Technical Talk

Topic	Replies	Latest Post
Optimizing polystrips First off. I'm using maya 8.5. I've seen a few people in various threads now mentioning optimizing the polystrips on a model and I understand the reason why you'd want to do that. What I don't know…	4 Last	CrazyButcher Jun 2007
Education (university and work experience) I have searched for threads on these things but I haven't had any joy. Hey guys, I reached the point where I'm going to have to make some decisions about my future and what I want to do, I originall…	24 Last	Cybroxide Jun 2007
Epidermal, subdermal, micro structure, etc - maps I've been trying to further my understanding of rendering techniques and advanced map types for a while now. However, I've run into a number of map types that I cant seem to find good sources of info…	1 Last	Vailias Jun 2007
Auto Updating Texture files in maya? I am getting pretty sick of having to reload my textures evertime I want to see a texture update in maya. I was watching Ben mathis's texture painting tutorial and saw that he made it so the texture …	5 Last	Default Jun 2007
Question on painting textures for the DS What is a good way to approach painting textures for the DS? do you paint them at a higher res then shrink them down, or do paint them at the intended resolution? I was hearing around the office that…	8 Last	Sage Jun 2007
normal map problems When I generate normal maps I get seams where I split my model for UV mapping. The seams are closed of coarse after setting up the UV's, LW users will know what I'm talking about. Is it up to the sha…	12 Last	etsuja Jun 2007
Unwrapping problem I'm sure this is a noobie problem, but... I decided to model very simple coffin so I could train texturing. I tried to weld some faces in uvw unwrap editor, but there are some "frozen" vertices. I'…	6 Last	StJoris Jun 2007
UVW problem I need to edit the UVW of my Zbrush3 model but i cant reimport it from my Max7 because it always destroys my zbrush mesh. That usually works for me but now i have no idea what is wrong. I allready tr…	4 Last	Rwolf Jun 2007
Mudbox, random questions thread. Hi, after Mudbox seems to leave some open questions I figured, I open a Mudbox Q&A Thread. Feel free to post questions in here. I´ll start right away. Whats the deal with the "small file size"…	53 Last	Vredesbyrd May 2007
Does Zbrush gets any benefit using Quadro over Gef I'm building a new PC right now, planning for a quad core CPU and lots of RAM (4gb.) One of my main focus will be using Zbrush. I'm wondering if Zbrush will benefit anything from Quadro cards? Or sho…	3 Last	thomasp May 2007
Trying to locate tris on a model in max... So, I'm looking for a scipt or method to locate tris on a mesh, as I'm trying to create a model that has none. How do you guys go about doing that?	5 Last	_Shimmer May 2007
need some anatomy help Does anyone know where I can find some good sized anatomy references. I want to really get it down, I want to really understand it. I'm going to start studying it and studying it like it's my job…	16 Last	Rhinokey May 2007
unwrap uvw Exporter ( photshop unwrap ) Hey guys i am trying to find a plugin for 3ds max 8 that it basically exports your uvw layout but in curves , so that it has maximum antialiasing and no jagginess bullshit , anyone know where to fin…	6 Last	Cybroxide May 2007
Wacom went insane all of a sudden the pc is telling me I have a "tablet mismatch" and I can't bring up the Gui to set the tablet preferences. When I click on the tablet icon under control panel, it says "please reinst…	6 Last	D4V1DC May 2007
Cleaning a 3DS Max scene I have a problem with a 3DS Max 9 scene which file size increases each time I save it. There was a script or command for older Max versions to clean the scene from garbage. But I can´t remember it. C…	16 Last	MoP May 2007
paint bone weights in maya driving me insane In Maya 8.0 I will be attempting to paint weights on a soft skinned model and every time I paint something, then go to a different joint and come back, my painted weights will be different. This is …	11 Last	Shawner May 2007
