I'll also add WOW!!

I'm not able to find the link to download EZMAT

They're still working on it. Stay tuned to this bat channel!

ok, many thanks.

Hmm. This looks great! 

I see good possibilities for clothing items generated with Marvelous Designer: the completely flat and distortion-free UV maps (laid out as the pieces of fabric you use to seam it together), and then this tool to generate the fabric.  

BB is there anyway I can get hold of those plaid shaders you made? I swear I've tried to use Matmatic, but I obviously don't know what the hell I'm doing. I've tried to follow Robynsveils PDF tutuorial, but I can't even make the sample shader.

One reason why I'm really looking forward to EZMat.

I'm sure you can modify his shader that he shared in his post of Jan 12 10:32 pm?

That's what I'm hoping. I was initially hoping to get matmatic working so I can do some of this myself in the future. I don't know whether I'm just not following the instructions right or because they seem to be written for Windows and I'm on a Mac, which I didn't think would make any difference with Python, or what.

So I thought I'd go with plan B.

Any direct import feature for EZmat, so one can just paste some shaders that have been shared online, without needing to first save them manually in some folder that one does not remember where it is? E.g. paste some bagginsbill.com/shaders.txt into the tool and it will update the library with BB's latest magic?

EZMat has a helper script that will read any existing shader (that is in material room) and output a partial Python plugin that makes the same shader again. This is not the last step. At that point you have to change some of the lines to use parameters, and then you have to set up glue code to copy the parameters from the EZMat ui into the shader.

However - I'm working on a plugin that will make it a one-click to use EZ Mat UI on any of the shaders I made that use Parmatic-style (PM:something) parameter nodes I've been using for years.

Quote - That's what I'm hoping. I was initially hoping to get matmatic working so I can do some of this myself in the future. I don't know whether I'm just not following the instructions right or because they seem to be written for Windows and I'm on a Mac, which I didn't think would make any difference with Python, or what.

So I thought I'd go with plan B.

I'm happy to help in either way. I can give you a plaid shader, or I can help you make them (should happen in another thread, however).

Did you want the blue one I made like your post?

A, no manual steps please :)

Yes, please. I tried to convert the other one but it's not quite the same pattern.

Update: I have done more feature and bugfix work and am going to give SG a copy of the BBLoom plugin for testing. Progress!

looks like excellent work there BB - some nice examples on here too

I have a strong feeling after beta testing; the EZMat software developed by SnarlyGribbly is going to be the new revolutionary way to use Poser Materials.

Also it has huge amounts of possibilities that can keep expanding through plugin makers.

So whether you are a material user or a material developer there are exciting times ahead!

And also can a moderator make this thread a sticky please?  

:)

@snarly: generic feature request

While (re)writing the Poser Materials FAQ, a generic feature request pops up. It goes like this: various nodes, especially of the Scatter kind in the Special nodes list, offer a MaxError render speed vs quality setting. In other nodes a similar concept is available with a different parameter name.

I would like to be able to raise such a value (hi speed) for all such nodes in the scene, when I'm into making testrenders, and to reduce such a value (hi quality) overall when I'm into the final run. So I'd like a single generic speed vs quality slider.

In such a way that differences between individual nodes are kept intact somehow, that a neutral slider-setting (1 or 0) respects my original settings, and that all MaxError values remain in the 1.0 ... 0.0 range as required.

Possible?

am eager to try EZMat, as I need good leather and cloth for non-UV-mapped objs.

am also hoping EZMat will do hair shader (fresnel blend) with reflection, blinn (or other specular node), scatter et al.  like how ezskin works with texmaps and bumpmaps.

Quote - good leather and cloth for non-UV-mapped objs

I'm not doing that, so if that's what you're hoping for, forget it. A good UV mapping is required, i.e. the physical distance spanned by any given amount in UV space has to be the same. Boob sections cannot be stretched over the boob. Right angles must remain right angles.

I am truly astonished how many items do not have consistent UV spacing. Even new stuff from SM has really bad (almost pointless) UV mappings.

Cloth pieces are cut from real cloth, which is perfectly consistent in its arrangement of threads. If that's not how the UVs are set up, it looks like crap.

This is why I keep showing things on that one curtain prop - I have no clothing with a legit cloth-like UV mapping.

Try this. You may include this image (or derivatives) in freebies and products if you like.

yeah, now you mention it, I can use tile procedural on item (couch in poser pad).  should look good.

Quote - > Quote - good leather and cloth for non-UV-mapped objs

I'm not doing that, so if that's what you're hoping for, forget it. A good UV mapping is required, i.e. the physical distance spanned by any given amount in UV space has to be the same. Boob sections cannot be stretched over the boob. Right angles must remain right angles.

I am truly astonished how many items do not have consistent UV spacing. Even new stuff from SM has really bad (almost pointless) UV mappings.

Cloth pieces are cut from real cloth, which is perfectly consistent in its arrangement of threads. If that's not how the UVs are set up, it looks like crap.

Sometimes, a partial solution is to import an obj geometry in Blender (keeping vertex order), open the UV window and select UVs-> minimize stretch (ctrl-V)... then resaving the object, again keeping vertex order.  

Quote - G2Casual-DressPants - unhappy UV mapping, plus one material for cloth, leather, and metal. Bah.

This is why I keep showing things on that one curtain prop - I have no clothing with a legit cloth-like UV mapping.

I am also looking forward to this; being a Marvelous Designer user, MD's UV maps are laid-out exactly  the way the cloth would be cut for a real-world garment.  Keeping the texture from stretching is not a problem.

I always tortured my brain with matmatic, cause i never use it, i'm really impatient to use it with simplicity with ezmat :thumbupboth:

Quote - I am also looking forward to this; being a Marvelous Designer user, MD's UV maps are laid-out exactly  the way the cloth would be cut for a real-world garment.  Keeping the texture from stretching is not a problem.

