copy of that model or texture and save those out. It might seem like more work but in the long run it's much more efficient. With AM stuff in particular I take the collected files, simplify the directories by have one folder for parts and pictures, next to that directory I have the PRJ. I open the PRJ and re-find the parts in the new folder and zip it all up. Makes it a little easier than have the people that download the files go looking for c:/current_user/on_occasion/some_folder/burried/on_my_hard_drive/when_I_feel_like_it/etc_etc/

Sub Surface Scattering. This allows light to bounce below the surface of an object the way it does on skin when held to a bright light or candle wax. Inner glow.

Sub Surface Scattering. This allows a soft looking surface where the light is distributed below the surface much like wax candle, the way your skin looks when held up to a light etc. instead of bounced off the surface.

Did you do a system clean up? Defrag the drives and if you have a registry cleaner, run that too. Close background applications that are not needed. Before even running AM, see what is running and if there is any intensive CPU usage while the machine is idle. I used to use a popular antivirus program that conflicted with real time rendering of OpenGL which would cause my whole machine to go black. I would have to literally unplug the machine and start again. Of course the AV company blamed Nvidia and Nvidia blamed the AV company. Usually when a program stops responding there is a chance it is just busy and if it does die on it's own that tends to be a lack space for the program to operate correctly (memory, swap space). Other things that can cause that is other programs running such as a virus, anti virus, anti malware that could be interfering with the program.

Do you get an error message or does the program simply just quit on you? Did you try the 32 bit version just for giggles? Might be a chance that your system is 32 bit and not 64? Lack of resources might contribute to any program just shutting down especially in the case on laptops that have built in video that shares the system memory. Windows 7 is definitely a worth while upgrade. I bought a vista upgrade and had it installed for almost 2 days before I got fed up and went back to XP until 7 came out. Just a couple things to check out.