Technical Talk

Topic	Replies	Latest Post
Practice Barrels/Ambiant Occlusion Baking I do not know how I got to this point, but I am wondering where to go. I took some pictures the other day of textures I might want to use later. Well, [URL="http://zacharyrussellphotography.com/__one…	7 Last	uschi Mar 2009
mudbox: edge padding on mirrored seams? using mudbox for painting, I tend to find when I have a mirrored model, and paint down the center, there's no edge padding- I can see occasional bits of pixels that the paint hasnt caught down the se…	2 Last	rooster Mar 2009
tablet pressure sensitivity this probably isn't the right forum for this. But I'm always having difficulties with getting my tablets pressure sensitivity to work in photoshop. I was doing some stuff last night and it wouldn't …	6 Last	MoP Mar 2009
Armor - Modeling and Texturing hi guys, i just wondered if any one had some tips or techniques on the specifics of creation of armor - these were my last examples, and i think i successfully made the armor look like concrete :) ep…	2 Last	MoP Mar 2009
got an intuos 4 I Bought an intuos 4 medium sized. It's going to take a little getting used to, but I really like the wheel, the detachable usb cord, and the led displays on the buttons. Using the wheel to change …	6 Last	pior Mar 2009
Maya Menu layout Im just starting to use Maya 2009 (im a max user) for a new job. Im just wondering if there is a way to save the positions of the menus that you tear off as a default UI? I like to tear off the sele…	23 Last	pior Mar 2009
Polyboost multiple object-unwrap? I put some Polyboost tools (align horizontal/vertical, mostly) in my uvw quad-menu, and apparantly they only work on single objects, not 2009's multi-object unwrap. Any way around this, or any great …	2 Last	renderhjs Mar 2009
customizable dresses for in game characters hi all i been searching the net for any kinda info on ow its done basically what i is a lil character that runs around in a level collecting gems once a certain number has been collected a custom…	8 Last	arrangemonk Mar 2009
modular chunks Questions about modular design for environment artist working with unrealED 3. So I cut up my buildings into modular chunks, for the level designer. I assume those modular chunks will act like	4 Last	Mark Dygert Mar 2009
Can Maya do transparency in the viewport? Maya's realtime display of textures with transparency seems to be broken (or the way I'm doing it is wrong). Below is an example. If I map a 32bit tga onto a box and sphere in max, and set transparen…	25 Last	Darksun Mar 2009
problem with fliping models 3dsmax -> zbrush heyho. I have sometimes a strange problem with exporting obj from max into zbrush and it happens again and i still dont know why and how i can solve this. My model normals are fliped and i tryd with …	2 Last	EbolaV Mar 2009
3dsmax render a heightmap Hey all, ive made a level but i need to use a heightmap, and i was looking through max's render to texture and i see that 'heightmap' is an option. how do i get it to work? everytime i tried it just …	18 Last	Tumerboy Mar 2009
normal script is there a script that makes the normal a cross product of the 2 longest edges attached to tem? would be cool for making the look of campfered models more acurate because the 2 longest edges are usu…	14 Last	arrangemonk Mar 2009
Hiding Seams. Help please. Hello, i finished modeling my very low-poly character this is my first textured character(didn't texture shoes yet). Now i need to hide the seams and i try to do it by following this tutorial [URL]ht…	8 Last	PeterK Mar 2009
Cel Shading in Max and Maya hey was talking with a friend and he wanted to know a lot about cel shading or at least a lot more then i currently know. so im starting this thread for any knowledge anyone might have on cel shading…	2 Last	DInusty Mar 2009
How do I get my arcs? So, I'm kind of new to animation.. but one thing I know is that no one walks like this (or at least I don't think I do): [URL="http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=noarcs.jpg"][IMG]http://img187…	4 Last	Slum Mar 2009
