iSource Textures
mcorr
Posts: 1,104
in The Commons
The iSource merchant resources usage clause states that textures need to have a minimum level of modification, yet it remains unclear what that exactly is, and more importantly, how to step by step meet that requirement. Does anybody know how to affect “minimum modification”? What does that entail?
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Speaking in general terms, 'minimum modification' would entail changing the texture file enough that if it is compared to the original merchant resource it would be obvious that it was not provided in a product "as is". For me, I change materials that are merchant resouces, or MR, enough that even someone who doesn't work in Studio, or know anything about this type of hobby could look at both and go- "oh, yeah, I see it."
often baking them to the model they are used on is also considered modifying
ie they fit within the UV templates not reuseable as tileable maps
I see, thanks. How can we do that with DAZ Studio, or does that require a different program? I'm on a MAC if that matters.
well if you are just working in DAZ studio I am not sure what you are wanting to redistribute unless texturing primitives
I assumed was texturing models you made or something
if you are only rendering stuff you don't need to modify them at all
i would think logic would dictate that you can't turn around and use the MR to create a commercial character without making changes. Ideally you would want to make enough changes so that your version doesn't look anything like the MR version.
ah I assumed the other various iSource textures
are skins too, yes those you would need to tweek in something like Photoshop or Gimp
or if you want free 3D paint Blender or Quixel Mixer
if selling a character
Quixel Mixer will bake them to the UV shape BTW if you modelled a house, spaceship or something and tiled them in it with the various masking functions etc
just needs to not be overlapping UV's and one surface
not sure if Catalina supported yet though
The merchant resources I am talking about are textures for 3d props, like Concrete, Stones, etc. (not aware that iSources had any character skin merchant resources, and even if, they are not the basis on my question). Regarding other responses given to my question, the User License doesn't require altering any of the textures by document file, nor by photoshopping this or that, nor any such modifications. Therefore, the question whether or not anybody (if possible, authoritatively) knows what is meant by that criptic requirement "minimum modification." The baking thing seems the most likely answer among all the above speculation. Even if one does that though, the files will end up in the texture folder (if I am not mistaken) and, I could imagine, be lifted from there (if a person wanted to), so I don't get how that would help the matter.
well if they are baked they have white or black backgrounds outside the UV boundaries of the object
so not reusable from a folder
like I said Quixel Mixer will do this even if you just tile it
Substance designer, Zbrush and other programs do too
so does Carrara with a plugin no longer available called Inagoni baker
lacking those you just use the UV template as a guide to erase the areas outside it in an image editor after tiling it there
Blender
actually I was forgetting about texture atlas in DAZ studio
you can actually bake all your surfaces to one map with that which would be hard to poach for other objects
That’s all insanely useful. Thanks a million!!!
^Though you then have low-res textures for each part. If you're looking to make something commercial, you'll need higher res textures (e.g. one 4096x4096 set of maps (Base colour, normal, etc) for one wall, another set for the roof, etc).
FYI--the isource MR textures are 2048X2048 .... and I think that this size can be preserved in, at least, zbrush when UV mapping, maybe Atlas Map and others too. I'll have to see it Map IT (sold here on DAZ) can accomplish the task (UV mapping the textures) that Wendyluvzcats mentioned.
I don't think you are quite following what I mean by a baked map.
You don't need to change anything on your model and UV mapping
it's hard to show an example because they all belong to someone and my PC frozen up doing something at the moment
basically its a cut out rather than a seamless tile that fits the objects UV
all the DAZ figures and props tend to have them, very few have full tiles
OK I tried to do an example
left to right
a texture, a silly model with an awful UV showing how the meat texture maps on it
the baked map
I closed it without rendering the silly model sadly
and would not model another the same as was very random
You could then tile them 2x2 to get 4096x4096, then make some adjustments in GIMP/Photoshop so it doesn't look so tiled (darken/lighten some bricks for example). Then bake the textures as Wendy explained above and you'd have sufficiently altered textures at high res.
Images 1 show a texture applied to a cusion as supplied by a merchant resource, or however you obtained it.
