Malo

Hi Robcat, Yes, What I mean, is to have the props as a 3D rotoscope. Where the CPs stick on the surface of the prop. That would be faster, than 2D rotoscope. "hmmm... that sounds plausible... but you can model splines in the chor already (hit the Thom button). Put a prop in the chor and model splines around it, that won't work?" Thank you, I learn that it was possible to modeling in choregraphy. A way to stick the CP along the surface of the props? Thank you for your answer.

Hello! Importing 3D models from polygons application, 3D scanner, or sculpt application pose many problems in AM. The high-definition models are too dense to be exploited, others require to be re-examined in the topology In reality it was better and faster when it is rethinking the topology in AM as a whole (patches, hooks, UV, joints, etc ....). Hence the usefulness of rotoscope, it is possible to import 3D informations: - By drawings (which requires a good knowledge of perspectiv) - With photos (with some imperfections because of the position shooting) - Or to import 3D models (scanner or other soft 3D) as props to make rotoscope. If the latter produces the best rotoscope I know, I think it will be possible to improve its performance by exploiting the information of 3D props, allowing to make retopology directly on the prop with the modeling tools of AM. As, in a way, ReSurface plugin, but on props. Do you know, if it is in project to create a similar tool in futur?

Hello David, Yes, It is true that the subdivision is not very useful in AM. I only used it to create clothes from body. But I agree, this is not useful.

Hello, An observation on subdivision. It seems that subdivision by 1/2, is not very compatible with the topology of AM. There are better results by 1/3. For the follow examples, I use the SplitPatch plugin that use subdivision by 1/2.(thank you Yoda for all yours plugins!) The subdivision by 1/3 has been done by hand. Some hooks can cause problems. (because it is not possible to stick more than three hooks per segments) So prefer to use the third solution.

Thank you Jason, Raf, Cristin Mckees and Anzovin Studio.

Hello, My ignorance on the subject and my bad english, may explain a topic off-topic. From what I understood, It was not possible to use Visual C + + express with the SDK, because this version does not come with the MFC and don't support it. While surfing, I found a link that explains How to compile MFC code in Visual C++ Express :. I do not know if it's useful, and if it is sufficient to create plugins for AM ( I do not know Visual Basic C + + express, C++, and neither the SDK), but by ignorance and by any chance, I give the link. http://www.codeproject.com/KB/MFC/MFCinVis...dioExpress.aspx

Since XML format, it is possible to read the MDL file by a text editor. Here is some information about the MDL format, that I could understand. Hope this can help someone. The CP: The splines : I have not found meaning the first number. Hooks: Patches : I have not found meaning the first and last number for patches. UV, Stamps:

Hi earthquake, if it is the first case select the cp and press "o" key if it is the second case, select the CP, "Shift K", and attach it again (right klik, on Windows).

I have in mind two cases for this kind of render. The first case, the bias* or rather a broken spline ("O" (for smooth) an "P" (for peak) key). ( A) * You will find a plugin (written by Emilio Leroux, thank to him) for apply the same bias to your model, at this link: http://www.moscafilms.com.br/emilioleroux/...ns_setbias.html The second case (, when three splines (or more) cross. advise : do not cross over two splines Your ear can be simplified. The spline under the nose does not seem necessary.

Oops, sorry , of course not the key ";" but the "." Thank you for having corrected Original post edited.

A little trick to eliminate quickly splines (which can be useful if you do not know). Note (windows key) A: select a CP of the spline. B: press "," key (to select the spline) C: two way: Ca, if you want to delete the spline, and keep the CPs. Press delete key Cb, if you want to delete the spline and the CPs. press twice "." key, and press delete key

hello, nice model Just a note, on the nose, it is possible to eliminate these two splines. The use of patches with 5 points, in some cases allow a smoother modeling. it seems that the tip of your nose is close as the first example of this. I advise the second way.

Hi, Thank Robcat for your scheme for mapping, I do not know, that it was possible to unwrap cylindrical in AM. Thank, Pixelplucker for the LSCM.txt (sorry can not read yet C + +). I have download the Unwrap 3D demo, it works to import models, but for exported, I can’t know with demo version. Normally if Unwrap3D don’t rename v’s name in Obj format, that must be good as for Roadkill. I’ve gone deeper on the script. I writting the first script again, because it was poorly thought and did not work with certain models. Now, It is better. It export 3, 4, 5 and hooks. But not all hooks. The hook must be attached in the midle of the segment. But it is possible to circumvent the problem manually : Use the script, and open your model in Roadkill. See what are the «bad» hooks. Open your model on AM, and take the XYZ of them. Open the obj model with notepad, and search the lines that are the number of your CPhook, and write the good XYZ. Faces with this hooks could be affected too... see the follow picture for example: example: Note: Models without hook is easier to unwrapp. The second script works, but is poorly written, therefore there are «Notice: Undefined offset...». Sorry if it is not optimized, I am not a programmer, and I take this opportunity to express my admiration for programmers. Follow a girafle model, with his UV (use the map you want). To see the result. Bloavezh mat d’an holl! Happy new year Everybody!

