Camera Bake only for one mesh?

zardoz · 12-21-2007, 12:50 PM

Camera Bake only renders one mesh? The one we select there? If we have 20 objects/layers and we want to bake them into one UVmap do we have to do it for each mesh? Can't we just select the uv map and tell lightwave to render to that uvmap? without selecting any mesh?

tx

othornton · 12-21-2007, 01:39 PM

The fastest solution to this is to make a renamed copy (mesh_Combined.lwo,etc) of your model with all parts in one layer and use it for the bake. Then just apply that generated image to your original, still separated, object. The same rules apply as with any bake though, no overlapping UVs or UV islands or you'll get some crazy results.

I have used this before to create combined layer bakes as well as reversing it to bake out objects without other pieces that would obstruct rays.

-Oliver

IMI · 12-21-2007, 02:00 PM

That one single object would all have to have one single UV map for all parts and surfaces, too.

Sensei · 12-21-2007, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zardoz

Camera Bake only renders one mesh? The one we select there? If we have 20 objects/layers and we want to bake them into one UVmap do we have to do it for each mesh? Can't we just select the uv map and tell lightwave to render to that uvmap? without selecting any mesh?

UV is attached to mesh, so it's very logical that you must select which mesh you want to bake. There is no global UV map which is available for all objects.

Captain Obvious · 12-22-2007, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sensei

UV is attached to mesh, so it's very logical that you must select which mesh you want to bake. There is no global UV map which is available for all objects.

A single UV map can contain data from multiple different layers in an object. Just look at what happens in the UV viewport if you put multiple layers in the foreground in Modeler.

I don't see why it would be impossible to bake all the layers that have geometry in a given UV map.

zardoz · 12-21-2007, 07:15 PM

ok I see. Combining all objects into one layer/object it's what I've been doing. But it would be better to simply select the uv map and lightwave would simply bake that.

Sensei · 12-21-2007, 07:47 PM

In theory possible to make even as 3rd party custom camera - but the all objects would have to have exactly same UV name - not very handy.. Of course all objects absolute must have not overlapped areas in UV map, and you see only one UV per object, so you would have to work in dark in Modeler, without ability to see other objects UVs (to make them not overlapping)..

othornton · 12-22-2007, 01:28 AM

PLG_Pack_UV_Chart is perfect for ... well, packing your UV chart. A Universal Bake for an object would be nice though... selecting just the object and not all the individual UV maps or vice versa as Zardoz suggests... we can dream right? Anyway, in the meantime Zardoz, using PLG's Pack with the technique I suggested will help you maximize your UV space and maintains proportions of the UVs being packed.
Happy renders.

-Oliver

IMI · 12-22-2007, 09:02 AM

As it is, it treats each layer as a separate object though, and it only gives the option to select a mesh and its corresponding UV map. It should be able to though.
You should be able to select by UV map, and then choose from a list of layers to either include or exclude.

oldtekerr · 12-22-2007, 01:49 PM

I would like to see the cameras go nodal... Then we could have many instances of any camera. I would also like to see the render globals, lights,dynamics,HVs,motion, and object properties be nodal too.. and also grouped nodes where certain properties of the child nodes can be inputs on the parent node... The more I get into these nodes in LW the more I feel like(and as much as I hate to say it!!!) That compared to what else is out there our nodes are lacking GREATLY!!!

Red_Oddity · 12-22-2007, 02:39 PM

The way nodes are handled in LW are already lacking greatly...
At this point, every surface has its own seperate node tree which is completely unaware of any other node tree or nodes in Layout.

The interface is a nightmare aswell, it probably is the only node editor in the world that can't be edited when zoomed in at exactly 100%, which means you'll always be looking at a fraction of your node tree/network.

In the end we still have what we already had with the layered material editor, copying masks and nodes over and over and pasting them over and over in other trees/materials...

I don't understand that when NT decided to do a parellel rewrite and introduce new tools they (for what i can tell) didn't look at what works well with the competition and copy that work flow and better it to suit LWs needs.

I seriously hope they will work out these kinks in a later stage by introducing a system where nodes are object in them self and thus can be reused in other trees/networks in the same scene, not too mention a new interface that does allow editing in different zoom levels and allows every node interface (yes that includes gradients) to be included in the node editor.

Anyhoo, i think i derailed this thread enough for now, sorry for that.

oldtekerr · 12-23-2007, 06:10 PM

Yes... I have to ask myself if NT dev tests these other programs... Because it seems not. I don't understand why they would program the nodes this way! Bad decision IMO. Very inefficient and limiting!

zardoz · 12-26-2007, 06:52 AM

guys, I asked for this because what I've been doing lately brings me to this. I've been creating several animations and exporting them to shockwave. The animations consist of several moving and rotating parts. Because I don't like the way lights look in shockwave I simply bake the lighting in lightwave and export it without any lights (the objects are 100% luminous in shockwave). I've been doing this for almost two years now (well thank god I've had other projects in between...this simply comes and goes so its ok) and what I do is exactly that. I collapse all the layer into one, save this object with a different name (and move all the parts away from each other to prevent very dark areas where they should not be) and then I bake the lighting (somple white backdrop radiosity). When I found out the plg plugs it was great because I can select multiple layers in modeler and pack the uv getting a perfectly packed uv of all the parts, so all layers share the same uv map. Besides shockwave only handles one uv map from what I've read in these forums.
So that's why it would be great to be able to bake to one uv map instead of having to choose a mesh for that. It would save one extra (and sometimes boring step when I have 100 parts...argh).

tx for sharing your views and tips in this point. I hope newtek is reading this and maybe something can be done to speed things.