Poser figures in to TG2, with textures intact

[DeathTwister]

Hay guys,

  Ya I was trying that fix/work around as well with the Daz Dragon.

But even splitting the model up into 4 sections I still could not get the Teeth, eyes, pupils, and irises to come in.  Poser does not seem to let me export just the model parts I want, or I am not doing it right yet, but I have tried many ways to do this and still cannot get it too quit work, but almost. But I think in part there is a Bug in the Model import as we should be able to go in and select the models parts we want and have them show up in the render, but as it is now, even though you can select the parts you want? they will not show up no matter what, so I consider that a huge bug and if they would fix that part? we could probably get some real work done with that workaround until they get us what all of us artists feel here on the websites and give us real model/mesh/texture support like we want with tgd2, then we have something truly awesome here.

So they do have a bug, I do not care what anyone say, it is there bigger then toby's heal. lolol.  If they could fix that little feature in there GUI well that would help us very much over all to start with.  If people do not know what I am trying to say I can post screen shots to show you would we almost have if they fix that one little feature they have and make it work, these 16 texture per shader would be doable.  But each model I bring in seems to have there own way on importing the models in no matter what in the naming conventions, so unless I can go in and re-select the model parts we want, were foobared till they do a major fix I fear.
OK added this graphic to show you all what I am talking about as if they could fix this? then we have a workaround foor a bit until they really fix this for us.


Hope that next release after the full release is within a couple of months and they dive into this heavy as the next area that needs work as in my humble opinion that is the weak point at this time on the software.  So I would have it at the top of the to do list if I was Planet Side, but me not and we can only hope, pray to the 3D gods that our needs will get met.  At least fix that bug I am talking about while they work on stuff that will met our needs better would sure be hella sweet, don't ya think?


Oh I am a dog on a bone on this subject till they meet my wants and needs /smiles......
DT

[rcallicotte]

DT, I just manipulate the MTL to bring in the top 16 textures I want. 

[MooseDog]

...Hope that next release after the full release is within a couple of months and they dive into this heavy as the next area that needs work as in my humble opinion that is the weak point at this time on the software.  So I would have it at the top of the to do list if I was Planet Side, but me not and we can only hope, pray to the 3D gods that our needs will get met.  At least fix that bug I am talking about while they work on stuff that will met our needs better would sure be hella sweet, don't ya think?


Oh I am a dog on a bone on this subject till they meet my wants and needs /smiles......
DT

sorry dude:

You are for example unlikely to ever see a Planetside-developed Poser import system, simply because supporting complex human figures within a landscape scene is not a particular aim of product. In general even the current object support is adequate for the majority of vegetation objects, which seldom include more than 16 textures, although of course object manipulation is still not ideal even for this more limited range of object types...

...The vast majority of effects industry production pipelines that result in a finished frame for a movie or TV program involve several applications working closely together to achieve the best results. Our aim with TG2 is to fit comfortably into such a pipeline and fulfill the landscape rendering needs of professionals and hobbyists alike.

[rcallicotte]

Perhaps, this is where Vue has run into problems by trying to meet the Poser community and the landscape community.

[DeathTwister]

Calico how did you select them to get the top 16 the way you want?  I could not get it to do that no way
While I was able to de-select the files I didn't want in Poser and select the ones I wanted to export out, but after I exported about 5 different ways I still ended up with all the files names I did not want, which befuddled me no end.  I have not been able to edit that info out of the .obj file as of yet.  Any place to send us for a tut on that? or can ya give us the magical clue maybe? /smiles......

But that other part in tgd2 is a bug at any rate.  We should be able to go in and select the ones we want instead of being stuck with the first 16 that comes in that's just dumb, and very big bug to not be able to do that in a drop down list that says we should be able to. Better if it was not there, but it is, so maybe they will that part for us at least.

  Could you maybe give us a very quick tut on how you did that if you got all the model parts out OK? witch screen shots?  Which combo of check boxes do you check after you have selected the mesh you want to export? I am getting all the mesh no matter what I try to export.  Haha dang so close, yet so far from where we want to play /giggles.

DT

[DeathTwister]

Ya, but they basically have it all together if they would just tie the pieces together.  We can almost do this.  And while Vue has a powerful interface for models in general, I still think tgd2 can beat the pants of it in every dept, if they would just fix the texture/mesh limit.  It should not be that hard, they almost have it now.  And I really do not like Vue all that much in some ways, very good in others.

  But I was using Poser models as an example, look at the space stations and space ships and well frankly any models I create weather Poser or hand made in Max/XSi we still need to add them to the mix. Hardly one model I have created can I get into tgd2.  I have to create them from scratch as my old modeling does not work in tgd2.  And that is so very limiting.  I do not want to use Vue, I have that, I bought tgd2 as I think it can beat the pants of Vue down the road.  I was the only person that entered TGD2 entries in the NSS 2009 Space Calender this year, most were all done in Poser/Daz and Bryce.  And tgd2 is so much better then any of those apps, it just blows my mind no one at PlanetSide can see that?  Anyway probably will not win or place, but at least I tried /smiles..... and PlanetSide gets some cool PR in the bargin.

Anyway all they really have to do is fix that bug in the select window so other parts will render if selected and we would be happy artists I think. It has been sitting there staring at us in the face, and we can get some work done if that bug is fixed soon.

  Why not fix this little bug with the full release? it couldn't be that hard to fix could it?

