Roger

Robcat, are you having issues with your email? I've tried sending you an email and gotten a bounceback twice.

Well, I was modifying an existing material to see if I could get the look of ceramic, just in black. So I didn't mess with the combiners. I guess I will have to experiment some more.

What about slate shingles? That might give you better durability than asphalt but still give you the traditional look. Although I think a slate roof might be even worse than metal, cost-wise, and probably as hard or harder to install.

I guess what I am going for is a shiny black porcelain or ceramic material, kind of like a billiard ball. And now that I think about, white specular highlight might have produced the look I was going for.

Here is a screen-grab of the materials editor:

I'll grab a screencap. I don't think I do. There are two fractal combiners, I'm not all that hot with the materials editor but I don't think these affect the color.

Here is the 2nd version. I think I need to decrease the thickness of the lid. I'm having a hard time getting it to have that nice domed look I had with the other lid, though.

Does that cover have an inside and an outside or is just an outside? I thought I made it with both, but I think it just has one spline that I revolved to make it.

I am trying to modify an existing material, "ceramic cup" to have a black color instead of white or off-white. I set both the diffuse and specular colors to black, but it is not black, just has more of a gray tint. Did I forget something, or is there another attribute I have to set the color for?

Well, here are the results so far of my drink cup. I'm trying to make a simple character with eyes and a mouth (still need to add those).

That looks to be about right, thanks for a hint in the right direction. I'll give that a try.

Does anyone have a good clear plastic material, or ideas for the settings for one? I've tried all the ones that come with AM, I thought Perspex would work but it is a bit smoky. The only thing that comes close is "fake glass". I'm trying to make one of those domed lids like you see on a slurpee. I've got the shape down, now it is a matter of getting the material setting.

Are smartskins stored in the relationships section of the PWS, or are the put someplace else? I had some set up to deal with the flippers but it doesn't look like they are there anymore.

I must have missed that, I'll have a look for it.

Does anyone have a tutorial on installing TSM2 in a model? It can be any generic model, doesn't really matter I'd just like to see an example before I try rigging with it.

I may need to experiment with both Lite Rig and TSM2, my char has such a long neck I'm probably going to have to add some bones. The default TSM2 rig has quite a few spine bones, some of which could be converted to neck bones. The only thing that confuses me about TSM2 is the 4 arm bones instead of two, unless one in the upper and then the lower arm is meant to be hidden. I wish I had a better grasp on rigging, it is all very trial-and-error for me. I hope once I finally get round to animating I have an easier time of things. I almost would have been better off farming it out to someone, at least then I could have gotten started animating sooner.

So I'm installing Lite Rig right now and I think I have the placement just about right for the arm and the leg. The hip and torso bones I think are going to need some work. I will also need to put in additional bones for the neck, I think. Anyone out there have experience w/ Lite rig want to take a look at what I have so far?

So I'm taking another whack at installing Lite Rig in my other character, I want to try both TSM2 and Lite Rig and see which I like better. And I noticed that there don't seem to be any knee targets in Lite Rig. Is that normal? Or maybe they're hidden somehow?

Why exactly are there two upper arm bones and two lower arm bones in the TSM2 rig? I'm not really sure why there would be a need for two. Wouldn't it make more sense to have one of each, or is there something I'm missing here? Also, the leg is the same way.

Ok, I think I figured out what I must have been doing wrong. I think I was grabbing one of the handles that allows translating in only one axis.

Hello, I'm installing TSM2 and am having some problems. I was able to scale the bones properly so they are closer to the size they should be, but when I try to translate the bones, I am not free to move them in any direction. The only want to move left or right (if I'm in the front view) or diagonally if I am in one of the side views. I don't know what's going on here, I select the body bone and then hit "n" to translate, try to move and then get this limited movement. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? I am in bones mode and don't have magnet or mirror mode toggled on.

Sorry I missed it, but Happy B-day nonetheless.

The eyelids do help defuse that stunned look. Yeah, amazing what eyeballs and eyelids do to get rid of that undead look I think the reason I waited so long to do it is I wasn't sure how to properly do it. But this looks pretty good.

After playing around with the sweeper some more, I think maybe I'll redo the metal bands going around the top of the chest, or try to at any rate.

Treasure chest - now with rivets!!