Betatesting BodyPaint 3D Exchange

[Srek]

Hi all,
MAXON Computer is on its way to improve the compatibility of BodyPaint with Lightwave.
If you are interested in testing it in combination with Lightwave please contact me at b_marl @ maxon.net

BodyPaint3D is a 3D painter that will connect to your main 3D software via a
transfer plugin. Please have a look here:http://www.maxon.de/pages/dyn_files/dyn_htx/htx/bodypaint3d_e.html
for more information on the currently available version.

Kind regards

Björn Marl
(MAXON Computer Quality Assurance)

[G3D]

...I purchased Bodypaint a couple weeks ago hoping to find a 3d Paint solution. Perhaps I'm missunderstanding Bodypaint's features, but there is very poor integration with Lightwave. Hours of work done in either program need to be re-done when passed back and forth between each. I hope we can resolve this it seems like a promising program, but I need better integration with Lightwave for it to be part of my production environment.

Thanks!

[Srek]

Originally posted by G3D
...I purchased Bodypaint a couple weeks ago hoping to find a 3d Paint solution. Perhaps I'm missunderstanding Bodypaint's features, but there is very poor integration with Lightwave. Hours of work done in either program need to be re-done when passed back and forth between each. I hope we can resolve this it seems like a promising program, but I need better integration with Lightwave for it to be part of my production environment.

Thanks!
Hi,
could you please be more specific as to what does not work? We have a number of LW users that are extremly comfortable with the way the exchange works right now, so maybe something isn't working correctly with your installation.
Cheers
Srek

[G3D]

Thank you for your quick reply. This is part of an email I already sent to Maxon:

I'm using Bodypaint with Lightwave 3d and have some questions.
They are, in order of importance:

1. How can I make Bodypaint associate a UV space defined in Lightwave with a Texture Map painted in Bodypaint? All of the tutorials I have seen use the Setup Wizzard, which is a little to simplistic for my purposes. For instance, I have models that *already* have UVs set up perfectly. I need to be able to paint into one and only one texture map that uses *only* one specific UV space.

A very simple example would be a Lightwave model of a box that has six UV spaces, one for each face, and one separate surface for each face, with each surface using one and only one of the six UV spaces. I need a way to paint into a texture map and make that map use the appropriate UV space as I paint each side. It does not seem like Bodypaint can do this.

2. Following the answer to 1., how can I see that a texture painted in Bodypaint is using a specific UV space? (or conversely, how can I see that a UV space has an associated texturemap?)

3. How can I modify Bodypaint's interface so that it no longer has Icons and has text for the various menu choices? In other words, I'd like to make Bodyopaint look and feel more like Lightwave.

Please let me know if anything above isn't clear or if you need pictures to help explain the points.

Thanks!

-George Krauter

[Srek]

Originally posted by G3D
Thank you for your quick reply. This is part of an email I already sent to Maxon:

I'm using Bodypaint with Lightwave 3d and have some questions.
They are, in order of importance:

1. How can I make Bodypaint associate a UV space defined in Lightwave with a Texture Map painted in Bodypaint? All of the tutorials I have seen use the Setup Wizzard, which is a little to simplistic for my purposes. For instance, I have models that *already* have UVs set up perfectly. I need to be able to paint into one and only one texture map that uses *only* one specific UV space.

A very simple example would be a Lightwave model of a box that has six UV spaces, one for each face, and one separate surface for each face, with each surface using one and only one of the six UV spaces. I need a way to paint into a texture map and make that map use the appropriate UV space as I paint each side. It does not seem like Bodypaint can do this.
BodyPaint manages several UV spaces differently then LW. Every material can only have one UV Tag assigned to it, the assignment is simply done by the order of the tags.

2. Following the answer to 1., how can I see that a texture painted in Bodypaint is using a specific UV space? (or conversely, how can I see that a UV space has an associated texturemap?)

The used UV tag is that immediately after the material tag.


3. How can I modify Bodypaint's interface so that it no longer has Icons and has text for the various menu choices? In other words, I'd like to make Bodyopaint look and feel more like Lightwave.

