Let’s Make Clothing! Tutorial thread. Shoes too!
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Well I guess we learned what that was for now ;-)
I've removed my stuff ... don't panic everybody, I'm trying not to.
Made the long coat, it's neat, full of holes lol ... made some mats. Kool.
Thought I'd be nice and try to make some metadata for it too.
Should have stayed in bed this morning.
Metadata "magically" picks up "scene ID" ... normally not a problem, finds Genesis.
Right.
So it found "Genesis" TWICE.
One of the references going to a private file.
I've posted my question in the newcomers thread.
After deleting all the private files out of the program ... rebooting ... remaking the clothing ... it STILL insists on referencing them. I unchecked the options but that didn't change anything. Still there.
I'm going to go for a long walk now.
Blug. I don't use metadata if I can help it. I hope you feel better; I find that going for walks really improves my morale when a project is frustrating me.
Not much ... sigh. I checked the older metadata I had made, its references were fine. Problem being with these references is that they get written into the Support files. And like I'm sure nobody needs to know all the paths for all my stuff.
D/S4.0 does not like my cape. i tried it with a few of the follow options ... all it managed to do was change which side had the bones!
It's a very good thing I'm not trying to make a living with this.
Included here a naming tip for one's textures. One can make the mat file with "any" type of name but when one goes to load it fresh, the program will not be able to find the images.
Going to do some searching maybe and see if I can't figure this one out. It's not the type of mystery I like to leave loose.
This is the coat if anybody is interested to see it. Not uploaded anywhere yet.
And the collar stayed nice even on the big fella.
Well here's goes nothing.
I've uploaded it: ... and I've removed the item for now.
I'd appreciate it if somebody working with 4.0 could verify whether or not any of those private scene IDs of mine show up when creating your metadata.
btw - yes it loads in 4.5 as well, and yes there are those dup id msg to ignore.
edit: trying to work out some of the metadata choice selections ... hoping to fix up and repack a few items to upload later ... on a better day ;-)
I did learn some helpful details about metadata.
And it seems that extraneous scene IDs are a common problem which, so far, nobody knows how to solve.
I don't know if these matter or not, if they carry over or not, or what.
..............
edit ... okay I think I found a way to test again some of my clothing items and hope to have them available again "s**n" ;-)
Okay ... the Final update!
http://www.sharecg.com/v/68505/view/21/DAZ-Studio/Coat007-Final-Update
Includes metadata for 4.0
I would appreciate if somebody would let me know if it works or not in their 4.0. thanks.
Solved the mysterious scene ID references. :-)
Well, it's an "interesting" coat, but why does it have the holes all over it? It reminds me of some of the outfits from the old Gil Gerard Buck Rogers series from the late 1970s/early 1980s.
;-)
Anyone know how to transfer morphs from one clothing item to another? I have two capes. I'm not having any luck getting my morphs from a test cape over to another cape with better rigging. I thought for sure there was a way to do this with the Transfer utility but apparently I'm not doing something right.
Rigging is NOT easy. OMG... hate that part of this content stuff. MAN. Who thought this up must have been a total geek because this is something I'm not enjoying learning! YUK!
It sure isn't, but DS4.5 has the world's easiest morph transfer, fortunately.
Conform the new cape to the old one. Dial on and off each morph in the old one. Ignore how ugly it looks while conformed; it's not important.
Then delete the old one. Select all the transferred morphs in Property Editor in the new one. Change them to use limits and reset the presentation editor content type to NONE (this makes sure they get saved to library).
Then save to library.
This is what I'm doing with pieces whose geometry needs small updates to work well in DS4.5 but which can basically use the same morphs as their old DS4.0 versions (going back over some of my earliest Rendo items for Genesis).
Sounds like a good solution. Got it done, worked fine! :-)
I did sort of figure out how to rig following Blondie's PDF tutorial but still no joy in getting the cape to hang nicely without bunching up when applying morphs. Ended up having to make a smoothing morph since the cape sticks so badly to the figure. ***SIGH***
Thanks hon!
You're welcome!
It's a common issue every clothing maker will run into at some point (realistic cloth hang vs. generated morphs bulging inappropriately). When I did a project with a cape with Fuse (Monarch of Broken Hearts at Rendo) I did all the FBMs custom starting from the unmorphed base mesh. It took a long time, but it was the only way to get the result I wanted on bulkier morphs.
Yup, I imagine I'll be working on cape morphs longer than any other part of this super suit project I'm in the middle of. Really mind boggling. I just hope I don't get bored! Having ADDH it's no wonder I get anything done! lmao! :P
If I could get my fool head around the basics of rigging and weight mapping I'd probably go all the way. I did mostly my own rig.
Below is the rig.
Have been working on another tutorial, from uvmapping [including pinning] through to "something about morphing".
I think those cape bulges could be addressed with some simple morphs.
Anyway before I jump back into image editing wanted to share some good news.
