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Author Topic: Noob question  (Read 1298 times)

KB2072

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Noob question
« on: May 15, 2017, 04:46:55 AM »
Working with Railclone, trying to learn, I lose  the style editor constantly and have to re select the railclone object. Is there a way to keep the style editor window open while trying to figure out this process and build my railclone object? ( in this case a simple wooden deck with alternating boards).

Michal Karmazín

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Re: Noob question
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2017, 01:51:25 PM »
Hi,

The Style Editor window can be opened (& show) just for the currently selected RC object. Taking a screen-shot of the style, you're using as a reference would be recommendable way. We'll evaluate the ability of having multiple styles opened in future releases.

Best regards,

KB2072

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Re: Noob question
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2017, 03:40:30 PM »
Thanks. No problem, getting a little more use to it.  Another question, please. I  have an 8'-0" and 4'-0" long board per the parquet tutorial, and have the deck finally working. Now tweaking the material. I have used the parquet material as an example and built 20 boards for my multi-texture. However, I am not getting the material to randomize properly. I am sure it has to do with my settings. Also, do I  have to have 2 materials for the shorter board to properly tile the uvw (material not jump the physical model joint)?.

The enclosed jpeg shows how the material is repeating too often, although there are 20 boards in the multi texture. A little guidance - (look at this tutorial will be sufficient) would be appreciated.

Thanks.
Robert

Michal Karmazín

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Re: Noob question
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2017, 04:09:17 PM »
Hi Robert,

You might find useful following How-To: Using Bercon Gradient and MultTexture article. Also, please feel free to check more detailed information and examples in the "4 - How to Control Material IDs" chapter of our "Next Steps with RailClone" guide.

Let me add, that RailClone provides a powerful set of tools to control the UVW mapping and Material IDs of segments. Not only is RailClone able to Randomise material IDs and adjust the position, rotation and scale of existing UVW coordinates, but it is also possible to generate new box mapped UVWs automatically that follow the source path. This is ideal for situations where you need the texture to bridge multiple adjacent segments and create the illusion of a seamless unified surface.

Hope that helps.

Best regadrs,

KB2072

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Re: Noob question
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2017, 05:32:37 PM »
The problem on the previous image included a missed material ID sequence, which solved a lot of the adjacency issues.

 However, I cannot get the material to scale and tile properly using Railclone. I will read the suggested items you have listed, but in the mean time, here is a summary of where I am.  Thanks for the help.

KB2072

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Re: Noob question
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2017, 05:48:09 PM »
Figured it out. Need to rotate the uvw  on the box mapping and rescale. That solved the mapping issue I think. I am waiting for the stupid Max autosave to finish.... I'll read the references. Thanks for the help.

<edit> it solved the scale issue, but the tiling of the mapping is still breaking on the box, where it should be offset 4'-0" on each row, it is not following the shape of the board. I'll do more study.  <edit end>
« Last Edit: May 15, 2017, 06:06:31 PM by KB2072 »

KB2072

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Re: Noob question
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2017, 05:51:50 AM »
Okay, I am homing in on this problem. Now I can get the properly tiling/randomization using UVW Xform, however I lose my material definition. I am sure there is a simple toggle somewhere I am missing, or the order that the various operators are placed in to make it work. Can someone look over this and see what I am missing? The material used is set up in diffuse, reflect and bump as the bump screen capture shows. This is per the parquet tutorial material I used as a guide.  It appears that the Map 1-20 is pulling from the color beside the number ID for the bump map. At least it shows the proper tiling and randomization. 

KB2072

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Re: Noob question
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2017, 03:01:25 PM »
okay for you other newbies. Apply your mapping to the objects to be selected by Railclone before you add them to the operators. Works like a charm, very simple, if you do it correctly. Much struggling for no real reason.  Final render. Thanks to Itoo support for your patience.