The Interface can be completely customized, disabeling the icons is simple. Right click on a command bar ,deselct icons and select text instead.
You can create your own layouts and save them for later use.

I hope this clears things up a bit.
Cheers
Srek

[G3D]

"The used UV tag is that immediately after the material tag."

That was what I thought at first, but moving the tags immediatly behind the material tag makes no difference in the results whatsoever. At least not on my system.

But lets make sure we have our definitions right:

The Ball with crosshatching behind it is the Material Tag?Yes?

The reddish triangle after it is the Surface Tag?Right?

The checkered flag is the UV spave tag. (Obvious)

When I save a simple box that has six surfaces and six corresponding UV spaces, ie, one UV space per surface, and one texure map used by each surface in the RGB portion of each surface's description in the Surface editor. I save my model in LW modeler and then choose the Bodypaint plugin, with the correct directories chosen in its preferences. Bodypaint launches, the model comes in ok, but several things are amis:

1. The UV tag is immediately after the Surface Tag(triangle) NOT the Material Tag(sphere with crosshatching)

2. It does not render properly;maps are in the wrong places.

3. Some inspection reveals that each *texture map* is using Planar Mapping. I set all of them to UVW and get a good render.

4. I send the scene back to LW Modeler and get a mess. All of the maps but one are using Planar. Some of the UV spaces now have addition polygons the undo the careful work done in both LW and Bodypaint.

Some thoughts about usability: the UV tags, Surface Tags and Material Tags all look alike. Placing the cursor over each to identify it and get the pop-up with its name is extremely ineffecient. It would be better to have them shown in groups of three going vertically with names clearly visible at all times. Horizontal wastes space. If there is already a way to get this, maybe it would be good for Maxon to make it the default.

[Srek]

Originally posted by G3D
"The used UV tag is that immediately after the material tag."

That was what I thought at first, but moving the tags immediatly behind the material tag makes no difference in the results whatsoever. At least not on my system.

But lets make sure we have our definitions right:

The Ball with crosshatching behind it is the Material Tag?Yes?

Yes


The reddish triangle after it is the Surface Tag?Right?


In BodyPaint and CINEMA it's called a polygonselection but i think we are talking about the same thing here ;)



The checkered flag is the UV spave tag. (Obvious)

Correct

When I save a simple box that has six surfaces and six corresponding UV spaces, ie, one UV space per surface, and one texure map used by each surface in the RGB portion of each surface's description in the Surface editor. I save my model in LW modeler and then choose the Bodypaint plugin, with the correct directories chosen in its preferences. Bodypaint launches, the model comes in ok, but several things are amis:

1. The UV tag is immediately after the Surface Tag(triangle) NOT the Material Tag(sphere with crosshatching)

I wrote immediately but thats not completely correct, the next UV tag after the material tag is used.

2. It does not render properly;maps are in the wrong places.

3. Some inspection reveals that each *texture map* is using Planar Mapping. I set all of them to UVW and get a good render.

4. I send the scene back to LW Modeler and get a mess. All of the maps but one are using Planar. Some of the UV spaces now have addition polygons the undo the careful work done in both LW and Bodypaint.

Some thoughts about usability: the UV tags, Surface Tags and Material Tags all look alike. Placing the cursor over each to identify it and get the pop-up with its name is extremely ineffecient. It would be better to have them shown in groups of three going vertically with names clearly visible at all times. Horizontal wastes space. If there is already a way to get this, maybe it would be good for Maxon to make it the default.

You can use one very helpfull plugin called tag manager from Klaus Karlhuber. Tag Manager (http://c4dplugins.idea-graphics.de/TM/TM_Overview_e.php)

However the problem sounds a bit strange, have you sent the file with your support request?

Cheers
Srek

[G3D]

"You can use one very helpfull plugin called tag manager from Klaus Karlhuber. Tag Manager"

So you're saying to get clear functionality whose usefulness would be very clear to focus groups and beta testers I have to spend 49 euros?

I was afraid I'd have to spent 50. Whew.

