TGA editor for Avatar skins

[johnallen]

FYI

I wanted to edit the avatar targa (.tga) file to add some branding.

I've had some success using Artweaver Lite (free) - I am able to add text and images on separate layers, edit/scale them and them collapse them down onto a flat image to save and then use with my avatar in Vizard.

It's a bit hit and miss with positioning but pretty easy.

Thought I'd mention it as my initial search of the forum didn't yield anything.

(anyone found any other ways to tackle this issue?)

cheers,

John

[Veleno]

Hi John,
When texturing an avatar or another model, the most common workflow is to have the model open in 3ds Max while updates are made to the texture in Photoshop. As you modify the texture, the changes show up on the 3d Model.

I'm guessing you're working with a model that is already exported, correct? If you're reloading the entire model every time you make a change, you should be able to have a faster turnaround by keeping the model open and periodically reloading the texture.

Instead of going back and forth with complicated objects like images and text, try using a simple sketch to find the placement instead. If something is misaligned, erase and redraw that part. Then once the alignment is figured out from the sketch, make the real version with the images and text. This should lower your iteration time as well.

[johnallen]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the suggestion. I've just tried this and whilst the MAX view is updated when the TGA file is updated, it's not mapping correctly onto the model (the face is on the arm etc)

I've just opened the 'Raw Versions and OBJ/casual01_m_highpoly.max' file and made no other changes (although MAX complained that the original was an old file format version and updated it)

NB I *don't* have photoshop but I'm using ArtWeaver to edit the TGA file. It has file save optoins of 24/32 bit and also a compress (RLE) setting. I've tried these and although the mapping changes, it is still not correctly oriented to the mesh.

Do you have any other suggestions. I'm assuming the TGA needs saving in a particular way, or perhaps I need to delete and then reapply the TGA using the material editor?

Many thanks,

John

[Veleno]

Hi John,

Until now I would have said that it sounds like you should be using flip_texture=1 option in your CFG file. In the past, differences in the way that different texture formats store their data could cause a texture to appear flipped.

However, we've been cleaning up Cal3D a little recently and have made it so this will now be applied automatically when it is needed. This update will be in the next release, which should be going up on our download page (http://www.worldviz.com/support/download) tomorrow (25 Feb, 2015). Be sure to grab both the Cal3D Exporter and new version of Vizard.

For now you can test this by vertically flipping your texture.

[Veleno]

This release will also include a much needed rewrite of the Cal3D docs. When the update comes out, you will be able to find the new documentation here:
http://docs.worldviz.com/vizard/ under Content Creation -> 3D Models -> Cal3D Workflow