Unreal 3 editor question So i began to tinker with the unreal 3 editor after 2 years of not touching it and i have a question maybe someone can answer. I am builind a veihicle which needs to be broken up in 3 parts and i wo…	5 Last	JO420 Mar 2009
trouble with vertex constraints I'm trying to see is it possible to assign constraint to a vertex of a certain spline or mesh to controll it's position in world space in Max. I know you can do that in Maya, but I can't seem to find…	3 Last	Krisonrik Mar 2009
General Maya issues Is there any way to manually edit the envelope, IE editing the cage in max, in maya? If not, what sort of tricks do you guys use to get around that?	19 Last	ivars Mar 2009
nVidia Apex anyone? A question for the technical artist types: have any of you heard of or used nVidia's fancy new PhysX content framework called Apex? Its a sort of physics modeling and authoring tool for particles, …	0 Last	monkeyscience Mar 2009
Turbosmooth performance in 3ds Max I normally use a single turbosmooth modifier, instanced around on all of my geometry, so I can quickly make global changes to the smoothing if I need to do so. However, when I start hitting several …	1 Last	gamedev Mar 2009
Rage screenshots & Seneca Menard podcast Some Rage editor & Modo screenshots, including some Megatexture-style terrain stuff. Top of the page has a link to a podcast-thing interviewing Seneca Menard, id's Technical Artist. [URL]http://www…	10 Last	Chai Mar 2009
Select all tris/ngons in 3d max The annoying thing is I know how to do this in Maya easily :/ But I'm not going to export to maya just to use the select using constraints tool and then import back to max... I have searched and eve…	2 Last	Yozora Mar 2009
Auto-create tri between verts plugin? (MAX) Hi all, I am wondering if anyone knows of a scrip/plugin or way (for max 2008 64bit) that would automaticly create a tris or poly between the closest 3 or 4 (respectively) verts. For instance it wou…	7 Last	Michael Knubben Mar 2009
help please. Hey, im in grade 11, want to be a game designer, level maker, world designer etc. I was told by a friend that is in the business, that the unreal 3 engine is great, and that i can also start to make…	8 Last	glib Mar 2009
Spyder 3 - Pro or Elite? I'm about to make this purchase and just wanted to get some word of mouth before going through with it. I've researched the difference between both tiers, the Pro seems to have everything I need. But…	0 Last	Snowfly Mar 2009
Zbrush to max & to zbrush? Hey guys, i'm having some problems with import/export between Zbrush and max, here's what i did: -Exported base mesh from max, without texture coordinates -Sculpted up to level 4 -Exported lowest le…	3 Last	Psyk0 Mar 2009
Texture and lighting issues First time post for me. I need some help. I'm doing this thatched cottage scene with a few props and I can't shake this lighting issue I've been having on my thatch roof texture. This is what it loo…	4 Last	arlrex Mar 2009
Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered so just started today I've been getting this error message from the bottom right task bar: Display driver nvlddmkm stopped responding and has successfully recovered it will randomly happen while us…	6 Last	breakneck Mar 2009
Actor X 3ds max Unreal 2004 I'm trying to get this plug-in to work but every time i got to save a mesh, it gives me a warning saying "No valid skin triangles digested (mesh may lack proper mapping or valid linkup)". What do i …	4 Last	JohnnyRaptor Mar 2009
View Panel Menu disapeared Hi, i feel kinda like an idiot because i have to ask this, but the view panel menu in maya suddenly vanished, and i have no clue how to get it back. Panel Menu = View, shade, light, etc...	4 Last	malcolm Mar 2009
Best PC specs? I just accepted some mid to long-term contract work and it's now looking like I need to upgrade my computer...Before I go out and blow my money, what type of specs do you guys have on your machines? …	8 Last	\|BILLY$CLINT\| Mar 2009
Help applying a spline to a cylindrical object Not sure if the title is worded correctly, but here's my issue. I have a spline in the shape of flames from Illustrator that I need to convert into geometry to add onto a cylinder. For what I'm work…	0 Last	Mental_Hernia Mar 2009
