Creating an "open" or "unbutton" morph for a top that doesn't have one

Hi;

I worked with a lot of clothing models for jackets or shirts that do not allow to "open" the shirt/jacket; simply transferring the morph from a model that already has it won't help because the mesh is a single piece. The "open" morph turn into a "stretch in a weird way" morph; so what's the easier way to modify the model to obtain the desired effect?

Thanks

Comments

  • FSMCDesignsFSMCDesigns Posts: 12,518

    There is no "easy" way to do it. Bascially you have to use a modeling app and create a morph or whole other article of clothing for best results.

  • eshaesha Posts: 3,224

    If the mesh is a single piece, with welded vertices, there is no way to open it. If you add a cut in a modeling app that will add a new set of vertices which means a significant change in geometry. You cannot load it as a morph then, it would need to be a completely new item.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,026

    In a limited number of cicumstances, you can use a modeling app to create the morph, and then create a new shading domain covering the stetched column of polygons and hide the stretched column with a shader set to invisible..

  • DaremoK3DaremoK3 Posts: 798

    Easy...

    Depends on your skill level.

    But, it is doable if shirt in question has a dicernable single edge loop going down the center, or what is to be represented as the two halves.

    You will need a 3D modeller (as pointed out by FSMCDesigns).  Hexagon if still free, I believe, but so is Blender, Wings3D, and a couple of others that should accomplish the important step of cutting the mesh down the edge loop.

    As esha has already pointed out, this will destroy the mesh from being able to utilize already created morphs (do not dispair - there is a way - see below), and will not allow you to create new ones with it.  The cutting/separating operation will create coincident vertices (double verts/edges that occupy same space), which changes vertex count and ordering.

    But, now you will have the ability to create new morphs for both the left and right halves of your new shirt mesh (to be accomplished after DS operations).

    I won't hold your hand through the procedures, but I will give you the gist of the workflow, so you can accomplish it yourself.  Just look for tutorials for the menial tasks if you don't understand them - there are plenty out there with detailed steps...

    *** First, load the shirt into DS (nothing else), and perform a pre-export (OBJ file format) task of zeroing out any morphs applied, any Sub-D (mesh should be set to Base and 0), and turn off smoothing modifier if one is attached to mesh.

    *** Next, export the shirt (OBJ) to somewhere you can find, so you can import into your 3D modeler for your edge split/cut operation (check tuts for settings if you do not know for both in/out - both ways).  Leave your original shirt open in DS - you will come back to it later.

    *** Now, (assuming 3D modeling op is complete) import your new cut mesh into DS.  If you did everything right you will have a second shirt sitting in the same 3D space as the original.

    *** Here is where the fun begins...  Okay... work, inside of Studio.  You will be utilizing DS's projection morph tech with the Transfer Utility, and you will create an exact duplicate conforming shirt with all the original morphs applied to your new 'open shirt' version.  Depending on how many morphs there are, it could be a little, or a lot of work.

    *** After performing the Transfer Utility (with you new shirt set to conform to original shirt):

    1. Select the original shirt.

    2. Hide the original shirt (still selected).

    3. Go to morph parameters, and for any morphs (you want transferred), dial them one at a time to 100%/1.0 and back to 0.  You should see your visable new shirt take on the morphs as they are applied.

    4. Once you have completed this, select your new shirt.  Now, you have to activate all the newly projected morphs (they are all currently in a hidden state).  Tuts if you don't know how...

    5. Assuming you got all morphs activated, next you must save your new shirt as a Figure/Prop Assest.  First, unlink the new shirt by setting conforming to None.  -- DONE --

    *** Go ahead and delete both of the shirts, load in the figure the shirt is designed for (make sure selected), then load your newly created shirt.  Test it out with posing, and morphs.

    You might need to adjust weight mapping, or even some morphs.  It depends on the mesh, and how well the projection mapping worked.

    *** To create your open shirt morph, repeat the original steps regarding 3D modeler, create morph, then (while new shirt selected) use Morph Loader Pro to import your new morph/s.  The vertex count/order will be same for new shirt (unless mistakes were made), and you can incorporate any new morphs to use with the old in your completed open shirt.

  • rames44rames44 Posts: 329

    A related option is to use the Daz Studio geometry editor to delete faces or vertices to, for example, “unzip” a zipper or open a shirt front and then save the modified garment as a new asset. This shouldn’t affect the existing rigging or weight mapping. From there, you can either move things around by using deformer, or else create a morph on the modified mesh using the normal techniques.  Might save some hassles by doing the mesh modifications in DS rather than externally. 

  • eshaesha Posts: 3,224

    Note: Do not forget to transfer the custom JCMs when you're setting up a new obj file. They are hidden by default and won't even be triggered if you pose the old shirt by itself, they are usually triggered by posing the figure that is wearing it.

  • rames44 said:

    A related option is to use the Daz Studio geometry editor to delete faces or vertices to, for example, “unzip” a zipper or open a shirt front and then save the modified garment as a new asset. This shouldn’t affect the existing rigging or weight mapping. From there, you can either move things around by using deformer, or else create a morph on the modified mesh using the normal techniques.  Might save some hassles by doing the mesh modifications in DS rather than externally. 

    Hey this sounds exactly like what I’m after. 

    Is there any chance you could elaborate a bit further on these processes and maybe a guide or tutorial please?

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