Found a way to get REALLY TIGHT clothing mesh "legally". :-)
On the test item I'm working on in the tutorial, it's the waistband that went very close fitting yet left the skirt part hanging the way it should.
However I do need to redo the morph before releasing it lol ... mind you, Gorillas shouldn't wear skirts.
Sounds exciting Patience. Hope I can figure out a way to make really tight clothing in ZBrush. I really think getting shrink wrap added to Hexagon would be a cool path for DAZ to take with the program.
Thanks Tramp for the suggestion. I can try that. The bones are easy enough to add but the weight mapping is a total pita to do. Wish I could mirror or copy bones. Actually, I'm sure I can but I've not tried it yet. S C A R Y ! :P
One thing led to another, and another ... & a whole lot of pictures to edit!
Yes, shouldn't matter which program is used, I discovered this while using Hexagon but it doesn't involve any form of copying mesh :-)
Apparently when one swaps out an .obj to fix the uvmap in making the clothing piece, well the mat files would still work, but not the morphs. So I've remade the morphs so many times now that I plan to cover a little shortcut in that humongous tutorial and hope I don't get people lost in the process. In doing things "the long way", one can grasp "what" one is doing ... when one understands "what" one is doing, then sometimes shortcuts can be used. If one doesn't understand "what" one is doing, and one makes heavy use of shortcuts, then one can get very frustrated because "sometimes they'll work and sometimes they won't".
btw - I also have the previous skirt and top, plus the new skirt ready to release except I'm planning to make a few mat files for them first.
Big question ... does anybody have any use/desire for my marvelous metadata [jk] or shall I skip that part. [honest, I won't be offended if nobody wants my metadata]
While my tutorial does cover the illustrated morph for making skin tight clothing ... my vision tonight is apparently off a tad and said morph was scrapped. On a positive note though, when I get the morphs made better, they could be released separately and everything will still work just fine.
Well I *THOUGHT* was finally on my way with this cape. Seems not. Aside from a duplicate ID issue I've somehow created for myself (and yes, this is a .DUF file so not supposed to get those but apparently you can... ) I got the materials rounded out for Superboy and began the process of posing him in flight. Well bent back the pelvis and ab areas and then bent the head downwards to give him that powerful look and well... the cape is a mess... still. I didn't test enough! lol
Any suggestions were I should look? Weight mapping comes to mind but not sure what area to look over with all those areas.
You can see before I release the adjustment morph (it's a smoothing morph to keep the cape from looking scrunched. I created 10 of them for the 10 Bruno morphs for now). So from the angle you see it looks fine. When I release the cursor from the dial the weight map pulls the entire top of the cape off of the body and down. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR Notice the bones too, they don't exactly follow along with the pose, not even a little bit so not sure if it's supposed to or what. Looks bad.
Not throwing in the towel, I'm bound to figure this out or make the damned thing a parented prop.
Thanks for the help! :-)
Hey RAMWolff,
What is your binding bones set (before your custom bones) that are used for "fit to" Genesis (i.e. chest, abdomen, neck, etc.)?
Not an expert with the rigging as someone such as Sickleyield, but in my experience even custom rigs need to be bound to base Genesis rigging at some defining point, and then employ the custom rig for adjustments after the pose.
In other words, when you pose Genesis some function of your cape should pose with Genesis even if it is only the neck, and Genesis neck transforms engage the rigging in the cape.
And, for any engaging fit-to rigging, you need to make correction morphs (FBMs, JCMs, MCMs, etc) when Genesis posing warps the bejesus out of your cape.
Your custom bones shouldn't be affected by any Genesis posing, but your bones should engage your cape transforms correctly.
For an example; A custom multi-layered (fit-to upon fit-to all the way up to Genesis) four conforming meshes product that I am currently working on are combinations of default Genesis transfer rigs with custom bones. The custom bones work independently of the main rigs, but each rig had to be built from the previous hierarchy mesh, and be bound to a specific part of the rig in order for both the rig to move in unison with Genesis and the rest of the meshes (with warping corrections added), and the individual rig bones to move their transforms unfettered.
An example; The strap mesh has base Genesis rigging for hip, pelvis, abdomen, and abdomen 2, but two custom strap bones independent of the base. Those four base bones are paramount for the following of Genesis (and the other meshes) correctly. Now, the connecting mesh to the strap has the same rig, but is both bound to the base (through default weight mapping via Transfer Utility), and the main component of strap bone 2.
This was extremely challenging, because I had to find balance where the mesh moved correctly with Genesis, but also correctly with the strap custom bones. The last mesh in the chain is even more challenging, because it has to utilize all the previous, and has it's own 21 custom bone set added on as well.
As a side note: I wholeheartedly agree with you, RAMWolff, the weight mapping part of a project sucks. Everything else is easy to do, but to get the weight mapping right for everything takes a whole lot of effort (and sometimes major hair pulling).