2 and 3 the process of setting up to paint the texture onto the cussion.
see next post
image 4 is the image from you merchant resource (or mine in this case)
image 5 shows how it is painted to the texture - in affect changing the original.
OK ... I'll have to try to do this in one of the apps (Atlas, zbrush, blender or something) mentioned and then report back.
It sounds to me like the app used to apply the textures should have a UV mapping feature just in case the prop that one created has no UV. Is that right? Then after the MR texture is applied, it sounds like there is a "bake" button somewhere, which after it is hit, makes the prop or whatever it is, portable via the UV with the MR texture in a modified (instead of tiled) format. Is that right?
Finally, from what was mentioned, it sounds like all of this can all be accomplished in Studio using Atlas Map. Is that correct?
well no but if you were using several textures on different surfaces texture atlas would make them less suitable for redistribution
its probably your worst optrion though out of everything suggested
if your object is not UV mapped you cannot use any textures, it will just go a uniform colour
and if you cannot bake them you can at least crop them to the UV boundries in an image editor
if overlapping you need several maps and different surfaces for the overlaps
it varies by app
Zbrush just saves them baked for instance
OK .... so what if I saved the prop as an obj (after texturizing different surfaces in DAZ), then import it (with maps) in blender and then export the obj again from blender. Will that create the fabled baked UV too?
I am finding it difficult to explain the concept to you I am afraid
maybe someone else can
one last try, are you familiar with dressmaking and cutting out fabric using paper patterns?
a texture is like a bolt of fabric
it can be used on anything
a baked map is when you pin a paper pattern to it and cut it out
load your model in a program that exports UV maps and look at the templates
DAZ studio does not export UV maps most other modeling programs do
you do actually know what UV mapping is?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping
@WendyLuvsCats
Thank you for your patient help .... it sounds like you have reached your limit.
I think I already had a basic understanding of what baking is (about as much as one can probably have without ever done it oneself). My objective was never to become an expert in the concept, because I don't think I need to be one to follow a step-by-step instruction of what to do. What I needed is somebody to say, "Open this software, do this next, then go to the menu and pick this option, then go to th emenu an d do this and finally do this." In the process of actually "doing" (step-by-step), I would have leanred whatever I needed to know for posterity about the concept of baking. The concept is, frankly, secondary to me, and I believe, doesn't need to be understood per se, if only the process of how to accomplish the matter were understood.
Your pictures were, as I said, very helpful (I had seen textures UV mapped like that before, but your pictures solidified --as did those of others -- that I was on the right track), but since I am still lacking the answer I have been seeking, I'll have to look elsewhere for a tutorial or something. Then, when it's my turn to explain it to somebody, the explanation will be compact and to the point with step-by-step instructions if necessary.
Leaving all that aside, you were -- as I said -- very helpful. I believe you gave me the correct answer to what conceptually needs to be done to comply with the MR usuage conditions. Thank you for all the time and trouble you took to help me.
yeah sadly I can only tell you how to do it in the programs I use one of which uses a plugin no longer available
I don't use Blender, I mostly use Carrara with Baker
but Zbrush does it too however thats very dear and certainly not the main reason for getting it
otherwise I would also go the image editor route and erase the bits outside the geometry boundries of the UV map in Gimp
Thanks again! =)
Watch these video tutorials for Blender - the principle is the same for other programs but the shortcut keys / buttons will be in different places (possibly with different names). I use Blender so it's what I know:
^Should make things clearer at least.
Awesome .... this kind of information is the most helpful to me. Thank you!
Blender looks ok, but zbrush handles uvs and baking much easier from what I can tell. For many, blender might be the only option though due to zbrush costing money, and blender being free.
^Blender can be a bit quirky, especially for baking (though I find it's uv-mapping tools to be top-notch). Depending on what you're making, Zbrush might be better, but Blender costs nothing to try at least. I find with Blender you need to go through some tutorials, learning the shortcuts and general tools, but once you've got a little experience it's really useful for almost anything.