How do I save something as an Actor? I need help saving a Geo-grafted figure.

RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
edited October 2012 in The Commons

I have tried saving something as a character and it saves materials and shape.

How do I save something as an actor, though?

Post edited by RKane_1 on

Comments

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    The reason I ask is because I see several items saved as a Character which apparently saves Materials and Shape but not geo-grafted items. Does Actor?

  • BejaymacBejaymac Posts: 1,838
    edited December 1969

    No idea about geo-grafting as I haven't tried it yet, but I'd assume it's the same as every other TriAx "actor", file > save as > support asset > figure/prop assets

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    I'll try that. I was saving it as a Character but that does not seem to save the geo-grafted items. Thanks, Bejaymac.

  • RawArtRawArt Posts: 5,746
    edited December 1969

    The geografted parts have to be saved as separate figures on their own.
    They are really conforming figures that match up to the base and hide the polys below them. So they are not actually part of the base figure, they are just stuck on and interact with it.

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    So... saving as a Figure/Prop would be pointless...

    Could I save them as a Scene Subset?

  • RawArtRawArt Posts: 5,746
    edited December 1969

    You should save as a figure/prop.......but it is only the graft part that you save. It is the conformer, you dont save genesis along with it.

    my routine is:
    + extract the graft area from genesis (at base resolution)
    + model my new shape onto the graft area
    + Import my new graft into ds4
    + Convert prop to figure
    + Transfer rigging to figure and adjusting
    + Assign the polygons for grafting and hiding
    + save as conformer (File/Saveas/Support assets/FigureProp assets

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    I am sorry if I am being unclear. All I want to do is save Catgirl with all of her geo-grafted stuff on all at once so I don't have to add it each time I open her.

    If I ever do venture into making geo-grafted items, is that the method?

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    Furthermore, do you have a tutorial on geo-grafting handy? I collect tutorials. *smile*

  • RawArtRawArt Posts: 5,746
    edited December 1969

    scene subset would work then

  • RawArtRawArt Posts: 5,746
    edited December 1969

    RKane_1 said:
    Furthermore, do you have a tutorial on geo-grafting handy? I collect tutorials. *smile*

    Those notes are what I use as my tutorial LOL

    (Man of few words)

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    If you send me the notes in full, I will name my first faceless abomination of unspeakable horror and depraved, irredeemable madness after you.

    :)

  • creativemodelsbecreativemodelsbe Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    RawArt said:
    You should save as a figure/prop.......but it is only the graft part that you save. It is the conformer, you dont save genesis along with it.

    my routine is:
    + extract the graft area from genesis (at base resolution)
    + model my new shape onto the graft area
    + Import my new graft into ds4
    + Convert prop to figure
    + Transfer rigging to figure and adjusting
    + Assign the polygons for grafting and hiding
    + save as conformer (File/Saveas/Support assets/FigureProp assets


    video tutorial about this please,
    thank you

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    SURE, I am sure he will happy to do that for you RIGHT after you buy him Camtasia. *smile*

    I ain't picky, I will take the written version. *smile*

  • RawArtRawArt Posts: 5,746
    edited December 1969

    RKane_1 said:
    If you send me the notes in full, I will name my first faceless abomination of unspeakable horror and depraved, irredeemable madness after you.

    :)

    Thing is....That is the fullness of my notes

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    RawArt said:
    RKane_1 said:
    If you send me the notes in full, I will name my first faceless abomination of unspeakable horror and depraved, irredeemable madness after you.

    :)

    Thing is....That is the fullness of my notes

    Heh, okay then...

    May I ask you a few questions then?

  • RawArtRawArt Posts: 5,746
    edited December 1969

    sure

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    Great, when you say "extract" , what do you mean?

    What program are you using to do so?

    How do you prepare Genesis to do a Geo-Grafted area?

    What special considerations must you have when creating a geo-grafted area?

    Thanks for all your help!

    :)

  • RawArtRawArt Posts: 5,746
    edited December 1969

    RKane_1 said:
    Great, when you say "extract" , what do you mean?

    What program are you using to do so?

    How do you prepare Genesis to do a Geo-Grafted area?

    What special considerations must you have when creating a geo-grafted area?

    Thanks for all your help!

    :)

    Extract : I mean take the polygons directly off of the genesis figure

    Can use any modelling program. I use wings3d and hexagon

    Dont really have to prepare genesis

    The special consideration would be to make sure the polys you extract from genesis do not move or change at all....you build off them without messing them at all. If they shift, it wont graft. SO always make sure you select enough polys to give you room to build without messing them up.

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    Okay, I can GoZ Genesis into ZBrush, select a number of polygons and then... delete them?

    Or do I need to save them out to modify with the modeller?

  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    I'm no modeler but I have read many threads on this. You send the Base Genesis to your modeler, select the area of polys you will add your model to as said use extra polys around the area, you will need those so you can do texture blending and they need to match back to the Base Genesis. Cut those polys from the Genesis mesh and do your modeling from this cut part of the mesh. If you move any of the cut part of the polys it will not Geo-Graft back to the Genesis mesh when finished.

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    Okay, so I GoZ Genesis into ZBrush, select a number of polygons as my base for modification..

    and then I isolate the polygons I will be using and delete the Genesis figure from around it.

    I do my modelling BUT I make sure not to affect ANY of the vertices at the edge nor their count.

    I take it for best result I need to make sure the facets are all four sided, right?

    Once I model the item, how do I reattach it to Genesis?

    Is my line of thinking here correct?

  • JaderailJaderail Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    I think you are dead on, there was a large thread in the old forums about Geo-Grafting. If your search fu is good and you know how to get images to show I'm sure it would help you do what you want.

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    I was enjoying this thread where I could ask and get info readily back. I was hoping to crowd-surf for more info to my direct questions but I have looked that thread up. Unfortunately it takes search fu to even read the darn thing what with looking up pics and what.

    I like this method better. Let's all build a new Geo-grafting thread together. *smile* I will help.

  • RKane_1RKane_1 Posts: 3,037
    edited December 1969

    Okay, a lot of the basic concepts we have reviewed are there in the post by Hiro Protagonist found HERE in the old forum such as:


    "It is important point to note in creating your mesh. The graft item will "replace" the relevant part of the Genesis figure, and the perimeter (the edge loop of faces) of the item must have faces that match those on Genesis fairly exactly. Therefore, as I understand it, the only practical way for most of us to begin is by utilizing a portion of the the Genesis mesh itself and keeping its perimeter loop of faces intact—working inside them to create your modifications."

    it also goes on to say:

    "When you import your freshly made item into DAZ, of course, it will only be a 'prop'. The first step after loading it is to convert it to a figure, as the graft must be a figure to work. For this I am using the Transfer Utility (found under the options of the Scene tab under Assets). ... "

    Okay, so we have modelled it in ZBrush (in tis hypothetical situation) Now I am sitting with my new item freshly modelled and making sure I did not change a single vertices on the edge of the originally removed section of the mesh. I import into ZBrush and here I have a prop with no figure present...

    Am I correct so far?

  • mfourniermfournier Posts: 19
    edited December 1969

    Have you tried using the FBX export and then import the file back in? I noticed that when I export a Geo-grafted figure out to Maya the Geo-grafted items become part of the figure mesh. But I have had very mixed results with importing FBX file into Daz3D so I do not know if it will work.

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