I agree with Daramok3. For my opera cloak, the custom bones are all built off of the right ans left collar, right and left shoulder, and chest bones transferred from Genesis as the base. In your case the cape's bones should be parented from the right and left collar bones, and chest bone transferred from Genesis.
As for weight mapping, yes, it's a 6!7©# to get right.
Thanks folks. With DAZ messing with the forum logons and settings I lost my notifications to the the main thread I needed to hear from! Figures! lmao
SO here is my work so far. Working my way UP to where the cape attaches to Genesis.
I got the XY&Z weight mapped to make nice smooth bends when the Cape 03 bone is moved around.
A note to Tramp, yes, I did add a forth bone into the custom rig, I do agree, it's a nice addition but I don't think I'm doing the outer perimeters with this project. Perhaps if I do another cape (cold day in hell!) I'll try your method.
When I get all the XY&Z for Cape 1 and 2 and Chest done I'll then move up to the dreaded Neck and Collar R & L to see if I can weight map things so they sit correctly on Genesis.
Then I'll re read Blondie's PDF and make some movement morphs using the bones. Should be fun! :P
Slowly getting there. Happy with how this is going now. Took a long while to get my head around which area popped the cape straps up, it's still a bit of a mystery. It's not X though! lol I could call this done since a smoothing modifier would pop things up the rest of the way but that's now how I fly. Now that I have a work flow going that I think is drummed into my head (gotta go to work tomorrow so not much time for this for the next day or so) I think I can get the rest of it to where I want it. If not I'll just make another morph corrector, which might be acceptable.
What you see below is the cape with NONE of my morphs applied. This is all weight mapping and bending the bones in various directions to get things looking flowie!
:P
That's coming along very nicely :-)
It's easy to lose notifications ... one has to be signed in when going to the forum links from the email so the visit will register. And we all know how the sign-in memory is :-S
I'm still editing images. Hope it won't be too confusing but the skirt I started with in this tut is not the same as the skirt I ended up with.
Note for making morphs for clothing: Must be created using unique names in that if one makes a morph called "A", and in testing it decides no, let's try again. In remaking a morph "A", the program will refuse and insist that it be assigned another name. So if the name is important, be sure to delete it from the content folders first and reopen the program to get all the info refreshed.
Note for uvmapping: Check how textures will apply using a basic .obj import into D/S BEFORE finishing off all the uvmapping in Hexagon and closing the project because once the clothing item is created, the .obj is only used to create the .dsf/.duf file. That becomes in effect the new mesh file. In discovering a uvmap issue that required fixing, fixing it creates a new .obj file which before could have used to overwrite the old .obj and carry on with creating a .cr2 --- not so in 4.x -- one gets to start from square one with creating the clothing item. The mats will still work* but all the morphs have to be redone.
* - assuming one hasn't changed any of the shading domains
I've found that DS is more forgiving with naming conventions (except for D-Forms) but yea, if I remember correctly Hex has some stricter standards!
Yeah "usually" D/S will permit overwrites but for the morphs I was making the other day, no it wouldn't.
Got some confirmation on some info so shall proceed with editing images!
Might go for uploading this at DA though 'cause it'll probably be a little large for easy downloading from sharecg.com.
Wow! This is a lot to take in all at once. I visited the other thread with the Blender tut and noticed a subtle complaint about the pic size. I notice above, as in some of my own attachments, there's a limit to size of an attachment.
http://jootbox.forumchitchat.com/post/Homes-That-Float-and-Roll-With-the-Punches-5651111?trail=15#5
I have JOOTBOX set to allow full size images. I restrict posting to members simply to keep spammers away, but this may be another teaching avenue. It was created as a learning forum, but even more for a repository for logging some of my scientific work where a date stamp is needed for proof of predictions versus actual events, so it isn't advertised in a search engine yet... or email...
What I'm wondering, is if there's a way to create clothes, or perhaps finish them up with d-formers/morphs, in DAZ 4.5 itself. I know it's not a modeler, but it would seem one could do a lot with say... a torus or a plane. Another question is whether this could be done in Sculptris, MeshLab or MeshMixer? Those all look promising. I do write software and have a CAD program I wrote over a year ago that works a lot like DAZ from the viewing perspective (no pun intended) but I used some generic converter routines so if I model there it must be simple and brought into Blender, or now, MeshLab to convert from an STL to and obj. Objects won't read as-is into DAZ.
Is the reason for not using DAZ as our virtual seamstress because it would require too many d-formers and morphs, memory usage or essentially too complex?
Daz Studio is not a modeller. The .obj file(s) for clothing can be made in any program that creates mesh.
Daz Studio can use mesh ... hence the DFormers and making morphs are options for enhancing existing mesh.
Before somebody jumps ... DAZ is the name of the company ... I know it says DAZ on our software and I made the big mistake of referring to our beloved software program as DAZ when I first joined and people were very hyper about that. As I had paid for the program, you know, figured I could call it anything I wanted to ... but ... well, for peace. DAZ is the name of the company, Daz Studio is the name of the program.