Looking for comments/help/suggestions on this dragon texture I am tinkering with. This texture is for the Dragon Vio (remapped ZDragon) sorry, cant remember the Name of the creator. His version fixes the 'stretched' texture across the face of the Dragon. TMG

The key with scaly animals is non uniformity escpecially in the facial features. This can only be accomplished by hand painting the pattern to fit the animals face. The next is lowering the contrast of the scale lines. Most scaled animals are the same color, there is no befining color seperating the scales so the seperation lines should be nearly the same color as the scales. Actulally, for the best effect the color map should only contain the various color subtleties. The scale pattern should be drawn and applied as a bump map. This would most closely replicate the true testure of the critter. Lots of work? sure! but the effects are worth it. Combine with a accurate specularity map and Wham you have a killer surface. aif you extracted the crosshatch pattern from your texture, and left the dragon with just you color scheme, then applied the crosshatch as a bump map you will see much more realistic results. Also you need to vary the scale frequency, size and shape over different parts of the bidy. This is critical especially on the head,

I understand what you are saying, thanks for the advise! The crosshatch you see is actually roundish scales in the texture. Now, is it better to let poser create a Bump or is it better to use Photoshop to make a 'negative' for use as a bump map? What gives the best result? Also, what is the best way to use UVMapper to remap a character for use in poser. Do you have to the new UV mapped texture AND the OBJECT? and/or UV coordinates? I want to try to resolve to 'stretching on the arms and legs and bottom of the hands and feet. Thanks for your reply (and hopefully more)! TMG

Forgot to ask, what is the best method for creating a good specularity map? Thanks Again? TMG

My friend! Good to see you using that file. The creator is Marc Viau, otherwise known as Viomar, and he made the remapped version for me since I love the dragon so and was having all this aweful stretching going on. Viomar left the scene for a while last year because he was diagnosed with a terrible brain tumor. He had an operation to remove it in december and was clinically dead for 20 minutes and not expected to ever regain consciousness. Well, miracles do happen because four weeks later and woke up and now he is up to speed and getting back to creating great models and he and I WILL be teaming up as we'd wanted. Unfortunately, his website was removed when it was thought he would not make it. He is planning to reconstruct his website as well. He will be so pleased that you are using his remap!!!!! My only suggestion for your creations is to make the scales on the head just a little bit smaller than those on the body. Though what I see above is extremely good and I look forward to the finished version! Sincerely yours! Liz Pope Dreamspinner Inc.

Hey! TMG! You read my Mind! I was actually considering fixing the "stretching on the Arms, legs, etc... also! if, you're willing to wait a week or so, i shall have it ready to D/L! I'm anxious to see the Final result of your Endeavor with this Great looking Texture!! Later! Marco

Thanks you both for your replies! And thanks to the "Maker" that you, Viomar, are still with us! I am sorry to hear of your suffering, but I am sure and hope all will be well. I cant wait for your newly remapped Dragon texture! I mostly scrapped the one above and I am working on another. I will primarily be a BUMP map to go over any texture/color map. I will post a WIP soon if you like. I am and always will be an avid Dragon Lover! Ever since as a young young boy I found out I was born under the sign of the Dragon. Kinda really sounds korny huh? But, nonetheless, I am infactuated with Dragons. Thanks again for the reply's TMG

Oh! BTW, It's always better to create your own Bump Map in Pshop! I just turn my primary Texture to a Greyscale and just play a little with the contrast... As for UVMapping, well, you should experiment! Cause, each case is different! As an example, i used "Box" mapping for the Head and Tongue of the Dragon! But, for the Legs and Arms, i might try to fix by creating more groups to the areas that need fixing and then just use "planar" mapping on these new areas... I'll tell you once it's done how i went about it! And, you might check Dmentia's Site! She has also done a terrific "remapping" of it! http://www.silverleifstudios.com/gallery/ Check the "download" Button at bottom left! She also did some great textures... I know Bubba did a terrific texture for my remapped version. Check the Freestuff area... Also, Liz Pope did 3 of them! You'll have to ask her about them, since they were on my site(which is Gone!) :-( Hope this Helps you! Marco

Hey thanks for the info, I will check these sites out now. We must be telepathic, 'cause I was going to ask you if it was possible to make a map for each part, i.e., arms, legs, tail, etc. - kinda like vickie uses one for the head and body. Would that be too much? Or would it make for a great texture base? Cant wait for your remaped texture!!!! Thanks Again, TMG

Indeed! I was contemplating this idea of seperate maps for the Head, Wings, Body, ... :-) The only drawback i see of doing it this way, is that the Texture makers will have to scale each one, so that each part ligns up neatly. But, hey! If they can do it with Vicky, then it's possible! I'm going to start tonight on it! I'll send you a Beta version once i fell it's working. So, you can tell me what to fix... Later TMG! Marco

