Black renderings with mirrored objects

gioloigioloi Posts: 57

Hi all.

I'm using DAZ Studio 4.5, Win Seven Home Premium 64 and a graphics card ATI 5770.

Recently I created some smart props combining some basic shapes, exporting in obj, re-importing into the scene and finally saving them as props.

To create symmetrical objects, i.e. a pair of earrings or bracelets, I pick the left one, duplicate it, apply scale x = -100% and voilà.

The problem is that all the objects with x-scalling -100% are rendered totally black, no matter which and how many lights I'm using. They're black even if I render them with the "system" lighting.

I'm using the software 3Delight engine.

Is there a way to solve the problem?
Hope you can help.
Giorgio

Comments

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 95,997
    edited December 1969

    Negative scaling used to work, but it hasn't been for some time. It might be possible to fix the issue if you take the OBJ into a modeller and reverse normals, but I assume you are wanting to avoid that.

  • gioloigioloi Posts: 57
    edited December 1969

    Thanks for the answer.

    Actually, Studio is the only software I have. No external modeller. I create quite simple props and don't need it.

    So, what could I do? is there an alternative way to "mirror" a custom prop easily? The swap/symmetry doesn't work, I guess.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 95,997
    edited December 1969

    Hexagon is free, as is Blender - I would have a look at one of those.

  • gioloigioloi Posts: 57
    edited November 2012

    Ok, I'll do that. I should have a copy of Hexagon somewhere. Thanks.

    What am I supposed to do with this software? May I change the object parameters without modifying the object itself, as to avoid conflict with the rendering engine?
    Sorry, but I'm completely ignorant of that.

    EDIT: I found a discussion about that. I'll try to understand something, before asking your help. ;)

    Post edited by gioloi on
  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited December 1969

    Actually the easiest way to do it would be to use the free PropViewer...

    http://www.sharecg.com/v/47408/View/11/Poser/PropViewer-3.2

    Simply open the obj in PropViewer, hit Invert and the export as OBJ...

    The cone on the left was scaled -100 % Y-axis, the one on the right 'inverted' (which means 'flip all normals', in PropViewer lingo)...in PropViewer The 'fix normals' option aligns them all the same way...so if they are all pointing 'in', it won't do anything.

    normalstest.jpg
    800 x 1000 - 41K
  • gioloigioloi Posts: 57
    edited December 1969

    PropViewer works perfectly! Thanks! :)

    Richard, the issue of the normals inverted has to be considered a bug to be fixed, sooner or later, or a normal consequence of the negative scaling?

    Thanks both again.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 95,997
    edited December 1969

    I don't know if it will be regarded as a bug to be fixed or not - I have complained about it myself, as I said earlier it used to work and to be useful - but if it isn't reported it certainly won't be changed.

  • mjc1016mjc1016 Posts: 15,001
    edited December 1969

    What was the 'bug' was the old behavior...3Delight uses normals the way they were intended...which is the way DS is now working, but DS used to 'ignore' normals, so it didn't matter.

Sign In or Register to comment.