Seamless mapping

[Dragan]

Since we are closing RC Beta for new features I have to figure out how to do the seamless mapping. (I want to improve my productivity from just a Macro to complete RC Library  )
I`m testing workflow with Separate MatID for vertical/horizontal and using Corona Triplanar Mapping Combined with Corona Multi Textmap.
Please, can someone give me an idea of how to fix the Top Corners Seamless issue?

[Dragan]

.. attachment

[Paul Roberts]

Hey Dragan,

Thanks for the scene file. Looks like the normals are flipped for your top corner geometry. Apply a Normal modifier to fix it and all seems to work as expected.





Cheers,
Paul

[Dragan]

Speachless. Thank you, Paul.

[Paul Roberts]

No problem at all,

If only all the issues were so easy to solve 

Cheers,
Paul

[Dragan]

Unfortunately, this workflow is not working.
When setting Triplanar to `local` seamless distribution is broken and when set to `World` it looks good at the start but remains mapping position when rotating Generator/Segments.

I didn`t pay attention to mapping before since I`ve been working on specific generators with simple mapping.
3DSMax is not my primary software but I know enough to see that RC has serious issues with mapping. I`m trying for the past 10 hours to get some adequate solution for seamless mapping (especially on corners) and I had no luck.
And combination Use Segment Material vs Use Instancing Engine vs BoxMapping vs UVWXform Operator is completely contrary to my needs 
I have tried everything I could think of, even calculating Xform tile to match segment scaling.
I check all solutions from Rokas, Paul, and some other users but I could not find a simple solution.

The goal is to have a functional generator from the topic example, but with:
- working "Use Segment Material" option when adding some other single segments to be part of the Generator
- randomizing UVW offset/rotation for Segments in Default/Evenly array or Nested Generator
 
Plus, if I use 2 or more multi/sub materials for controlling the orientation it is heavy for the Style and even worse if I want to have Material parameters for a User-friendly RC Object. So, a workaround with multiple IDs is unsatisfactory.

As I can see, the BEST solution and easier to follow in the Style will be internal UVW Xform with individual rotation. From today it become my No. 1 priority  (I`m so frustrated)  ....... or maybe, it`s just a fever that troubles me 

PAUL, ROKAS (Carlos, you just do the coding for the new Xform) ... PLEASE HELP!!!  I can`t sleep and I can`t move a step forward 
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Best Regards 

P.S. And above everything I have to pay attention to prevent being posted on FB by my wife, again! (she is concerned about my current condition)



 
 

[Dragan]

I`m giving up 

I there any user or developer who can give us a direction to the right workflow (easy, complex, any kind...) to get seamles and well-oriented maps in RC.

[iToo]

I apologize if i don't reply your cases, but this week i'll be busy caring for a family member in the Hospital.
I hope to resume my developing tasks the next week, specially with the RC beta.

By the way, Rokas doesn't work at iToo Software anymore. He got a new job some months ago.

[Dragan]

No worries, Carlos. I`ve been in the same situation in the past few weeks so I understand completely. Hope everything will be fine.

I`m close to the end of my subscription so please hit me with at least one more update

I heard about Rokas and I`m so sorry he`s not part of the Itoo Team anymore. Rokas!!! I wish you all the best!!!
So I guess, now I`m doomed to You, Paul and Michal   

Please, keep safe. 
Best Regards

[Adnan Malkoç]

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that Rokas has left. Sorry this is off-topic but I heard it from Dragan News Agency.

Now this will be fun to watch you guys answer Dragan's questions.

[Paul Roberts]

Hi Dragan,

I'm not sure if the attached file is any help for you, it doesn't quite fulfil your checklist of wishes, but it is simpler to set up the materials, though requires more work to set up the UVs, as follows.

1 - First of all, create the components for your door in the usual way: corners, sides etc. Make sure it's the same dimensions on both sides.
2 - Box map the whole thing so that the UVW gizmo fits neatly inside the frame. Don't use real-world scale.

3 - Add an edit poly to all segments. Select all of the polygons whose UV orientation needs adjusting, and then copy-paste the UVW map. Rotate it as required.
4 - Create the RC object, you'll need to use adaptive mode and an adaptive macro for the Y-axis.
5 - Optionally, you can then use a UVWForm operator to randomise or scale the UVs. Of course, this will require you to disable the instancing engine if you're using Corona.



Maybe it helps a little for now.

edit I've just realised the scaling randomisation doesn't quite work in that example, but the rest does 

Best,
Paul

[Dragan]

Thank you Paul but I have already tried this workflow and it is not working for me 
This one will use the initial size of the segments and tile them in adaptive mode and at the same time repeat texture. Plus it will increase my poly count. (att. pic.)
As you probably notice I usually calculate Side/Default Y sizes and scale them to fit in my generators but at the same time, my maps are also scaled. I can use arithmetic to scale maps back using UVWXform taking ratio SegmentSize/InitialMapSize. But at the same time rotation of all three axis remains an issue.
The RailClone`s Box Mapping will be a great solution if could be nested and follow segments/nested rotation. Somehow to work on the local level, not sure how to explain. 

The particular problem is with Kitchen Generator I start to create.
Idea was to make a macro for generating different Front types to fit various cabinets (Door/Drawer/Combined).
All those should be driving with RCSplineMarkers for Style/Cabinet selection and different parameters including Material selection by Data parameter.

Next: all appliances should be placed with "Use Segment Material" so users can expand data base by adding custom appliances in the Selector list (Separate Selector for Sinks, Refrigerators, Owens, etc.)

All that is not possible in one generator because a lot of different options are colliding with each other when mapping is involved.

I even try to go with two parallel generators using the Master Style and separate the part of generators that uses "Use Segment Material" but apparently Instancing Engine can`t be broken and always follows the Master generator. So I`m back to square one 

I know this issue could be low on the priority list considering how most of the users "consume" RC but...     

However, Paul, this solution is great, and think it could help understand a lot. (support nesting, rotation  )
Thank you.

[Paul Roberts]

Hi Dragan, I should have guessed you'd tried it already 

I've come across the same limitations as you, so this has been the closest I've got so far. As you say, 3 Axis rotation for UVW Box Mapping in RailClone would solve a lot of these complications. I can't see how that could ever work with Using Segment Material in Corona though, because of the technical limitations with that engine that we've discussed before. Tricky one! V-Ray would be fine, the two features can be used at the same time.

Could you not just do the cabinetry in one RC object and the appliances in another? They'd be driven by the same RC Spline modifier, I know it's not as satisfying as getting it all into a single style, and I would feel the same as you about wanting to do that, but it could be a way to get it working now. You could even use Max's built-in wiring tools to connect together parameters if that was required.

Paul

[Dragan]

 
Well, we can't have everything.
Let's hope that Carlos and the team will be able to come up with something for the next release.

Best Regards and keep safe!

[Paul Roberts]

For the sake of completeness, here's a version that scales geometry and allows tiling to work so that you can resize the texture (for example to make it larger than the array and minimise obvious texture repetition). It scales textures as you suggest, combined with the mapping from the previous example.



I know it's still not quite what you want, but maybe it's helpful for others too.

Paul