I need a Samurai Texturer and UVMapper towork with me on this project. I Asked eLusions/Moyra first, because she'd expressed interest, but her plate is full and she doesn't have time. I'm looking at LaurieA's stuff, because I was told she's looking for a project, but I'd like to see a closer example than Renderosity marketplace images before I say yes to anyone. I'm fine at texturing and very good at Materials settings (and I want someone who is willing to work *with* me in this area, especially the metal parts), but but I'm not the best at UVMapping things. The figure in the image is blocked out because I can't show him. You can guess who he would be if you could see him B^) This will be a commercial project and we can work out how to split up the loot once I decide on someone. This also needs to be done relatively quickly. There's more to it than this. The texturer should be able to deal with intricate detail as the armour is to be made from Japanese lamellar. There will be an extra conforming layer just over the surface of the lamellar to allow for the lacing to have a different reflection level in P4, but versions should be made with the lacing directly on the core tecture, too, for lower-poly use (like if they have a lot of reptiles fighting a lot of Samurai-i-i-i, apologies to Mr. Elfman B^)

Here's the part of the trousers done so far in Max, aagin with any visible skin blacked out.

Here's the wireframe fothe cloth, so it's not going to be super-simple to straighten out the UVMap... I'm not saying this is going to be a cakewalk. This should be safe on the image because I can't make out what wires are what in the non-cloth parts, and I know what 'm looking for. Besides, if I can't make out what's what, I can't edit it out.

Jesus, what does it take to get people to at least look at the damned thread?

I am of no use to you as a mapper or texturizer... but I will be your customer ... if this is for Mike3 ;)

L It's for the invisible man, as of the moment. whoever may be invisible. B^)

title the thread M3 clothing, come see new costume! then people will come in droves hahaha! LaurieA's stuff is top quality, love her texturing jobs if you can get her then she'd do a fabulious job. Hemut did a Samuri head dress over at PoserStyle, think it's in free stuff. I don't know if he textured it or who did, but you might want to hunt him down and ask him. my 2 cents

Still looking for a texturer? dave

Here's what I'm-a gonna do... as soon as I get this trouser leg all the way around (not grouped or anyting, just modelled and fitting), I am going to put up the leg by itself online and IM each person who's interested or that I really want based on what I see in the MP. It will be un-UVMapped, untextured, just an OBJect file. Each potential texturer will do their best and of those who get back to me with a textured (doesn't have to be beautiful, just coherent) OBJect and map, I'll pick the best one. Sound good?

sure

You're so loquacious.

I think I can help drop me a line whenever you want cheers

About 3/4 of the way aroudn the leg, then only the fitting into the Sune-ate at the bottom and filling up the top to cover any private areas that might show. Oh man, fabric is slow to model -- at least when you do it my way. But it looks pretty damned good. B^)

How are you modeling it? I find it best to UV map before I subdivide, smooth, deform etc. The cylinder on the left started by getting cylindrical mapping. The UV data is carried on through the modeling process to the "baggy trouser leg" on the right. I'd hate to have to start with the model on the right and try to get back to a uniform cylindrical map.

I'm not subdividing, deforming, or anything. I'm putting vertices in place and connecting them to make polys.

So UV mapping the model early on when it is in its rough uncomplicated state would not help you then? Even though the UV mapping would carry through to the final complex model.

We all model differently, if my method is not applicable then no worries, just pitch it.

hm... I would probably take the job. But straightening these pants would be more than just a pain in the ass. Why don't you redo the whole pant with simple subdivision-surfaces?

So where are we on this? Thought I had put my hat in the ring, but hadnt heard anything. Thanks, Dave

My guess is the figure you're making this for is the figure that you're making yourself. C'mon _dodger, show us a little skin!

So UV mapping the model early on when it is in its rough uncomplicated state would not help you then? Even though the UV mapping would carry through to the final complex model. Nope. It wouldn't even be possible. It's done with lofts, each of which would have their own seperate UVMap which would make no sense to the final shape. But no worries, mate. Dave: I got a headache last night and had to stop on finishing the trouser leg which I'm needing for auditions. GF: Nope, it's not for the figure I'm making myself. That one, he's a bit too -- err -- vertically challenged to be a proper samurai B^)

Once we designate a task as impossible we cease trying. We then have the problem of how to reveal the possible without coming over as a "smart alec", or "proving a point". I trust that you will take the information in the spirit in which it is given.

Right, but, see, that's what I'm saying That's not how I build it at all. I am not making this from a single loft. I'm making it from a collection of lofts following the contours of the peaks. See the wireframe. The lofts are created by sending a single small curve along the the path spline for each 'line' of peak in the folds. The seperate lofts are then stitched together (for close ones) or vertices are interpolated and polys manually added (for the larger gaps). The technique allows for much more detailed and accurate fabric folds, but isn't a UVMapper's friend by any means. Were I to generate UV co-ordinates for each loft, there would be a heap of overlapping UVMaps that would distort anyway because the maps would be square for curved lofts. I do think I have a fairly good idea of how to make a reasonably even UVMap after modelling, though. I'm thinking that if I take a copy of the OBJect and Relax the hell out of it it'll flatten out evenly enough that I should get a minimum of distortion on the patterning when the same UV co-ordinates are applied to the unrelaxed mesh. It's worth a try anyway. Anyhow, I just finished off the 'top' of one trouser leg and only have to tuck in the bottoms more accurately (and add little bits of cloth wherever I may have forgotten them) and I'll have the 'demo' leg to send to people. Phil, shall I send you the link so's you can try your hand at it, too? -- Dodger

BTW, Phil, allow me to state I'm not trying to prove you wrong or anything. Believe me, I'd like nothing more than for you to be right at the moment (even though UI'm done with the modelling of this leg almost). It's just that with my technique, for which well over 30% of the polygons don't even exist at the start, I can't imagine a way to get UVW co-ordinates in there. Generating UVW co-ordinates with the loft won't generate accurate ones. I'd go into a long dissertation/explanation of how my modelling technique works, but that would really be getting OT from Poser and would belong in the Max or Modelling forum. But yes, if there were a way to UVMap accurately beforehand, I'd be all for it and I'd have already applied it.

OK I got both OBJ's, I'm guessing that the second one got cylindrical mapping. As it turns out its not as bad as I expected and in my view will prove to be quite acceptable. Drop round for a beer sometime and we can arm wrestle over the finer points of modeling and mapping [big grin].

*L* Yup, I was sort of surprised myself that it worked out as well as it did. I completely accidentally got the seam in theback to line up. I only had to move a few vertices (and thank goodness Max's Unwrap UVW modifier lets you do a few little things UVMapper doesn't B^) This picture shows right along the back seam, and except up by the bum (which is to be hiden under armour), it's invisible! Heck, I might do this myself after all. (I'll wait to see if someone knocks my socks off, though)

This is the texture I stuck on it, BTW. The seams in the texture are dueto (from what I can tell) the folding of the fabric to reinforce it (that's what it looks like). All the japanese brocades I could find did this.

Wait, that wasn't the seam side. Dammit. Wait, not dammit. Good. Heh. I can't find the bloody seam B^)