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Using a Mesh as Input?

David WaltersDavid Walters
in ShaderMap Legacy
Hi, are there any plans to add support for using a 3D mesh as an input source?

I'd love to be able to load up a model and use it's current UV set and faces to generate an Ambient Occlusion or Curvature map (unfortunately a particularly rare feature).

Granted I'm not entirely sure behind the scenes there'd be much overlap with the existing 2D workflow but from a consumer point of view I think adding this feature-set would complement what's there and take ShaderMap into competition with other packages such as Allegorithmic's Substance Designer. As seen here:

Hope you will consider this!

Regards,
David

Comments

  • RSIRSI
    David Walters wrote:
    Hi, are there any plans to add support for using a 3D mesh as an input source?

    I'd love to be able to load up a model and use it's current UV set and faces to generate an Ambient Occlusion or Curvature map (unfortunately a particularly rare feature).

    Hope you will consider this!

    Regards,
    David

    Hi David,

    Thanks for your question. Yes, there are plans to add models as source.

    It was in the original SM2 development plan but got pushed back (possibly until SM3). Ambient occlusion and curvature baking are good ideas. I'd also like to use high and low polygon models to create normals and displacement maps from them.

    Neil
  • David WaltersDavid Walters
    Hi Neil,

    That's great to hear! I could see myself using a dedicated baking tool with features like this A LOT. There are several tools out there that do this but they're all either limited (Blender, 3D Coat only do AO) or IMO just messy (xNormal).

    I realise it's a small gesture, but I've just purchased an upgrade to v2. Partly to gently nudge this feature along ;)

    Regards,
    David
  • RSIRSI
    David Walters wrote:
    I realise it's a small gesture, but I've just purchased an upgrade to v2. Partly to gently nudge this feature along ;)

    This feature is going to happen. I'm working hard on ShaderMap. I've even closed down other projects so I can focus all development on it. Still I don't expect models as source (baking) to arrive before version 3. There are a lot of other features for maps that still need implementing.

    Thanks for the support and encouragement.

    Best regards,
    Neil
  • pogostylepogostyle
    Hi Neil,

    an idea for an epic feature will also Rendermesh.
    Like this plugin in XSI http://www.andynicholas.com/?p=57

    Just an idea :-) didnt think that this is possible without mr.
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