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Texture mapping

A

abax2000

Messages
216
Sorry if this a totally silly question, but I couldn't find my way through it.

There is an object that is textured by a part of a texture file. How can it be modified so it gets textured by another part of the same texture file?
Is there any way to do this in ModelConverterX?

I was looking in Material Editor and could not find any relevant setting
 
Hi,

ModelConverterX has no functionality to modify the mapping of textures. You can only edit settings of a material.
 
How this could be accomplished, preferably with a "user friendly" tool?


Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
 
You would normally do that in the tool that the object was designed in. I'm not aware of tools that can edit the texture mapping afterwards.
 
You could with Gmax or 3ds Max but it's a heap of work and I don't think you'd call it user-friendly.

The shorter answer is no, in practice.
 
It's exactly GMax and 3dsMax that I am trying to avoid.

Is there any chance that this capability could be added in ModelConverterX?:yikes:
 
Hi,

Every could happen, but it won't happen quickly. I'm quite busy with other things at the moment. Besides that I don't have the intention to make ModelConverterX a full editor to design objects.
 
ModelConverterX is currently a powerful tool, capable of advanced processing and tweaking; such an addition would be really groovy, especially for the "low end" home user (like me).

So if you have the time it would be great; but in the meantime, is there any basic tutorial on "touching up" (or drawing from scratch) simple textures ?
 
Your simple solution is to export from MCX to .3DS format. Make sure you save the textures to the same folder as the exported model. Now you can import your model into Sketch-Up textured as it was in MCX. SU is probably the easiest 3d program for manipulating textures, at least on this desk. you can paint textures, U and V stretch and you can simply project textures, just like Commissioner Gordon used to do with the Bat Signal. There's tutorials all over the web, I think I even posted one here, "projecting onto a sphere" or something. Once complete, save as a collada and back into MCX to finish whatever you'd intended.
 
I did the remapping with SU as suggested by =rk=.

The objects were two light poles from Jim Dhaenens (which, in his original file, were grey and I created a striped version also. I used the original texture provided, which does have a striped part).

What I notice now, is that the original items have a smoothed "rounded" look (both the poles and the lighting fixtures), while the objects I created have a polygonal look (pls see attached).
Could you advise on what I "broke" in process and how I can rectify?
 

Attachments

Open your original model in MCX and open the Object information window. In my image below, it is the lower window.

Capture.jpg


Record the number of triangles. I loaded one of my own models, in the image above it has 160 polygons - presumably all triangles. Now load your completed model and you will see it has at least as many, if not more triangles (if you added anything). You are probably missing that glossy lollipop shine Gmax applies to everything by default. Open the Material Editor window. In my image it is the window that has a small thumbnail of "mat00.jpg." In the "Colors" section, the Specular color controls the "gloss." Your model, full flat shine, is Specular 0, 0, 0, as is mine. Now open the original light pole - or just bring up it's window because you can run multiple instances of MCX - and notice that the specular color is 255, 255, 255, which corresponds to maximum gloss.
There is no provision to "soften edges" as there is in SU and even if you completely softened a SU model, imported into MCX it will look exactly the same until you actually add polygons. Your test is to take the original Dhaenens model, set specular to zero and compare the two.
 
Ok...
I corrected the material settings (according to the original), so now there are similar in reflections etc.
I ran "soften/smooth edges" in SU and now the pole is almost cylindrical, not as perfect as the original though. Probably needed a higher setting or something goes off when changing formats. Anyhow, it is more than ok now.

=rk= thanks again for your help. It is much easier to have a guidance when you dig into something new.
 
Consider that the "soften edges" function only affects the model within SU. It is a visual enhancement which I believe is intended to reduce perceived clutter from all the vertices that serve to represent a curved surface. I use it very sparingly to get a view of my intended results, because FSX does not place a black line on edges as does SU. You can disable this function by un-selecting View>Edge Style>Edges.

If you do add polygons to smooth your curves, then you need to carefully consider the ultimate effect. Perfectly curved surfaces, imo, will not replace the immersive experience that is lost when your sim drops below 20 FPS.
 
From the test I did following your lead, seems that "soften edge" had an effect on the object rendered in MCX and the sim (and not only in SU screen).
 
You can establish certainty by checking your triangle count. I do not intend to add edges when I soften because my sceneries have too much detail, effects, polygons, draw calls, whatever - as it is, so I am very concerned about frame rates. However, I do notice that in the SU model information window those values, edges and faces, go blank during the smooth operation, presumably as part of the calculation to present the new values after the smoothing completes.
 
The triangle count in MCX is slightly less than the original (don't know why).
What I do see is that the softening goes through in MCX and fs.
 
I have a plug-in called "Cleanup2" and it is very useful for removing lines, duplicate faces and unused textures. The "Fix Problems" button in the Model Info window works similarly but not as thoroughly. If it is set to scan on save as is default, the problems it removes often reduce the polygon count. If you performed this operation it would explain the lower number. I've also seen it make holes and rougher curves by removing "defective" faces from otherwise adequate FS models. The default FSX models, imo, are notorious for Z-fight flickering in places.
 
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