Hi, I modified a little the first script... Some CPs were not reconized, now they are. In Roadkill the model scale was small, now it is better. But coordinates of the CPhooks are always bad calculate.

Hi, Sorry not a video, but a PDF with pictures to explain how to use the scripts. My english is bad, but hope pictures will help: the PDF

Hi, Some time ago, I tried to find a way to use Roadkill ( http://www.pullin-shapes.co.uk/page8.htm ), a free standalone program, to autounwrap mdl model. And there is a way! ... I tried to do it, with help of PHP scripts... But as I am not a programmer, the script is heavy, slow, it has "Undefined offset", problems with big models,and it is not a plugin in AM. But don't be worry, the principle works better than my scripts to download the scripts: the order to use the scripts: step 1: translate the mdl model in a obj model ( by the "MDL 2 OBJ for roadkill" script. ) step 2: import the obj in Roadkiller, and unwrap it. Then export it. step3: create the UV informations for the mdl object from the exported obj.( by "Roadkill to UV information" script: ) step 4: In AM, apply a decal to your model, no matter the way, and save it. step 5: use notepad++ (for example) to open the UVmdl generated format and the MDL model. In the model, find the code between and where the informations about the UV are, and replace them with the UVmdl format information. Save it step 6 : Open your model in AM: It is not perfect!!! The Obj exporter script has some trouble with hooks coordinates. The script for the UV coordinates don't translate always the good CP number for the patches. And of course, Step 3, 4 and 5 could be done in one step... It is important to know that it is not a perfect unwrapping for hashpatches, because the unwrapper is made for polygones. To understand a little better what the problem is, let's imagine it is as if we had to give 4 side polygones UV to a 12 side polygones. So perharps it is not the better way for AM... but if it could help some people... If someone knows how to programm, and wants to ameliorate the scripts, or better, how to do plugins in AM... I will try to explain better how to process for the scripts: For the obj exporter: I noticed that: - Roadkill needs CP coordinates ("v" for Obj format) and CP numbers that make patches ("f" for obj format). Extra information is useless. - Then, to use the UV information in AM, it is important to keep the same number/name for the CP. - In Obj format, the CP have not number, but its number is the line number. So when a CP doesn't exist in AM, we must create a line in Obj for this CP. -To keep the faces joined when creating Faces "f", we must use only the number of the CP that has directly X,Y and Z coordinates. So the script is made this way: 1- import the line splines from the MDl. 2- create an array with these lines. 3- order them from the smaller to the bigger CP number. 4-create the first "v" line and find the CP 1, if it doesn't exist, create the v line "v 1 1 1", and do the same with the second v lines... etc. If the CP exists, write its coordinates... etc. (there I have somes problems with CP hooks, because of the complexity of their relation... perhaps in the SDK, it is easier to find all the CP coordinates, without having to calculate their coordinates? ) 5- import the patches lines from the mdl. 6- create an array 7- change the number of the CP faces with the CP number that has the direct coordinates in the MDL format. (if you don't do that, all the faces will be independant) (I have some problem to find them all... so don't panic, it is the script the problem) 8- add the result in the obj format. The script for the model created with Roadkill is made in this way: 1. import the vt lines without the "vt" 2. create an array with them. 3. import the f lines. without the "f" 4.create an array with them. 5. the numbers are grouped by three. the last ones will not be used. The first is the number of the CP for the patches and the second the number of the lines of vt linked with the CP 6. If the line isare made of 9 numbers, it is a triangle, 12 a square, 15 a 5 side patch so for a 9 number line : a1/b1/c1 a2/b2/c2 a3/b3/c3 the line has to be written: a. "O a1 a2 a3 a1 b1 (b1+(b2-b1)*1/3) (b1+(b2-b1)*2/3) b2 (b2+(b3-b2)*1/3) (b2+(b3-b2)*2/3) b3 (b3+(b1-b3)*1/3) (b3+(b1-b3)*2/3) so for a 12 number line : a1/b1/c1 a2/b2/c2 a3/b3/c3 a4/b4/c4 the line has to be written a. "O a1 a2 a3 a4 b1 (b1+(b2-b1)*1/3) (b1+(b2-b1)*2/3) b2 (b2+(b3-b2)*1/3) (b2+(b3-b2)*2/3) b3 (b3+(b4-b3)*1/3) (b3+(b4-b3)*2/3) b4 (b4+(b1-b4)*1/3) (b4+(b1-b4)*2/3) so for a 15 number line : a1/b1/c1 a2/b2/c2 a3/b3/c3 a4/b4/c4 a5/b5/c5 the line has to be written a. "5 a1 a2 a3 a4 b1 (b1+(b2-b1)*1/3) (b1+(b2-b1)*2/3) b2 (b2+(b3-b2)*1/3) (b2+(b3-b2)*2/3) b3 (b3+(b4-b3)*1/3) (b3+(b4-b3)*2/3) b4 (b4+(b5-b4)*1/3) (b4+(b5-b4)*2/3) b5 (b5+(b1-b5)*1/3) (b5+(b1-b5)*2/3) 7. these created lines will have to be imported in the MDL stamps. (not in the PHP script) If it is not clear (sorry for my English), and if you want to have more information, just ask me and I will try to explain better, or perharps some people could explain better than me.