But what about the mess that comes in LW? When can I hope to get a usable version of Bodypaint?

This situation is especially frustrating because I intentionally waited for 2.0 because of the difficulties with 1.0. You say that there are several LW people using Bodypaint...can you be more speciifc? Where are they? What are they doing differently can you interview them or make public their techniques/systems/version numbers?

I'd like to move forward what do you need me to do to achieve this?(besides spending more $ for a plugiin)

[G3D]

BTW, your link for the Beta Testing is bad.

[Srek]

Originally posted by G3D
"You can use one very helpfull plugin called tag manager from Klaus Karlhuber. Tag Manager"

So you're saying to get clear functionality whose usefulness would be very clear to focus groups and beta testers I have to spend 49 euros?

I was afraid I'd have to spent 50. Whew.

But what about the mess that comes in LW? When can I hope to get a usable version of Bodypaint?

This situation is especially frustrating because I intentionally waited for 2.0 because of the difficulties with 1.0. You say that there are several LW people using Bodypaint...can you be more speciifc? Where are they? What are they doing differently can you interview them or make public their techniques/systems/version numbers?

I'd like to move forward what do you need me to do to achieve this?(besides spending more $ for a plugiin)

Maybe have a look at the CG-Talk LW forum, among others Robin Konieczny (robkoni) might be able to help you.

Cheers
Srek

[Srek]

Originally posted by G3D
BTW, your link for the Beta Testing is bad.
Well, the link was refering to the old version that was available at that time.
After all the posting was from may :)

Cheers
Srek

[G3D]

Does Maxon have a discussion forum hosted by the copmpany itself?

[Srek]

Originally posted by G3D
Does Maxon have a discussion forum hosted by the copmpany itself?
No,
the most active english ones can be found at CG-Talk and Postforum.
Cheers
Srek

[G3D]

I've visited both forums before Postforum for Bodypaint hasn't been active much for months.

I've scoured CGTalk and found very little info about Bodypaint, other than other folks with trouble like mine.

[G3D]

I've also tried a site called "SendUp The Flares" and there is very little info about Bodypaint. The most recent posts are from April.

[Srek]

Originally posted by G3D
I've visited both forums before Postforum for Bodypaint hasn't been active much for months.

I've scoured CGTalk and found very little info about Bodypaint, other than other folks with trouble like mine.

Sorry i missed that. Have a look at the CINEMA and LW forums on CG - Talk and Postforum. BodyPaint itself hasn't got an active forum yet.
Cheers
Björn

[G3D]

Could you suggest something more useful, especially since I just went there and saw that you are a moderator there...if you post answers there, why not here?

What about the people you mentioned ealier who are successfully using Bodypaint and LW?

How about the specifics of my questions and problems? I repeat, what must I do or what should I send you to make this work? Do you want files, screenshots...what do oyu need?

[Srek]

Originally posted by G3D
Could you suggest something more useful, especially since I just went there and saw that you are a moderator there...if you post answers there, why not here?

What about the people you mentioned ealier who are successfully using Bodypaint and LW?

How about the specifics of my questions and problems? I repeat, what must I do or what should I send you to make this work? Do you want files, screenshots...what do oyu need?

You got something wrong there, i'm not a moderator on any forum.
Please send your questions directly to the Maxon support accompanied by a LW scene that shows the problem, a description on how to recreate it and some information on the system and software you are using.

Also my job isn't realy support, others at Maxon will be more helpfull then me when it comes to LightWave.
For support in the US please contact techsupport@maxon.net.
Cheers
Björn

[southparx]

hey srek just receieved bodypaint today and it is an awesome software, maxon has done a really good job on this one, keep it up.

hmm G3D, i havent got any problems with it so far ( but just have it today though), could it be something wrong with the software?
because i just tried ATLAS mapping my head object and body paint can recognize it really well... some 15 minutes of scaling some parts of the atlas map then i got a beautiful stretchless, seamless textures in both bodypaint and layout.

i mean everything works fine in mine, good luck

[southparx]

another screenshot