Projection Maker - New Texturing tool for Maya

[NextDesign]

Alright, big update this time, fixing lots of bugs that have been bothering me, as well as some user comments as well. Here’s what’s included in this update:

• Added the abilty to bake the projected image into a file texture and assign it to the mesh. This now allows you to completely get rid of the projection node and shader
• The script will now ask you if you’d like to clean up the scene when you first initialize the mesh to ensure correct operation.
• Updated the clean up function to include the above feature
• Fixed the saving directory bug. Now all files created go into the “projectionMaker” folder in your projects’s directory
• More error checking added in

Later.

You can download it from Highend3D here.

[Kawe]

Awesome

[Buexe]

Looks great, thank you for your efforts and sharing this with the community! Do I get it right, you would make different projections/textures (front side etc.) and than paint the areas you want from each texture in photoshop?

Cheers

[NextDesign]

Do I get it right, you would make different projections/textures (front side etc.) and than paint the areas you want from each texture in photoshop?

Cheers

Yes, you’re correct. You would bake out each projection, bring them all into one Photoshop file, and then use the eraser, and erase the parts you don’t want.

[brassi]

hi there. nice effort john. it is working beautifully thank you. but it has some issues may be you’d like to make improvements on it. if you accidently forget to write projection name,you have to begin the process from the begining. normally it doesn’t project any render you have. a warning might be useful for such a dummy like me.

#2. haven’t check it out yet,if i can do it via playing with image size dimensions, but it would be nice if the user can decide final bake texture resolution.

and lastly clean up doesn’t clean everything. i always want an organized hypershade. and i have to clean ip textures,SGs an so forh manually.

but i like it anyway.

[malibubob]

this is FANTASTIC!!! i always thought zbrush was really useful for this…but know i can do it in maya! u did a great job and i hope u continue to update it. i cant belive this thread doesnt have like a million pages! great job!

[NextDesign]

…if you accidently forget to write projection name,you have to begin the process from the begining. normally it doesn’t project any render you have. a warning might be useful for such a dummy like me.

Actually, no you don’t. It will just save a file out as “.iff” At least this is what happened to me when I tried it. I’ll take a look into it.

#2. haven’t check it out yet,if i can do it via playing with image size dimensions, but it would be nice if the user can decide final bake texture resolution.

Yes, the rendered projection, and the baked projection use the same input. If you change this before the the bake, it will use those dimensions. I’ll see what I can do to make it easier.

and lastly clean up doesn’t clean everything. i always want an organized hypershade. and i have to clean ip textures,SGs an so forh manually.

Yes, I completely agree about a messy hypershade. Drives me nuts. However, the cleanup command should clean up everything. Next time, if it doesn’t work, could you please post what exactly it’s not cleaning up? That would help me a great deal in fixing the problem.

this is FANTASTIC!!! i always thought zbrush was really useful for this…but know i can do it in maya! u did a great job and i hope u continue to update it. i cant belive this thread doesnt have like a million pages! great job!

Glad you’re enjoying it mate!

Thanks everyone of the great comments and feedback. It’s these problems that people are experiencing, that really help make the tool even better!

Thanks again,

-John

[NextDesign]

Well, I’m busy working on the next update, and I have implemented your suggestions, and problems. If you have anything you’d like to be included in the upcomming release, please let me know!

[NextDesign]

Just hit 2000 downloads! Thanks everyone for your support!

[NextDesign]

Hey guys. Very large update again. Man I spoil you guys don’t I?

This addresses many of you comments on baking resolution, no name being specified, etc. Take a look at the version history for all the updates. They're goodies :D

* Cleaned up some of the code for maintainability purposes
* Error message added in to notify the user if no name has been entered
into the render name field
* Added in a dialog box so that the user can specify the size of the
generated texture (Accessed by clicking on the "Bake texture" button
* The "Render image" button now automatically sets the image plane's
transparency to 0
* More error checking added in
* Added in the ability to use other file formats other than .iff

• Made it so that when you press enter in the Y Image Size box,
  the resolution gate automatically pops up
  • Bake texture settings window now correctly closes when you press “Bake”

  Take it easy guys!
  
  You can download it from Highend3D [here](http://highend3d.com/maya/downloads/mel_scripts/texturing/Projection-Maker-4947.html).

[ghostlake114]

You rock, man

Tks a lot

[NextDesign]

Alright, hey guys. So after taking a little bit of a break, I want to get started on this again. But I’m out of ideas. It does what I want it to do, but I’m really interested in what YOU want it to do. I’m open to all suggestions!

Thanks everyone for you support!

[NextDesign]

Hi everyone. Just a small update this time, but extremely important. I’ve been meaning to fix this for a while now, I jut never got around to it, until now!

• Added a “Set” button that will automatically show the resolution gate,
  as well as set the render globals, for proper positioning
• Baked texture resolution settings are now working correctly
• NOTE: Many might have noticed that the projection node is not correctly
  being positioned. This has to do with the fact that you now need to size
  the positioner object to the ENTIRE size of the resolution gate. (Top and
  bottom)
• NOTE: If your renders only show a strip of color, usually wavy, make sure
  that your render globals has it’s device, and pixel aspect ratio’s set
  correctly
• TIP: To judge your projection more easily, select the IPShader node, and
  under “Hardware Texturing”, click on the drop down next to “Texture Resolution”.
  set this to “Highest [256x256]”

Enjoy!.

You can download the new version from Highend3D here.

[cgbeige]

thanks John - great stuff.

[NextDesign]

Hey everyone!

Slowly getting towards the 2.0 mark! This is a maintenance update, but hopefully it will make the tool a little bit easier, and faster, to use. Take a look at the version history for all the updates.

• The last projection name, width, and height, as well as the baked texture
  width and height will now be kept until you close Maya
• Rendered images, as well as baked textures, are now put into separate
  folders in the “projectionMaker” folder in your project’s root directory
• Fixed a bug with the window size
• About window updated
• Debug call removed

Have fun!.

You can download the new version from Highend3D [here](http://highend3d.com/maya/downloads/mel_scripts/texturing/Projection-Maker-4947.html).

[WesMcDermott]

Hi NextDesign,

Thanks for making this incredible script! I watched the zBrush video, but I’m still a bit hazy on how to use this in Maya. Would it be possible for you to create a video of you using the script in Maya?

Thanks,

Wes

[TheRazorsEdge]

Many thanks for the updates!

Cheers!

[NextDesign]

Hi Wes, I hope you got my email, but if you didn’t I’m sorry for taking so long to get back to you.

I have a video tutorial on the usage of this script included on my first post, as well as on the highend3d download page. That should get you up to speed!

Take it easy guys, and thanks again!

-John

[WesMcDermott]

Hey John,

I’m sorry I didn’t get your email, but I will check the first post for the video. Thanks very much for the reply!

thanks,

Wes

[NextDesign]

No problem Wes. Glad to help! And if you have any problems, please, don’t hesitate to ask!

-John