Adding a mat to a single limb

Fabe

Is there any way to add a material to a single limb on the genesis model without post work? I want to give a character a single cyber arm using props from bot genesis but I can't apply the metallic material with out it being put on both arms.

StratDragon

I'd think you'd have to overlay the cyborg texture with the human texture in the area you want affected by using Photoshop or GIMP. You could also try making the entire figure invisible (in the content pane), then making the arm portion visible. then exporting out as an obj with the option to ignore invisibles then parenting that exported object back onto the model's arm, that will allow you to apply a texture independent of the models. I think there is one other way to do it inside Studio with the textures but I'm at a loss as to what it was.

Richard Haseltine

You could also use the Geometry edit tool to select the polygons and assign them to a new material, or the Group Editor if this is Poser.

In DS switch to the Geometry editor Tool from the Tools menu, then in the Tool Settings pane scroll down to see the Surfaces list and click the + next to the arm and hand surfaces - you will now have both left and right sides selected. Now right-click in the Viewport and in the Selection mode menu check Marquee Selection. Hold down the alt key (opt on Macs) and drag a rectangle around the arm you want to leave skin. Now right-click on Surfaces in the Tool Settings Pane and choose Create Surface from Selected, then give it a name. You can now apply the bot settings to the new arm zone (depending on how it is set up you may need to apply the bot materials, then save a Shader Preset with one of the regular arm materials selected, revert to skin, select the new cyber arm surface, and apply the preset to that).

kwrussell_0ec8b679ef

If you want to change mats on one limb for an entire surface, I find it easier to use Geometry Editor's right-click menus to select/deselect by face group and surface.

Let's say you want to apply a different material only to the left forearm. From the Geometry Editor:

1: Select the figure
2: Right-click, and select Geometry Selection/Select By/Surfaces/3_SkinForearm. That will select both forearms.
3: Right-click, and select Geometry Selection/Deselect By/Face Groups/rForeArm. That removes the polygons from the forearm object in the middle, but leaves the ends that are part of the shoulder and hand objects.
4: Repeat step 3 for the rHand and rShldr face groups. Now you only have the left arm's 3_SkinForearm surface selected
5: Right-click,and select Geometry Assignment/Create Surface From Selection..., and give your surface a new name, like "3_SkinLeftForearm"

That's it. You'll see the left forearm turn white, and you can exit Geometry Editor and apply your new surface.

Tramp Graphics

If you're looking to give your character a single cyber limb, there is a much easier method to accomplish it than trying to futz around with the material zones, which won't provide a realistic cyber limb anyway (I know, I tried using that method). What you need is a set of cyber-limbs. There are actually a few such products available. The first is the Cyberpunk for M4 and Cyberpunk M4 Expansion Set. This set and its expansion set have individual cyber-limbs which can be worn by the character individually or in pairs, and even include a utility to "turn off" the limb the prosthetic is replacing. They even work on Genesis using Auto-fit. THe sets also come with clothes and weapons too. IF you're looking for a freebie option, there is the HFS EVAN Expansion set. I use this when I need to keep my paid for item count low. The set is "supposed to" require HFS Evan, which is a paid product from Renderosity, because it doesn't have the full Evan mats. HFS also makes a full Cyber-limb set for Genesis, but it's not a DAZ Store product, so I can't supply the link here. However, if you just want the cyber-arms, you don't need the full original set. For this set I recommend applying it to a geometry shell (with all of the shell's other body parts turned off in the scene tab) and making a transparency map to remove the extra "skin" so that only the cyber limbs remain. Then if you only want the one arm, just turn off the other arm of the shell in the scene tab. Instant single cyber-arm. The HFS EVAN Expansion set does not include cyber-legs, so, if you want those, go with the M4 Cyberpunk and its expansion set.