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General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: RichTwo on January 31, 2019, 06:13:52 PM

Title: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: RichTwo on January 31, 2019, 06:13:52 PM
I finally managed to download the free sample object file offered by Kitbash (Utopia), got it opened in the OBJ reader (thing was rotated 90 degrees wrong to the terrain... geez - come ON... REALLY???), figured out how to get it correctly oriented.  When I render the object is flat and featureless white.  So I get to the Parts shader in the reader's internal network - lo and behold it looks like all the textures are there.  So what do I have to do to make them visible in the render?  Oh, and on startup I get a list of errors that saying that the object doesn't have textures (???).  And one more question - why does it have to be so difficult???  Why can't you basically "point and shoot"?

Okay, so I'm stupid.  I'll quit crying now...
Title: Re: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: cyphyr on January 31, 2019, 06:28:35 PM
There are 8 separate models in the free download.
The Obj's come all together as a single object.
You will need to open them up in a modelling application of some kind and separate them out. I use Lightwave. Blender (free) will work just fine.
The textures should be pre assigned so if they are not loading check the .mat file to make sure the pathing is correct.
It may help to run the objects through Poseray (Free) to check the texture alignment and fix any uv errors.
Also check that the specular setting are set to 0 (you can modify them later).
The glass texture will need to be replaced by a Terragen shader (Glass or Reflective or get creative and use your own).

The supplied concrete texture is basically white so you may want to try darkening it or using one of your own.

Hope tis helps
Title: Re: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: RichTwo on February 01, 2019, 11:39:05 AM
Thanks, from one Richard to another!  I have zero experience with OBJs in Terragen, so that is a great help!  I have Poseray, but haven't figured out how to use it yet.  I'll check out Blender and give it a shot.


I downloaded Blender (not the beta version) and have tried to open the OBJ by using both "Import" and "Export". Nothing happens except the default cube is created.  Using "Open" is for Blender files only and does not recognize anything else.  So I'm still stuck.
Title: Re: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: Oshyan on February 01, 2019, 05:07:37 PM
I would start by trying to import the model(s) into Poseray. If it looks correct there, then simply export/save out to OBJ again and it will often fix any issues with .MTL paths, UVs, etc. If it *doesn't* look right in Poseray, then most likely there are issues with the model itself.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: D.A. Bentley (SuddenPlanet) on February 01, 2019, 05:12:33 PM
Rich,

I just downloaded the same free sample Utopia kit.  I'll check it out tonight and see whats going on.  If you figure it out before I post here again let us know.

Derek
Title: Re: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: RichTwo on February 01, 2019, 05:44:18 PM
I think I hosed the OBJ file somehow by trying to open it.  I won't be able to download again, now that I've done it once already. I tried importing a different OBJ and it opened just fine.  So I deleted the folder and re-unzipped the file and tried again.  Same default cube.  Sigh...

Terragen and all its trappings is kind of like life itself.  Doesn't come with a whole lot of instructions...


Title: Re: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: Oshyan on February 01, 2019, 05:48:05 PM
You shouldn't be able to damage an OBJ file just by opening it.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: RichTwo on February 01, 2019, 05:59:07 PM
Quote from: Oshyan on February 01, 2019, 05:48:05 PM
You shouldn't be able to damage an OBJ file just by opening it.

- Oshyan


Sorry, Oshyan - I edited my last response as you were replying.  So I deleted the entire folded and re-extracted from the ZIP.  Same results.
Title: Re: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: D.A. Bentley (SuddenPlanet) on February 01, 2019, 08:07:14 PM
Hey Rich,

I opened up that sample kit, and it's a mess.  It clearly wasn't intended for an artist to just easily use out of the box.  The OBJ material paths are hard coded to the wrong path so you can open up that .mtl file in a text editor like Notepad, or Notepad++ and manually edit the paths like this:

Old:
   map_Ka S:\Textures\Kitbash\KB3D_SidewalkClean_Diffuse.jpg
   map_Kd S:\Textures\Kitbash\KB3D_SidewalkClean_Diffuse.jpg
   map_bump S:\Textures\Kitbash\KB3D_SidewalkClean_Normal.jpg
   bump S:\Textures\Kitbash\KB3D_SidewalkClean_Normal.jpg
   map_refl S:\Textures\Kitbash\KB3D_SidewalkClean_Rough.jpg

New:
   map_Ka .\Textures\KB3D_SidewalkClean_Diffuse.jpg
   map_Kd .\Textures\KB3D_SidewalkClean_Diffuse.jpg
   map_bump .\Textures\KB3D_SidewalkClean_Normal.jpg
   bump .\Textures\KB3D_SidewalkClean_Normal.jpg
   map_refl .\Textures\KB3D_SidewalkClean_Rough.jpg

But like someone else said, the models are all jammed into one OBJ, FBX, .max (3DS Max), or .ma (Maya) file.  I opened the Max file and it was using Vray materials!

Even after getting the texture paths fixed, loading in the OBJ/FBX/MAX file into Modo, and 3DS Max the materials were just all messed up (unusable).

So basically this is going to take a good amount of work to make useable in a program like Terragen.

Sorry for the bad news.  I could pretty quickly separate all the models out into separate files for you, with just a basic gray material on everything if you need help.  Just send me a PM.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]

Derek
Title: Re: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: bobbystahr on February 02, 2019, 10:05:57 PM
Quote from: Rich2 on February 01, 2019, 05:44:18 PM
I think I hosed the OBJ file somehow by trying to open it.  I won't be able to download again, now that I've done it once already. I tried importing a different OBJ and it opened just fine.  So I deleted the folder and re-unzipped the file and tried again.  Same default cube.  Sigh...

Terragen and all its trappings is kind of like life itself.  Doesn't come with a whole lot of instructions...




once you accept one of their freebies it's endless spam featuring free items you can't download...I unsubscribed them
Title: Re: Okay, so I'm stupid...
Post by: RichTwo on February 03, 2019, 02:40:38 PM
I got separated models, thanks to the help from cyphyr who graciously shared his file package with me.  I will try to learn as much as I can on my own, but some of them seem to be beyond my grasp.  Also thanks to all for contributing to this thread!