OK, sounds great! I need a little help with something.... Im using Mr. Cox's UVMapper (current version 25c); when im done all I get is a nice 'ol OBJ 'PROP'! How do I create a new posable Obj to go with the new texture map?? Or how do I import the new Obj into Poser like yours? Thanks Man.... TMG

ok! First of all, my new Remapping is ready to Beta Test! Second, in UVMapper, once you're done with remapping things around, you save your model(different name then the original!!). Then you open the .cr2 in "Cr2Editor" and just change this line: (it appears twice! Change them both) "figureResFile :Runtime:Geometries:Dragon:blDragon.obj" to "figureResFile :Runtime:Geometries:Dragon:blDragonVio01.obj" (For course that's just an Example!, If you saved your new .obj to a different folder in Geometries, then make sure to change that info also!) And just save your new .CR2 to a different name! Et Voila!! Hope my quick tut was clear for you??? Here's my email: viomar@sympatico.ca Cause, i need to send you the files for beta testing! And i did it the same as my firt one, meaning, you'll need UVMapper to import the .uvs file!! Later! Marco

I've been using the wing as a separate map for a while. Nothing fancy, just white out the rest of the body and save as a wing map. Now on UVMapper. You bring in your obj and do whatever mapping you like. Save the obj a with a new name...I usually use the original name and just put a 2 after it. Save it into the same folder in Geometries as the original obj. Okay, the FUN part (sarcasm). Copy the cr2 (I use Windows Explorer) to another location to work on it. Change the ending cr2 to txt. Yeah, you read that right. Now open a word processor, I use Word 97. A cr2 file is simply a big text file. First off the bat you'll see the reference to the obj that the cr2 'points' to. Use Word's Search and Replace function. Have it search for all of the original obj names and replace it with the new name of the obj you just mapped. Usually there are only one or two references in a whole cr2 for the obj. After that, for fun if you like, have it search for "Figure 1", and replace that with the name of your file, like "ZDragon2" maybe. That way the new figure will come into the studio with that name instead of the old 'Figure 1'. Now, save the text file. Change the name of the text file and change the txt ending back to cr2. Copy and Paste into your library folder. Open Poser. Navigate to that library spot. You'll have the old 'shrugger'. Easily solved. Double click the Shrugger and in comes your new figure linked to your remapped obj. Resave file to get a thumbnail in the library. Whallah! Liz Pope Dreamspinner Inc.

So, yah got the Canadian tutorial and the Texan tutorial! I just received the new Beta Dragon and got it installed. Now to make some texture maps and see how it renders! Liz Pope Dreamspinner Inc.

Well Both of these tuts are great! Thank you both! Ive just Emailed Viomar for the BETA test, cant wait to see it! Thanks Again! TMG

Now an additional question concerning texture maps...... You say, "...just white out the rest of the body and save as a wing map." Would this be the same texture map with the same sized 'wing'? Or can the wing take up the whole space and be used? Im still learning how to manipulate UV coordinates. My ultimate goal is to create a separate map for each body area for greater detail overall. Is this a shot in the dark or what? Any theories? I am also looking for textures on the 'Net that show detail on Lizard skin or snake skin. I am looking to make a base realistic color, then apply a Bump map (scales) to it. Also, is there any way to make the bump map in Poser more prominent? I.E.-only goes up to +100% ?? Sorry for so many questions, I just want to make a highly detailed, highly realistic texture map for the ZDragon, to be put in the FreeStuff area (of course!) Thanks Again for all your input! TMG

Yes, Liz was taking about the same texture... The only reason you'd do that, is so you could switch lets say only the Wing Portion of the Dragon while keeping the rest. (since the Wings use the Same Texture, But, with the rest "White", the Size of the Texture will be greatly reduced! :-)) The only way to make an element like a face or Wings take up more space in a texture(Thus, having a Higher Definition) is to remap the Object... Which is what i did! It's coming your way shortly! :-) Marco

How does the dual texture for Vicky work then? 1 face and 1 body? Please enlighten me on the technical aspects of this for I am lacking in that particular area right now!! :>

Well, that one uses the same technique as my New Dragon Map! What i do is select one area at a time in UVMApper. Let's say the Face: well, to work without affecting the rest, i just hide all the others sections.(Or "Hide Facets") then i resize and or use a different mapping for the head. Once i'm satisfied, i save the "Template" just as is with "Exclude Hidden Facets". Then i continue with the rest. Once it's all done, i have to Unhide all the Sections, and then i can save the new OBJ! If you load the "Vicky" obj in UVMapper, you'll notice that all the sections are overlapping! :-)) Marco

So, using this method would entail 10+ texture maps to be used with the Dragon? Assigning each one to the relevant body part? Like Vickie. Hmmmm (Thoughts rapidly multiplying in my head.....) :> TMG

Yeap! It's great for figures that have "interchangeable" Parts! :-) Or for those special projects where you really need a "High Detail" level for your renders... Marco

Hmmm - (Pondering) 1 tex for the face, 1 tex for the mouth and tongue, 1 tex for the palms of feet, 1 tex for the teeth.....etc.etc... (Whew! Lots of work ahead!) TMG

Well, don't get carried away!! The more texures your model requires, the More RAM you will need! I have 512 megs, and sometimes it's not enough! Blame it on the "poor" Poser use of Memory!! Marco

I got 640meg mem with a AMD800... Does pretty good....17 meg textures slow it down a bit though, especially when there are 4-5 different ones loaded! hehe