script for equally subdividing current object So I have a handful of techy assets that I've created, but the problem is they weren't made with zbrush in mind, therefor the poly distibution isn't equal whatsoever. Is there a script or a way to t…	3 Last	Penzer May 2007
how to create this effect? [url="http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper/downloads/01018_neutronrevolver_1024x768.jpg"]http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper/downloads/01018_neutronrevolver_1024x768.jpg[/url] it's a free wall paper, p…	3 Last	Eric Chadwick May 2007
maya 8.5 rendering normal maps with bump maps ok I doubt I'm going to stumble straight across the answer this time [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] I'm trying to render a normal mapped model with a bump map also applied. I can get straigh…	2 Last	rooster May 2007
Unreal editor 3 I've seen some people posting work they've rendered inside this editor, i can't find it anywhere though! how do i get into this exclusive club? i've always enjoyed working with UT2k4, and i can't wai…	25 Last	Jesse Moody May 2007
image-viewer with dds-support and alphas I haven't tried it, but it seems like it could be useful: [url="http://www.shimtools.com/scarlet/english/english_index.htm"]http://www.shimtools.com/scarlet/english/english_index.htm[/url]	1 Last	Eric Chadwick May 2007
Mudbox Mudbox...How does anyone create anything with this system hog? It appears to be a sucker for mesh density above 1.5 million. simply opening and saving an existing scene with a mere 2 million faces se…	31 Last	thomasp May 2007
Mudbox vs. Silo vs. Zbrush vs..... Hey guys. I haven't spent much time with any of the polysculpting programs out there and now I'm looking on changing that, especially with the idea of challenges (mobster bust) being sculpt only. I w…	20 Last	Mongrelman May 2007
maya 8.5: strange 3dpaint problem I've used 3d paint plenty of times now and this has never happend.. I notice deleting my prefs folder and starting with a clean slate solves it but I don't fancy doing that every time it happens. th…	1 Last	rooster May 2007
Biped mirroring problems In structure mode, or in animation mode, I can't get the foot bones to be perfect mirrors. This ruins my ability to mirror weights in the skin modifier. If I go into left ortho view, I can clearly …	5 Last	hyrumark May 2007
cheap ambient occlusion I thought this worked ok. Copy the blue channel of your normal map on to itself in photoshop, go to 'fade' and set to multiply . do this a few times and you get a nice detailed occlusion map. Obviou…	15 Last	dom May 2007
Best way to create decals for trash in UT2004?help Hey guys, I've been working on a 100 percent custom map for UT2004 called DM-Carbon. Its coming along great but I would like to use some localized details like grime and soggy flattened trash in some…	6 Last	Jesse Moody May 2007
GURUWARE - Zbrush/3DS Max export/import plugin Zbrush/3DSMax [i](should works without any problems)[/i] [url="http://www.guruware.at/main/objio/index.html"]http://www.guruware.at/main/objio/index.html[/url] [img]/images…	4 Last	Rob Galanakis May 2007
quake 4 Is there a tool out there i could use to get a look at the models and texture in quake 4 in Max? Trying to learn all this and figured taking a look couldnt hurt	2 Last	_wunderkid_ May 2007
Ink and paint Blues hey everyone Im currently using 3ds max 8 and im trying to to get my character to have a nice cartoon inky outline but no shade to him. Ive applied my base color map to him and it works fine, but im…	7 Last	Ghostscape May 2007
3dsmax7 problem I just built my first low poly human character, and I and starting on a new one. However, for some reason, max decided to stop selecting faces unless I drag the mouse over the entire face instead of…	3 Last	SuperOstrich May 2007
low-poly character tutorial I made (3dsmax) Hey all - thought I'd share this here since I'm sure some of you might find it useful. I just finished writing up a tutorial on low-poly character modeling, unwrapping, and texturing. The tutorial …	11 Last	Eric Chadwick May 2007
In need of a sample ASE file with multi UVWs My demo of Max 9 just ran out before I could do this so I don't know if it's even possible; I'm in need of a simple ASE same file (a cube will do) that has multiple UVW maps applied to it. The subje…	4 Last	kat May 2007