Salut Maddle, Celui du site en français est plus vieux... Le PDF est plus complet et mieux structuré. Voici le lien http://treser.net/AnimationMaster/modelingacharacter.pdf Tu trouveras mon mail a l'adresse suivante en cliquant sur @ du crayon. http://treser.net/degemer.htm (je ne le poste pas ici, car il existe des aspirateurs de mails qui balaient les forums, et je ne veux pas être spamé.)

Waow!!! Thank you very much... I don't know how it is possible to work together. Any suggestion will be good. Maddle, you can found Gerry's and Nancy's mail on their website. Maddle, pour l'instant, je n'ai pas de changement à faire par rapport au PDF. Peut-être plus tard, rajouter une partie sur l'utilisation des hooks, et parler de quelques avantages à utiliser cette technique par rapport aux raccourcis de selection et pour ajouter des splines. Mais je n'ai pas encore pris le temps de mettre mon nez dedans. Si tu vois de ton coté des choses a rajouter, n'hésite pas. Merci pour ton travail.

Hi, I am breton native speaker and french speaker, but i don't speak english So, Nancy, or anyone else, if you think you have time to translate it in good English or ameliorate it, don't hesitate. I would be very glad and thankful. There are older french tutorials at : http://forum-amstudio.forumpro.fr/modelisa...n-patch-t25.htm http://forum-amstudio.forumpro.fr/tutoriau...toscope-t45.htm http://forum-amstudio.forumpro.fr/tutoriau...sonnage-t47.htm

Thank you HomeSlice and Nancy. Hello Maddle, I will try to explain better (sorry for my english) 1. Select the patch you want to move along "his normal". 2. Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V 3. Shift + arrow key toward the first patch (here UP) to place the new patch on the first patch. 4, here I have colored the new patch in red to help to understand, that there are two patches. 5. Select the two patches. 6. Press Shift and cliked on one of the CP of the new patch. Half of the spline selected will be green. 7. Press on the "6" key and move your patch

if it can interest someone, here is a solution to move a patch along the yellow line: -select the patch -CtrlC (Copy the patch) -CtrlV ( stick a new patch, now on this patch, all cp hav the same normal direction, this patch will be a guide) -Select the 2 patches -select a Cp from the copy of the patch. -press 6 key and move the patches. - in the end delete the copy of the patch.

Thank you Robcat and Furchur It's clearer now for me

Thank you, Robcat, I misunderstood the word "normal". (I did not know CPs have normals and patches have not) In AM, when I press "Tools/Options/Modeling/Displey normals", I can see one yellow line in the middle of every patche. What is this line? Is it a keyboard key to move the patch along his yellow line?

Thank you Rusty, For the Falloff's bones, this does not seem to work For 1,2,3,4,5,6 keys it seem to be for CP only: 1,2,3 is for moving along X,Y,Z axis 4 to snap to the grid 5 an 6 to move along the tangents But I see no way to move the patch along the normal .

Thank you Zandoria! Is it really the normal direction? That don't seem to be the same direction of the yellow lines. Nota: When I use "Patch Group Mode" to select a patch and use 6 after, that don't work