I've seen some the UVs from MD - very nice - it is perfect.

I have heard there are some limits to what you can do with distribution of MD-generated garments, so if this is not legal, then forget it, but ... Can anybody who has MD make something (not from a pattern they sell or license - your own pattern) that you could legally give to me and I could use for test and demo? (I promise I would not redistribute - I have no interest. Just want to make demo pictures.) As I said, almost all the cloths I have from SM or other free sources really look bad and are not a complimentary display of my shaders.

For example, I'd love a legit looking suit coat or a dress. Doesn't even need to be rigged or anything - just some clothes to put cloth mats on and demo render.

Quote -
I've seen some the UVs from MD - very nice - it is perfect.

I have heard there are some limits to what you can do with distribution of MD-generated garments, so if this is not legal, then forget it, but ... Can anybody who has MD make something (not from a pattern they sell or license - your own pattern) that you could legally give to me and I could use for test and demo? (I promise I would not redistribute - I have no interest. Just want to make demo pictures.) As I said, almost all the cloths I have from SM or other free sources really look bad and are not a complimentary display of my shaders.

For example, I'd love a legit looking suit coat or a dress. Doesn't even need to be rigged or anything - just some clothes to put cloth mats on and demo render.

They have eased the restrictions quite a bit.   But I have the unrestricted version, so no problems there.  Give me a day or two and I'll get you something.  Looking for a 'tailored' outfit...with darts and such?  In other words, plenty of realistic detailing?

Here is a jacket that inspired me. It's not a complex garment. But it's real in a way that few Poser clothes look. Also, look at the workmanship in aligning the cloth pattern on the various pieces. If they can do that with real cloth, can't we do the same with obj files?

Anybody who gives me good demo props will, of course, get the BBLoom plugin for free!

My thanks to everyone who has helped keep this thread alive :-)

Real life dragged me away from EZMat for a week, but I have resumed development and will have a nice new update for testers this weekend (I have to fit in a real job too!), incorporating several requested enhancements.

I have to say that the BBLoom is awesome to play with, even though I only have a WIP version. It'd be worth getting EZMat for this one plugin alone :-)

Weave Pattern: Plain

Warp Sequence: 13k k(ab) 2e k(ab) k(2ab) k(ab) 2c k(ab) k(2ab)

Weft Sequence:

(I will also try for a women's suit coat, to match.  But that will be a few more days after the man's coat is done.)

Very nice! I notice only two things that I would have something to say about:

1. The lapels are bent and the cloth hugs the pectorals too much. But I suppose that's just simulation settings.

2. The cloth pattern for the lapels will come out wrong. Lapels are cut so that the outer edge is parallel to the stripes of the cloth. In your cutout pattern, the lapel edges should be straight up and down. A similar concern should be applied to the collar when you get to it, the edge of which should be horizontal.

1. The lapels are bent and the cloth hugs the pectorals too much. But I suppose that's just simulation settings.

Agreed.  I do need more tailoring work.  (I am a 'seat-of-the-pants' sort of sewer [pun intended!]...but hopefully this next piccie looks better!)

1. The cloth pattern for the lapels will come out wrong. Lapels are cut so that the outer edge is parallel to the stripes of the cloth. In your cutout pattern, the lapel edges should be straight up and down. A similar concern should be applied to the collar when you get to it, the edge of which should be horizontal.

Again, agreed.  This can be solved in several ways, in MD.  Rotating the entire pattern piece in MD's 2D pattern window  (or conversely, the texture..) [easy enough],  or by cutting a separate lapel piece [it's curently part of the front pattern], or by sewing on a revers to cover that back-facing mesh.

But, here it is with a bit more tailoring:

(..going to have to put this on hold until tonight.... hitting the bed now...)

Yes, I am so bookmarking this thread. :)

The various parts are colored differently, so you can see what is there.  When I send it to you, Bill, each part will be a separate material zone, so it will be very easy to adjust the texture.

Wow looking great. Real coats have shoulder pads which keep them smooth and sharp - does MD have support for that?

If the clothes MD creates are dynamic as I recall, why not import a M4 with his arms down as your avatar into MD.  Would that allow it to fit a bit better?  Or would that make fitting the patterns too dificult?

Quote - If the clothes MD creates are dynamic as I recall, why not import a M4 with his arms down as your avatar into MD.  Would that allow it to fit a bit better?  Or would that make fitting the patterns too dificult?

Two reasons, both of which are due to compromise: 

First, there is a default offset between the cloth and the avatar figure.  With arms fully down, the cloth is squeezed between the arms and the torso (or legs, etc.), and the program has a hard time with that...(same thing happens in Poser's Cloth room when a pose puts two body parts too close together).

Second, the 45 degree is a good compromise between the standard T-pose that most Poser simulations would start with, and an arms-down position.  It allows me to see where extra work is needed to suit both extremes.

Time to tackle the Tile node and the algebra of tiles.

This pattern (as far as I can tell) is called 4-Clip in the tiling business. Besides the standard ordinary tiles we're used to, it's the easiest one to do I think. Yet the math escaped me for a long time - and I had to figure it out myself because there doesn't seem to be a place to look these up.

It's a lot of Math:Min and Math:Max nodes - 6 so far. If anybody comes up with fewer, let me know. It's an interesting puzzle.

I made the grout flat - but real grout is not. It's a bit concave. I wonder if it's worth the trouble to round it.

Those tiles are gorgeous!!!!!

After a short hiatus I have returned to EZMat development :-)

Here is the new Preferences tab which, among other things, lets you organise your plugins into separate folders.