Okay - a problem I had with my last rendering was the textures I could use. As I have said, I have been working on making custom textures for my models to give them a little more life likeness. However, i'm having problems getting Bryce to map my texutres correctly. The above picture is an example of what I mean. The bottom Left picture gives a perfect example of the texture "warping" at the top and bottom of a cyclinder (and even a square)... I can't get the texture to map without it warping out of size, shape and manner. The Top right is totally wrong, but I get that effect a lot while attempting to make this work The bottom right looks nice, but is again not what I'm after. Mainly - why are they wrapping and not mapping the texures correctly? I have changed the way it maps to the object (and not just this texture either) and no matter what I try, it will work either on the sides of the object correctly, or, the top/bottom of the object correctly - but not both. I really need help with this one - because a LOT of my models can't be completed until I figure out why it isn't mapping correct, and not strecthing the top/bottom (or sides depending on texutre mapping setting). tracy-ann

I can't tell for sure, are you mapping to 'World Space'? I just did a test with a cylinder and 'Diamond Plate' texture from the 'Miscellaneous' category. I had to change to 'World Space' and rotate the z-axis +15 degrees to get the sides right. On the ends the material looked different - but not distorted. Since the ends of your model is rounded, you might try making the ends as separate pieces, which could be mapped independently. Hope this helps.

Can you "break up" a model in Bryce so that you can mapp to it independently, or should I start designing all my models now with independently mappable surfaces... Wouldn't be too hard to do, and should just be able to do it with Surface Explode on Rhin (I hope) but it will cause more mesh creation which will slow down performance a hell of a lot. tracy-ann

There are a couple of possibilities, usually when I try this type of mapping I select "Parametric" or parametric scaled. It looks to me that this is a 2d pic that was made in another program(like Photoshop) if it's not, the you may have to delve deeper into the DTE thats right the dreaded Deep Teexture editor. (not really It's fun to play in)being a very powerfull tool ,subtle and drastic changes can be made there. try opening the 3 dilogs in the DTE "Noise" "Phase" and "filter". notice the 1D,2D, and 3D, dots at the bottom of the dialogs. if it says 1D or 2D that May be your prollem, click the 3D dot and select "Paremetric" as your mapping mode. hope this helps Good luck Please reply either way Thanx Hawkfyr

No - these a importanted materials, so therefore you don't get the DTE. Even with the DTE - I is still impossible so it appears to have a texture work so it doesn't warp, or when you load over the other surface. You can only appear to have it right on one side (top/bottom or sides). This just sucks big time, i have been playing with this for over 2 days now, and still nothing. Read the manual (what a bloody joke!) and even emailed MC now to get their info on it (especially since I bought version 2 and 3 of this program) it appears the only way I am ever foing to get this working is to explode my models to allow for a top/bottom surface and a side surface - but it won't allow me to do it as a whole model :(

Thats too bad TracyAnn, BTW you dont have to go into the DTE to change the Mapping Mode. Did you try "Parametric" or Parametric scaled" as your mapping mode? Also this is a good tutorial page for Bryce users http://petersharpe.com/Tutorials.htm The very first tutorial an this page "Dressing up the DXF" Shows how to make your own textures in Photoshop or other 2d graphics program, I've tried it and it works, You have to do "Mask" rendering ,then "Paint" it in Photoshop. Dont give up yet, at least tryi this first. Good Luck Hawkfyr

Okay - that way of creating custom skins is great - if you you have just got one layer to edit... ie, looking at the DXF you have only a top and a bottom which is important. however, if you have something like I have above, it needs to be "larger" then the model (so it appears) to allow wrapping. I think the only really good way for me to do custom models and textures is to make each face mappable... means more memory and hard drive space to make it (and slower) but I'm kinda a perfectionist, and hate compromissing with programs (and microsoft hate me for that ^_^) Yes I have tried every mode of mapping in Bryce so far - and I swear, unless there is a secret to how to do it - I can't get a custom texture, or one premade my people far better then I, to mapp in such away that it is the same on the top.. bottom... and sides. It always maps them differently ... I know there is a way of doing it in 3dMax because I used that last week at a friends... however, I can't seem to figure out how to do it with Bryce 3 OR 4. tracy

Mapping is the key here. You would be better off building your model in a 3d model program them importing it as a obj this way you could map it just the way you want. Spike

I do - I build the models in Rhino3d, then export it to OBJ with Mesh about half way on... I then import it into Bryce as a OBJ, but it is still doing it. tracy-ann

You will need to make some maps for your objects. Try UV Mapper. and then place your images on the new maps. Does this make any sence? Spike

Sorry Spike - no it doesn't... I downloaded UV Mapper, and can't for out for the life of me how to use it... I load up a OBJ file from Rhino into UV Mapper, and get a VERY VERY VERY flat image of lots of lines which goes on outside the extents of my monitor (which is in 1280x1024 anyway) tracy-ann

What you saw in UV MApper is normal. Go read the "how to" from Steve Cox http://home.pb.net/~stevecox/index.html It's the second one I think. This will give you a UV map that you can use. Now take that UV map into a paint program (I use Photoshop)and apply your textures to the UV map. then save that image under a new name. now it's time to import it into Bryce. go read my tutorial on this http://mindspring.com/~zonefive/ under tutorials. Yes it is for Poser objects but you should get the idea. Hope this helps. Spike

Spike you have been a great help... I am going to redo some of my older models with UVMapper, to get a little more of the feel I wanted from them... I will get back to you if there are any problems... but I think I understand what UVMapper is doing - which is pretty much cutting the model down the middle and flattening it out... thanks again hugs tracy-ann

You are more than welcome! Yes UV Mapper is doing that if you set it to planer. After you get the hang of the textures for your models try making some bump and reflection maps. Sometimes it's best to select by name in UV Mapper and remap different parts of the model using different modes. Good luck Spike

then I suppose you map only that part in a certain way within bryce - very good idea... a texture for each part... might take up memory but it is a great way to get the best look...

Uh... No When you made youe model in Rhino did you give each part a different name? If so when you are in UV Mapper you can select by nane and move that selection to a new place on the screen and resize it and then remap just that selection to a different type of uv map. Don't forget to save your new obj and map from UV Mapper. Then bring that new map into Photoshop and texture it. Then in bryce you select your whole obj and apply the one uv map to it. I don't have much time these days but I will try and help you as much as I can. Spike

Yes I did give each group different names -(IE layer one and layer two etc etc) However, it isn't keeping that grouping when I import into UV - so I have to move each part of the model and not groups.... (LOT of groups when You think of about 100 parts to a model ship I jsut made) tracy

> Quote - You will need to make some maps for your objects. Try UV Mapper. and then place your images on the new maps. Does this make any sence? Spike

Actually it does make a lot of sense because I have been using UV Mapper myself to map some rose objects that I made with Plant Studio and it does make all the difference!

I'm attaching a copy of one of my rose samples which I used in conjunction with the UV Mapper - although the rose object isn't completely mapped you can see where it does make the rose object look more realistic.

Quote - Sorry Spike - no it doesn't... I downloaded UV Mapper, and can't for out for the life of me how to use it... I load up a OBJ file from Rhino into UV Mapper, and get a VERY VERY VERY flat image of lots of lines which goes on outside the extents of my monitor (which is in 1280x1024 anyway) tracy-ann

I have to tell you that I felt the very same way when I first started UV Mapper!  But I took my time - it can get quite tedious - BUT after using the program for a while you will find that you will be able to make some interesting-looking maps for your objects!  It just takes some time and patience.