restoring symmetry in zbrush I was playing with zbrush 3.1 using zspheres. I was posing my spheres and at one point or another screwed up and turned off x symmetry and then did a change and then after that that well x symmetry d…	2 Last	Sage Mar 2009
Problem with modo's brush symmetry I recently trying modo as an option for projection painting. I sculpted the mesh in Mudbox and then exported the obj to modo for painting (mudbox lag as hell when I try to paint, it's very annoying).…	1 Last	Farfarer Mar 2009
make 2 textures the same color value? hi, in ps, there is any magic thing to set the same color values from one texture to another? i mean hue,saturation,brightnes thanks	5 Last	malcolm Mar 2009
texel density corrector tool for maya? Hey there, so we have decided that a 512x512 texture in our game should tile once every 4 units in maya. This keeps the artists working in the same texture scale and reduces texel density issues in g…	11 Last	malcolm Mar 2009
Small Max 9 problem need help! Yesterday I was working in Max 9 and opened up the UV window to edit some uvs, all my settings (brightness, no grid) had been reset, easy enough fix, but my shortcuts no longer work. They work in eve…	5 Last	Kamui Mar 2009
Maya 8.5 CGFX problem in view port Note: I'm not to good with the technical jargon so please bear with me. Hopefully I can get my query across clearly. Thanks in advance for any help I am having a problem with CGFX shaders in maya 8.…	2 Last	Stinger88 Mar 2009
Texel Scale? Hey guys, I'm curious if someone could fill me in on what exactly "texel scale" is, how to calculate it (i.e. 128 pixels per foot), how/if it relates to scene or unit scale in the 3D modeling program…	14 Last	Justin Meisse Mar 2009
Unreal - Multiple Levels hey guys. friend of mine is having a problem. hes trying to do the whole streaming levels in unreal. when he tries to import a new level into the level browser, unreal crashes giving a message abou…	2 Last	00Zero Mar 2009
3dsmax navigation issues. Why oh why cant I rotate my viewport while cutting, or say making a spline? Please tell me theres some kinda magic script, button or spell that will enable it. Plleeaase? ='( The viewcube sux, autod…	12 Last	Mark Dygert Mar 2009
Unreal 3 Issues im very confused as to whats going on here. i run most everything i play on my laptop, its not great for games but i can play most anything. any source game at full quality with in excess of 70 fp, …	8 Last	willy-wilson Mar 2009
Unreal: Opacity influenced by object intersections (Bioshock waterfall example) This one is for the Unreal guys. Does anyone know what shader setup was used in [URL="http://www.gametrailers.com/player/13983.html"]this Bioshock video[/URL] where the Big Daddy steps into the sheet…	7 Last	nick! Mar 2009
maya 2008 cut tool is infuriating hey guys, So my recent project I am on is using maya 2008 and I am finding whatever they did to the cut tool (split polygon) has turned it into a frustrating sack of shit. if you turn off edge sna…	7 Last	malcolm Mar 2009
Anyone know a good free antivirus software? I tried the demo of macaffe it was horrible, caused mouse lag all over the place. I'm running win xp and looking for a free or cheap antivirus solution any suggestions?	12 Last	robioto Mar 2009
Tablet issues? I baught a "Trust" tablet last year and finaly pulled it out of the box an hooked it up. Problem is, it draws really jaggard lines and frequently draws a streight line when I try and draw a curve. Is…	11 Last	solar Mar 2009
Detail / Micro Diffuse maps So, I'm trying to find a way on getting detailed diffuse maps look good (not desaturating) in my shader. Currently, my detail diffuse is from my standard diffuse, just a smaller res, greyscale and e…	22 Last	Pseudopus Mar 2009
Development Machines So I'm currently in the process of opening a small studio with a few other artists and a couple programmers, and I'm in need of some advice as to a good setup for our development machines. Now our b…	8 Last	ArtsyFartsy Mar 2009
Toying around with normal map approaches Didn't want to resurrect the old "Approach to techy stuff" thread so I'll post it here. Please do add your ideas and views on this subject. I was tempted to try this shape myself to see what I got w…	96 Last	jocose Mar 2009