"Encage" Plugin: Viable Render-Time SDS?

[manuel]

I have two (dual monitors), i’ll have to have a look tomorrow because it’s my work computer, ill edit this post to let you know.

Edit: They’re both Radeon cards, a 9200 and a 9600 (both 128meg).

I duplicated this bug in a project today, but when i tried to delete all the other objects EI crashed (huge scene). I’ll try again when i have more time.
Ian

Radeon eh? Exactly the same type of card that I have. I wonder what the Igors are running on their machine

[DickM]

I would suggest getting encage. I love the fact that I can work with low poly characters in realtime and render out hires ones without swapping at render time. You do not have to do sample renders, just turn up the tess in animator to see what you will get.

Here is the first test I did with encage. The base polymesh was a little messy and has since been fixed, but this test still shows what great results one can acheive using this plug.

Before Encage:
http://www.morleyarts.com/testinglab/beforeencage.html

After Encage:
http://www.morleyarts.com/testinglab/afterencage.html

Richard

[Giacomo_M]

Richard-

Looks great.

About the “Encage bug you ran into with the doubling of model size,” though…is this a frequently occurring bug with Encage? I’m not sure I want to be dealing with something like that on a regular basis.

GM

[DickM]

Thanks
Well, it was partially user error. I did not realize that when using encage you can’t scale an object within animator before linking it to the plug. When you turn the plug on, suddenly the object jumps to that scale. For instance, I think this character was 1.0 in scale, so I increased it to 2.0, then linked it to encage. Once encage was enabled, it jumped 2x in scale in animator. When it rendered out though, it was the correct scale. Easy fix, make sure your model is the correct size, export as parked fact, reimport and link to encage, end of issue. It’s a pain in the butt but easy enough to work around. I wish they’d update it so this wasn’t the case.

Hope this helps.

[AVTPro]

Thanks
Well, it was partially user error. I did not realize that when using encage you can’t scale an object within animator before linking it to the plug. When you turn the plug on, suddenly the object jumps to that scale. For instance, I think this character was 1.0 in scale, so I increased it to 2.0, then linked it to encage. Once encage was enabled, it jumped 2x in scale in animator. When it rendered out though, it was the correct scale. Easy fix, make sure your model is the correct size, export as parked fact, reimport and link to encage, end of issue. It’s a pain in the butt but easy enough to work around. I wish they’d update it so this wasn’t the case.

Hope this helps.

Excellent prognosis of the figgamajigorator Richard.

I didn’t get that. In my case, it was a small jump. I was only scaled a little.

You probably don’t even have to render this stuff to view your animation.

Awesome. My hope for new character is to use Encage as a proxy tool…

I like the model as well, the flesh line for cheek coming from the nose is just little to straight. Also, I see you have no problem with weight maps?

[DickM]

Thanks Alonzo
Well the model has been tweaked since this first test. His cheeks are much softer now. And no, there are no wmps on this character. I stay away from them as much as possible when dealing with characters. I just use extra bones. Wmps are great on ubers.

[halfworld]

In fact, dear Igors, now that I have your attention. I tried a little XP script to switch the Encage Animator (editing) resolution from 0 to 1 interactively. It works fine when I switch from 0 to 1, but when I switch from 1 to 0, the model disappears. I have to switch Encage off and on again to make the model reappear.

Just to point out that the cause of this issue has been discovered, it’s an API bug in EI and it can happen with several plug-ins. As Manuel spotted, toggling group visibility fixes it.

Ian

[DickM]

So what’s the newest version of encage anyway? I still get no motion blur with deformed skins using encage which really sucks. Am I missing something?

[iKKe]

So what’s the newest version of encage anyway? I still get no motion blur with deformed skins using encage which really sucks. Am I missing something?

There was a motion blur bug in the first release, the problem was solved in a few days after the initial release.

Maybe you should apply skinning to Encage, not to the actual geometry

Cheers

Hans

[manuel]

Maybe you should apply skinning to Encage, not to the actual geometry

Wrong. You should definitely rig the geometry, not Encage. If he result can’t be motion-blurred, make sure that you’ve got the latest version, check with Konkeptoine. Unfortunately, plug-ins don’t have version-numbers, so you’ll just have to ask them.

[AVTPro]

“SDS is not a tool to correct bad meshes” as the old wisdom modeler said.

_Nor should SDS be a fix for bone weight mapping.

Don't get me wrong please, I have recently promoted and sold a copy of Encage to a colleague. I would sell ten more. He loves it and says can't live without it. We had a huge scene and Encage was used for rendertime SDS...our project was a success.  True, Encage has a number of specific purposes but wmps should not be one. Without, Encage Zbrush work in EIAS isn't possible but concerning wmps, it only helps but not a solution. 

The solution is for EIAS to release a patch…a bug fix and not just a new version for UB users. I love the EI Team, and it pains me to say this. However, I worked very hard to learn CA, and Rigging in EIAS now I can’t use it as effectively as I use to. I have done tests and have had problems with wmps.

Yes, I still do very successful project in EIAS, but tearing geometry because of wmps is difficult to use. It breaks my heart to see EIAS take a step back in this area and still no fix yet.

Anyway, wmps seem much more predictable with FBX. So far, I have had great success with it. Actually it was pretty flawless. It’s just the bones directly in EIAS seems to be the problem.

I’m not pointing the figure at anyone, it’s just that this effects independent animators with midrange budgets broadcast commercial character animations.

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