And I know Oshyan says PlanetSide may never support Poser yada yada yada, not asking them to, just allow us to bring in our own models that we make is all I want, that we have made, not poser, but that is the same thing as an .obj is a .obj after all.

DT

[rcallicotte]

After I have the object file where I want it (I use PoseRay for this), I go to the correct MTL associated with this object file and edit it.  I put only textures I want at the top, careful to not mess up any of the needed syntax.  Then I save the file.  THEN, I import it into TG2.  After that, I check everything to make sure the textures come through (etc.) and then I save it as a TGO.  Then I save the TGO in a secret folder in my Swiss Bank account.   

Calico how did you select them to get the top 16 the way you want?  I could not get it to do that no way
DT

[rcallicotte]

I agree as long as what is important is finished first.

Why not fix this little bug with the full release? it couldn't be that hard to fix could it?

DT

[peejay]

Hey Death Twister

the bit you are missing is the need to edit the .mtl file. It's just a text file and can be edited in any text editor. I use Edit Pad, but there are loads around, and you can even do it notepad at a push.

To recap:
1) load your model and textures into Poser -
2) Pose it
3) Export as .obj selecting only the body parts you want. The Millenium dragon will split nicely into Wings, Body(including legs), and Head.
4)Choose a body part, eg: Head (or whatever you called it)
5) Open the Head.mtl file that has just been made ('cos when you export as .obj, Poser will automatically create a corresponding .mtl), and make sure that the names for the body parts you want correspond exactly to the entries in the Head.obj file. The .obj can be opened and viewed in a text editor as well. You can then edit the entries in the .mtl file to make sure they match the .obj, and delete the entries to the body parts that you do not want.
6) Do this for the other body parts, and they will then import with all the textures

http://excalibur.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1462333

is an example of the Millenium Dragon in TG2

[DeathTwister]

Thanks Calico for that, I don't use PoserRay, but have it, so I guess I will muddle through it.  Unless I can edit the .mtl file in notepad?  how you editing the .mtl file in poserRay or in notepad? notpad would be good as I have all 3 files now, just need to edit out what I do not want imported in.  I iz not a programmer, but I think I can do that hahahahaha, is that the trick then? Thanks for the info bro, good to know and I will get these in yet. so will check it all out a bit later.

  Going to town now will check posts when I get back then try this out and see if I can get it to do my bidding ROTFL.  ah I see, KK thanks brother, U da Ogre /smiles.....

DT

[rcallicotte]

Here's my mini-pipeline -

1.  Create my setup with my object (let's say in Daz|Studio)
2.  Export the object for Maya and make sure it exports maps
3.  Open this new object in PoseRay
4.  I check the materials are all in place.
5.  I go to the Groups tab and select Calculate Normals and hit Update
6.  I save it as a different named object so I don't get confused by adding something at the end of it (like _1)
7.  I open this newly saved object with Wordpad and move my textures I want to the top (for example, Miki 2 has about 17 objects so I move the one I don't care about, like the inside of the mouth, to the bottom of the list)
8.  Save the MTL
9.  Open this new object (remember it's the one in which I just changed the name) in TG2
10. Check my textures in TG2 and then save it as a TGO
11.  Delete the object file in TG2 (not on the hard drive) and then open up the new TGO

Voila!

[DeathTwister]

OOh very cool Calico, I like it.  Ok here is how I figured it works for me anyway.  OK I was in Poser as an example, so split the model into 4 groups, one for each texture:
Head
Body
Wings
eyes
then I exported them out as a .obj/.mtl files.  Now I am lazy as I did not want to go into PoserRay since I don't know it that well (note to self, get to know it better) But you got me thinking that it should be allot easier then going through all those steps so instead I right clicked on the .mtl file and opened it with Word Pad and just edited out the files I did not want, Ya I know that is called hacking, but my programmer partner been teaching me a taste of that chit so I went in and edited all the files and then brought them into tgd2.  Now I have not saved the file as a .tgo yet, good idea and trick and I will do that, just for building data base stuff right? kinda like building a bank of models that you can grab like X Frog stuff to cool.  Anyway here is what I came up with and thanks so much Calico and the rest for helping us all out. /smiles....

OK have fun guys and Gals and thanks so much again, it gives me allot to work with now.  But PlanetSide still needs to fix that fracking bug when they do the full release, I'll wait a week or so extra if they need it.  My programmer thinks it is funny they have not dealt with it yet, we have no SDK to look at, but it can't be that herd we are thinking to get models to work right with what they almost already have in place.  I wait, watch, and see.
Side Note, I usually Model in Max or XSI, as exporting .obj's and .mtl's out of Max sucks, so I take all models to XSi and export them out from there, no matter where I build them as they have killer .obj exports as good as X Frog or Poser/Daz.  So my Fix should and will work for those Apps as well, so all in all a very cumbersome Workaround don't ya think? but at least we can get people and other critters and buildings now into tgd2.
PS: better hurry up and help us out here pretty soon before us artists explode Ka BOOM......lolololol

DT

[rcallicotte]

DT, this looks a lot better.

[JimB]

I've got Poser as well (see my avatar, Dementis), and I just stumbled across this guy's freeware apps, which look to be very useful:
http://www.castironflamingo.com/home/index.html

He also has a parametric terrain editor for Bryce, but perhaps there's a way to convert?

[rcallicotte]

Thanks, Jim.  Not sure about the Bryce editor.  If I have time, I'll look at it today.