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Old 13th August 2008, 08:57 PM   #1
lisa
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Default AC3D\SL Tutorial: Two Shapes, One Sculpted Prim

A lot of people have asked me how to make AC3D export two shapes using only one sculpted prim. The trick is to use degenerate triangles to connect your shapes. (Those triangles that turn light blue inside AC3D.)

If you've never done anything like this before, here's a tutorial:
http://www.independentdeveloper.com/...-from-one-prim

Enjoy.
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Old 16th August 2008, 10:11 PM   #2
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Default Re: AC3D\SL Tutorial: Two Shapes, One Sculpted Prim

Thanks for posting this, I have to try this out. I was really wondering how it was done. So you have to make two objects and do you weld them together? I know in blender, people were doing it with just one shape so that's where it was a bit confusing to me.
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Old 19th August 2008, 02:56 PM   #3
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Default Re: AC3D\SL Tutorial: Two Shapes, One Sculpted Prim

You can start with one shape and squish it into two; or start with two shapes and merge the uvs into one. However you want to do it.
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Old 20th August 2008, 12:06 AM   #4
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Default Re: AC3D\SL Tutorial: Two Shapes, One Sculpted Prim

Do you just select both and merge? I tried that, but I noticed the TCE is off. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

I can do it in blender easy, but I rather at all costs stick to AC3D. I can't use blender for everything and it's just not as good in my opinion. So i'm trying to get it working in AC3D, which can be tough, at least for me.
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Old 22nd August 2008, 09:05 PM   #5
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Default Re: AC3D\SL Tutorial: Two Shapes, One Sculpted Prim

After you merge, you need to remap the texture coordinates. You need to use the UV Map button or the buttons in the panel on the left hand side of the TCE to wrap it.
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Old 23rd August 2008, 07:01 PM   #6
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Default Re: AC3D\SL Tutorial: Two Shapes, One Sculpted Prim

I think this part is the most confusing. Under remap you have top, bottom, right etc. Unless the newer version I didn't upgrade too because I didn't want to move my sculpt folder over, has more options to do this better.
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Old 23rd August 2008, 07:09 PM   #7
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Default Re: AC3D\SL Tutorial: Two Shapes, One Sculpted Prim

The UV map button with the other options on it is on the "Tools" menu. If you don't have it your version, you can download the plugin from here: http://supercoldmilk.com/ac3dplug/uvmap.html

That should give you the cylindrical and spherical unwrap options.
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Old 24th August 2008, 09:49 PM   #8
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Default Re: AC3D\SL Tutorial: Two Shapes, One Sculpted Prim

Hey Lisa, thanks. I downloaded it. I'm not sure what to check in the boxes to get it to map right. I made a box and places it. selected it and tried both spherical and cylindrical mapping but it's not doing it correctly. Is there a video that shows you what to check off in the menu?
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Old 25th August 2008, 08:41 AM   #9
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Default Re: AC3D\SL Tutorial: Two Shapes, One Sculpted Prim

The page where you downloaded the plugin from has some pictures of the different mapping modes that help explain it better.

Here are a couple of videos showing people using the TCE, these might help too:

http://www.inivis.com/ac3d/tutorials...mall2.swf.html

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...LGhcztDA&hl=en

Boxes are tricky to spherical wrap. (Square peg in round hole, so to speak. ) You'll need to make cuts in the corners of the box to do it. If you look at the example box that comes with the sculpty plugin, you can see how it was mapped.

Another trick if you are having trouble visualizing what you see in the TCE is to use a "utility texture", basically a texture that makes overlapping faces and things more obvious. Here are the three most useful utility textures I use--not just for SL, but for *all* texturing:

- UV Ruler. The numbers on this texture show the texture coordinates in UV space. Each dark line is .1 apart in uv space. Each minor line is .01. This is useful for looking at a model and seeing how much space is assigned to an area.

- Gradient. Make sure you can read the text. If the text is broken up or mirrored, then you know you have some of your surfaces in the wrong place or facing the wrong way in the TCE. For sculpties especially, you should be able to read the word "test" smoothly all the way around the object if you have it mapped correctly.

- Checkboard. This texture helps visualize how the texture space is distributed. More texture space means smaller checkers, less texture space gives you larger checkers. The more square and less rectangular the checkers, the less warping you have as well.

Apply these texture to your model as you work to help you see your layout more clearly. If you are using subdivisions, don't forget to click Edit > Refresh Subdivisions in the TCE to make sure that the texture coordinates get updated in the main view, otherwise your changes might not show up.
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Old 27th August 2008, 07:29 PM   #10
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Default Re: AC3D\SL Tutorial: Two Shapes, One Sculpted Prim

I'm almost getting this. That TCE is a massive struggle. I can do this in blender but at LOD 2 you see those triangles connecting. I got a couple to work with the regular sculpty cube and no triangles at even LOD 1 but I really rather do this with the cube, which is where I get lost. it's not in the modelling process, just that TCE. You must want to shoot me by now
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