Hi,
I've been trying to export a pine tree from 3ds Max into a obj file for terragen. I use the default settings when exporting because i havn't a clue what to change.
Everytime i import the obj file to terragen its always white and doesn't seem to look exactly like in 3ds max.
Just wondering how you chaps do it?
Thanks
Its best to run all imported models through poseray (free, google it).
This often fixes problems with the models and the various formats the obj can be in. Poseray seems to put it into a format tg2 can udnerstand.
Somehow TG2 likes obj's better after they have been processed through Poseray, which is a free app.
I'll give a very brief description on how to do it. Basically you work from the left to the right menu bars:
Go to input -> load -> 3D Model -> select your obj
Go to materials -> UV -> weld vertices
Go to materials -> basic texture properties -> load the textures accordingly (in my experience this doesn't work, but you can try)
- if you only see "defaultshader" on the far left you have to convert groups to materials
- to do this go to materials -> rearrange -> groups to materials
Go to groups:
- you should now see a list of materials in the left panel
Go to groups -> faces, vertices & normals -> click on "center origin" + "drop to y=0"
Go to groups -> faces, vertices & normals -> enable "calculate normals" and click on "smooth" to the right (normal sum)
- the value of the calculate normals box should change from 0 to 180
Go to groups -> faces, vertices & normals -> Weld Vertices (keep setting untouched)
Important: press "update" at the top left -> poseray updates the model for all the changes you've made in the materials- and groups-settings
Go to OBJ-output -> choose filename -> enable first 3 options -> click on save -> choose path -> enable first 2 options -> OK
Now your model should be good to go!
Load it in TG2 and go to the parts-shader, then load your textures and alpha's.
Test your file and if it all works then save as tgo (optional).
This is the way how I do it and until now it has always worked, so hopefully you will find this useful :)
Cheers,
Martin
Thank you for that explanation, as I just started digging much deeper into objects, shaders and such! - Bill .
Thank you so much TU. I followed everything you said and there are improvement's :) Im finally seeing colour. I've rendered my outcome;
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7376/attempt1.jpg
The colour finally start's to appear but the ground seem's to turn all gray.
Important: press "update" at the top left -> poseray updates the model for all the changes you've made in the materials- and groups-settings
As for the poseray I couldn't find a update button.
Load it in TG2 and go to the parts-shader, then load your textures and alpha's.
Didn't understand this part, seem's i have much to learn with objects in terragen. :P
Thanks again TU.
Quote from: hydrax on August 25, 2009, 06:38:31 PM
Thank you so much TU. I followed everything you said and there are improvement's :) Im finally seeing colour. I've rendered my outcome;
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7376/attempt1.jpg
The colour finally start's to appear but the ground seem's to turn all gray.
Important: press "update" at the top left -> poseray updates the model for all the changes you've made in the materials- and groups-settings
As for the poseray I couldn't find a update button.
Load it in TG2 and go to the parts-shader, then load your textures and alpha's.
Didn't understand this part, seem's i have much to learn with objects in terragen. :P
Thanks again TU.
The grey ground seems to me like the default colors of TG2?
You can find the update button when you're in the materials or groups tab for example. You can find it at the top left.
1) If you go to the objects menu in TG2 you'll see a list of objects and populations on the left of your screen.
2) Each populations is listed twice. Select the second (longest name and with a single cube-icon).
3) After selecting you'll see the settings below, it starts with "Name" and below that "Population Mode" etc. etc.
4) To the right of "Name" you'll see the name of the model listed and then a funny little icon and a question-mark.
5) Click on the funny icon which says "edit the internal network of this node" when you hover on it with your mouse.
6) The nodenetwork on the right of your screen now shows the internal network of the object. It will show one or more part-shaders or a multishader with some default shaders attached to it.
6b) if it is a parts-shader then double-click on it and go to the internal network -> you'll now see shaders for each different texture/group.
6c) if it is NOT a parts-shader then adjust your textures in the default-shaders which have the same name as you have seen in the materials when being in poseray.
Now it's bedtime, good luck!
Martin
btw...difficult to be 100% sure, but to me it seems your model is already ok. Perhaps you should make a test-render of a closeup and with higher detail-settings.
Cheers,
Martin
Thanks Martin! This is the best explanation I've seen on this subject. 8)
Martin -- I don't see the "update" button either. Are you using Poseray v3.12.2.456? I think thats the latest -- I'll have to check to make sure.
Is there an equivalent of Poseray for the Mac?
Quote from: jaf on August 25, 2009, 09:57:11 PM
Martin -- I don't see the "update" button either. Are you using Poseray v3.12.2.456? I think thats the latest -- I'll have to check to make sure.
Ahhh...perhaps that's the case. I'll look into it once back home (a few hours) and will post a screenshot as well.
Martin
@trailgirl -
http://users.skynet.be/smellenbergh/poseray.htm
http://www.rocketjam.com/povutil.html
Quote from: jaf on August 25, 2009, 09:57:11 PM
Martin -- I don't see the "update" button either. Are you using Poseray v3.12.2.456? I think thats the latest -- I'll have to check to make sure.
No, I'm using version v3.11.0.436 so that might be the cause of it.
For what it's worth; I still have the screencap for the update button posted.
Martin
Yes, it looks like the GUI was changed some in the latest version.
I'm thinking I remember there's an auto update preference -- I'll have to look that up on the change logs.
Here's how mine looks:
[edit] under options is an "Auto-update maps" checkbox
Yeah i noticed the auto-update, seems it updates on its own. Anyway, im still having difficulties with importing the objects. I think it mite be the object itself.
Anyone know where i can get a decent Pine Tree tgo file? im getting quite desperate, hehe. ;)
Thanks.
Try Walli's plant pack. There is also the X_Frog sampler available on the Planetside home page.
There are 42 trees here. And there FREE!
http://www.terragen.org/index.php