Counting pixels?? I'm looking for a quicker way of counting the number of pixels of a particular color in an image. Any of y'all know of something that you can run in photoshop, or even a standalone app? Maybe somethi…	6 Last	Vylaroth May 2007
Assigning Materials in Mudbox Is it possible to assign multiple materials to a single object within Mudbox? If so, how? Thanks!	1 Last	Mark Dygert May 2007
PSCS3 + Bridge craziness Hey, not sure how many of you are using CS3, and how many actively use Adobe Bridge with it... but if so, are you noticing PS's Palletes freaking the living F#(*&$# out after browsing/opening fil…	4 Last	Eric Chadwick May 2007
MAX - UV trouble I ran into a funky, new problem this morning. After mapping and unwrapping, the UV edit seems to show a skeleton wire frame of my model rather than flattening out into a typical UV layout. (For ins…	1 Last	Ghostscape May 2007
3dmax9 rotation frustration and lets not even mention the adumbration.. i switched to max9 from 6. in 6, 'rotation mode' was a keyboard stroke away to a very convenient free rotation. in max9, im supposed to click alt + middle…	9 Last	MoP May 2007
Any good Digital Painting books I am trying to get better at digital painting, are there any good books or tutorials out there? I wan't to learn a lot of the basic digital painting techniques plus any books that lean on figure pain…	3 Last	conte May 2007
zbrush and eyes? Sculpting eyes from a mesh. I find it hard and it's a reoccuring problem for me. I usually have to start over again. Anybody have any techniques or methods they want to share? [img]http://gameart.n…	3 Last	Mark Dygert May 2007
ZBrush 3 woes. Well, I love ZBrush 3, I was sculpting gleefully away at work. Then I look for ZMapper....NO ZMAPPER!??! I was promised goddamn Zmapper 3! Maybe my other favorite program, ZApplink will have been upd…	14 Last	Mongrelman May 2007
help on the transformers movie As some of you may have heard (HAHAHAHA) Transformers movie is coming out 7/4/7. it looks gorgeous. as a 3d animator in training, I need to know who did the CGI for the movie? The production co…	0 Last	wester May 2007
Speedtree Ok, I know this is going to sound stupid. . . but does anyone know of any good SpeedTree tutorials? I'm working with the program now, and while it is very easy to make something Tree Like, I can't s…	0 Last	Tumerboy May 2007
More DS qestions: Vertex Colors I was wondering how these are used to light a model. Are the textures painted with one set of shading and then darken with vertex colors to create the full illusion of lighting? Not sure how to ask w…	9 Last	Steve Schulze May 2007
Mudbox problem - hotkeyes i appear to have fucked up my mudbox hotkeys (i blame the beer...) anyone know how to reset them to default?	1 Last	jgarland May 2007
ShaderFX 1.5 is now available Hi Everyone! Kees Rijnen and I would like to announce that version 1.5 of ShaderFX (the node-based real-time shader editor for 3ds Max) is now available at [url="http://www.lumonix.net/shaderfx.html…	18 Last	fritz May 2007
Facial Animation Software Question? I've been looking into different facial animation packages/plug-ins and I keep coming up short on features or flexibility. So I'm wondering if anyone else has banged their head on this brick wall and…	4 Last	Richard Kain May 2007
Photoshop cursor colour changer...please? Hey guys. It would be a great help to me if someone here knows a way to change the colour of the paintbrush cursor in photoshop. I'm doing a lot of normal map work using nvidia's photoshop plugin, w…	3 Last	greenj2 May 2007
thoughts on Photoshop 3 extended I have been wanting to try this but it seems that it doesn't let you paint directly on the 3d object. If that the case it's pretty lame. Anyone else play with it? Alex	3 Last	Sage May 2007
Uploading script for photoshop So, a friend of mine asked me if i could do a script for photoshop, kinda like an action for photoshop, where you just press a button (F5 for example) and photoshop automatically saves a jpg version …	3 Last	HarlequiN May 2007