Skin texture maps between software
zacharycuffel
Posts: 0
Hello, I have been using DAZ Studio and many other 3d content creation software for the past 6 months. I am really interested in creating custom content to place in my artwork rather than just asset flipping most of my scenes. One thing I have recently encountered but don't quite understand a work around for is custom texture maps in DAZ studio for the genesis models. For instance, I was working on a skin texure in character creation 3 after it was imported from DAZ. When I export the skin texture, it doesn't match what is required for DAZ to read it properly:
I found this to be the same case for blender and a few others. They all seem to export these textures differently. I am wondering how I would export these in the same structure that daz has them set up? One thing I saw was for people to bring it into photoshop and edit the pieces around, which I can do, but when I got to something like the arms and torso, they are very stretched and distorted in ways that don't seem possible to do manually. How do I get skin textures in a format to import and use on a DAZ genesis character? And if this is not possible, then how are people creating new skin textures to put in the daz shop?
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Comments
As long as the UVs and material groups are preserved then there shouldn't be any fancy footwork required (mostly - with ZBrush textures need to be mirrored across the horizontal axis but that has a check box in the import/export options). If the maps will no longer apply it sounds as if either the grouping is being lost, so that you no longer have the proper division into areas each with their own map, or as if something is breaking the UVs so that the map is no longer wrapped around the model correctly even when it is applied to the correct area. We would need more information, ideally with soem toS-friendly images, to say more.
Thank you for the response, and my bad, I thought I had added my image example after the first paragraph. Here is how the texture was changed:
Now, after doing some research I understand how having different UV maps affect how the textures are read and baked. So it would seem like it isn't really possible to use something like Character Creator 3 for changing texturing detail. Since it converts the DAZ models to new UV's. So I am wondering what a good pipeline would be if I wanted to implement my own designs? Something that I can easily export the model out of DAZ, edit the skin texture, and import those textures back in DAZ.
You can browse to the folder holding the textures, make copies of the skins you want to alter. Alter those textures in the image editor of choice [one that works with layers is recommended]. Save the new textures to one of your subfolders under My Library > Runtime > Textures > your subfolders. Then from D/S load the new skins to the figure via the Surface tabs. If/when you like what you see, save out new mat files.
One does not have to edit existing skins. One can work on new skins using the texture templates [available in the Product Library] or from uv templates made using whichever utility you want to use. The "big" thing is to be sure all the seams are going to match and that you colour outside of the lines so seams won't show on the model.
Or you could make a new uv set for the figure! If Character Creator 3 is consistently providing that new layout, IF you can get a base resolution .obj file [NO eyelashes], no groups, model into CC3, exported out. In D/S - Edit ... import new uv set ... select that .obj file, give it a sensible name - if it takes, you have a new uv set. Then over on the surfaces tab, select the new uvset. If all is well, save it. File > Save As dialog for a new uvset. Select ONLY THE ONE new uvset you have just made.
Oh this sounds awesome, I am gonna try doing this and see what results I can get, thank you!
I removed the image as you shouldn't post actual textures, even at reduced size. I had been thinking of an image showing the map on the figure (with something like the Basic Wear top and shorts on). Yes, as long as the groups are preserved and the structure is unchanged (UV sets require not only that th vertices match, as with morphs, but that the way theya re assembled into polygons are also unchanged) then Catherine's suggestion sounds good - but if the groups are not preserved, or are changed, you may get odd results as DS will then use the new coordinates but will take them, in places, from the "wrong" map.