Topogun issues/alternatives?

ablaine

Hey all,

Got a chance to test out Topogun for a short time today and while I LOVED the ability to see the mesh/net clearly without it being obstructed by the reference model (which is one of my biggest gripes with retopo in polyboost... I really don't like having to do the alt-x see through dance alternating between my high poly reference and low poly mesh in order to see the surface as it's being built)... I did however have a few issues with topogun.

First off, even when I have my frame focused on an individual vertex in topogun, I can only zoom in so far. If I'm working with some more complex surfaces it becomes difficult to build it from so far away (whereas in max 2009/polyboost I can zoom right in as close as I need to the surface).

I also think that the border tool in polyboost is much quicker for creating surfaces than the point point point connect in topogun, even with the "make faces(?)" option enabled.

But like I said before I do love the ability to see the mesh I'm building cleanly displayed on top of the the reference mesh in topogun.

Is there an alternative to these tools that anyone can recommend?

How do most people use topogun? Do you create loose, large polys over the reference and then subdivide? I didn't get a chance to try that method. Is it viable?

Thanks!

pior

As a matter of fact you shouldn't need point to point clicking at all ... Heres how I do it :
http://www.vimeo.com/7002598

Not sure about the precision issue, I'll test it out tonight.

renderhjs

3dcoat?

ablaine

I looked at some of the retopo features on their website. Pretty impressive. How are the controls? I'm at work but looking forward to trying it when I get home.

bugo

3dcoat does faster and better depending on what your user interface likes more. But I know some people that likes Topogun better. I'm sticking with 3dCoat for now.

vargatom

There's a new tool for Max coming called WrapIt, I've been beta testing it for a while and it's amazing. Fast and cool and some nice features, and you get to use every tool in Max on top of it.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=thepixelhive#g/u

chronic

i dont think you can beat topogun for the price. i personaly like its simplicity.

http://www.cgbootcamp.com/tutorials/2009/11/18/topogun-basic-retopology-workflow.html

pior

Hey Varg, what is the best way to tryout Wrapit? I see a discussion page and an email newsletter subscription button but no way to apply for the beta. Any ideas ? The tube approach looks amazin, and that's the one tool missing from TG at the moment. Plus staying inside one app is always good.

Thanks!

Marine

zbrush is pretty decent for building your low

SerdarDesign

@pior: yes, wrapit seems to be very awesome...check it here:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Ucncf5Afg&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

pior

Yeah that's the one I was looking at! That's why I want to try it hehe.

ablaine

Wrapit definitely looks interesting. I could see using it in conjunction with polyboost too. I love zbrush navigation.. I might have to try to learn the retopo tools.

ScoobyDoofus

I think Zbrush is horrible for retopo. I use Silo and or 3D Coat personally for my retopo & UV's.

vargatom

I dunno how one could apply to the Wrapit beta, but it being problematic might have to do with Matt once saying that he's got enough people and wants to push for a release soon.

You should try to email him though to see if he's mind is made up or not. If you can't find any email addresses, just PM me.

Oh and it is made to work with polyboost as much as possible, too.

renderhjs

there is also maxretopo which is free unlike Wrapit and already available to anyone

http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/max-retopo

ablaine

Does maxretopo display the polys on the surface of the model better than polyboost? That's my big complaint with polyboost.. I can't see what I'm working on unless I alt+x dance.

renderhjs

just mix it with a default material with opacity and self illumination and then some contrasty color, works perfectly for me.
I never use the x-ray mode because its usually useless.

vargatom

Wrapit is the msot advanced in this IMHO, you can set opacities for the material of both the highres and lowres from the GUI and save your settings; and you can also set the distance between the two surfaces. You usually want the lowres to float a bit above the reference, the free Retopo script can't really do that. It is a good alternative though if you're not willing to spend money on this. But Matt promises WrapIt is going to only cost 'pocket money' once it's done, and it already has a lot of very cool extra features like the paint limbs stuff.

Sage

@Vargatom What do you mean by float above the reference? Can't just apply a push modifier to the low

ablaine

Excellent suggestion renderhjs -- never would have thought of that. Much appreciated. It'll definitely do until wrapit is released (or I can get in beta). Cheers.

vargatom

Sage wrote: »

Can't just apply a push modifier to the low

You can do that but it's not the same. You'd also have to put in a poly select modifier to clear your current selection and then turn 'show end result' on and work with a ghosted wireframe.

The trick is quite simple though, Wrapit clones your highres reference and hides it, then applies a Push modifier on that object and wraps to it. So you basically have two highres objects in the scene, one to look at as reference and an invisible one that you're wrapping to. I'm sure you can replicate this with the free Retopo script as well, but Wrapit gives you a nice UI to work with, too.

hyrumark

ablaine wrote: »

Does maxretopo display the polys on the surface of the model better than polyboost? That's my big complaint with polyboost.. I can't see what I'm working on unless I alt+x dance.

Polyboost has the option to apply an offset to the retopo'd model as you're working on it. I usually use a value of 0.1. It makes the your low poly model float a bit above the high poly.

renderhjs

most tools have the option to offset the surface snapping with a offset distance - thats how it should be at least if its proper implemented.

ablaine

I'll have to do that then as well. Thank you.