Converting High-Poly Imports to Stamps

[Frank1100]

Hi,

i'm wondering if it is possible to import high detailed models in mudbox and convert them tnto stamps, so to create displacement maps for my architectural models.

I need stamps with undercuts, is that possible ?

What is the whole process ?

Like here :

My aim is to keep the working 3D scene very lean and rather make use of displacement instead, to prevent straining the system with too high poly count during scene design, animation design etc.  ... any opinions on this ?

I know that at render time the system is being challenged with the displacement rendering. Will have to see how much DP my sytem allows me to render at a time.

Regards,

Frank

[FalconCrest]

VDM is what you need.

[Frank1100]

what is an example workflow for example for that sculpture in the picture above ?

As far as i understand i need to create a height map of it and use it as displacement map, but how are undercuts handled by displacement renderers ?  That i didn't understand yet.

[FalconCrest]

You would have to sculpt the part of the sculpture you want on a plane followed by making a VDM from it. Craig Barr did an excellent tutorial on creating VDM. I myself haven't yet gotten to the point of extending what else can be done with VDM, I hope too very soon 🙂

[Frank1100]

ah ok. Is there also a way to import a model and convert it to a plane that has been updated in a way that the same sculpture is being created. So with no efforts to re-model it from hand on the plane. Basically instead importing a model and using that one instead to create the VDM for me ?

By VDM do you mean the abbrevation for Vector Displacement Map, or do you mean a certain function or a plugin for Mudbox?

[FalconCrest]

You mean something like morph transfer the model to a VDM plane, I don't think so, unless I did it some how, but very rough, let me look into that. As for what  VDM mean, you are correct it is anAcronymfor Vector Displacement Map. 🙂

[Frank1100]

've checked into Render To Texture in 3ds Max, but it still doesn't deliver such undercut Displacement Maps for me. Though i had seen that such .tif images exist that carry the full 3d topology throughout all 3 dimensions, like showing in this video at time 12:40, where its presented how a 32 bit tiff carries all the different depth layers:

, but in this tutorial its not covering importing an existing model to render a displacement map from it. Mudbox does need a model to be derived from its initial plane on the one side, but i think its possible to wrap a plane around your imported model too, to get that result.

In 3ds max you can render any model via Render To Texture as Height Map, but it doesn't give me the undercut and holes yet.

Guess that in Mudbox its possible somehow to import a model and bake a 3d (allowing undercuts) displacement from it, but don't know how yet.

[FalconCrest]

Can you send me the image, and the area of detail you want ?  I'll do a quick rough sculpt and make a tutorial, I could use to make more tutorials anyhow, not that Craig Barr hasn't done a fine Job at it, I'll just enhance on his doing !

[Frank1100]

here is the image that rendered as the hight-map. its just a test with a 3ds teapot. What i'm after is any kind of detailed sculpture like statues etc. if it's possible to generate a full 3d with undercuts displacement map of it.

Here is an example, where i want to repeat, i'm not looking to build or manipulate a sculpture in mudbox, i'm looking to import a finished 3d polygonal model into mudbox and generate a displacement map from it, that i can use to render a flat plane object, to be that bust again, if that is possible :

[Frank1100]

here for example is a Maxwell render displacement map outtake of their docu, that features such a 3D object rendered out of a plane object by using displacement maps 

[Frank1100]

Here is another video with maxwell vector displacement examples

[Frank1100]

anyone knows how to render a vector displacement map from an imported 3d-sculpture ?

[FalconCrest]

If you can give me a porition of the sculpt you want to make into a VDM I can give you a starting point ?

[Frank1100]

Hi,

here i've fbx'ed 2 rings as an example for undercuts. The question is, how the way is to create a vector displacement map of any given existing polygonal model and use the vector displacement map to re-create the model back from a planar model by displacement mapping.

[FalconCrest]

What is the look you want for the rings ?

[Frank1100]

with a marbel texture is my goal.

[FalconCrest]

I read one of your previous messages, just to let you know you can create a VDM from within a 3D package !

[Frank1100]

what is a 3D package ? Do you mean a certain software ? or Plugin, or Modifier ?

[FalconCrest]

3D Package as in Software, what is the 3D program you work with ?

How many years experience do you have with 3D in general, not including scripting of any sorts ?

[Frank1100]

i'm using Softimage and newly 3DS. Experience background 25 years of 3D still rendering and animation. but as a side task. Not as a full time operator.

The problematic of the task is, Mudbox, Z-Brush and consorts do need the topology to create a VDM from to be derived from a source topology that must have been amended. In such terms i have not seen any tool yet that is able to generate this amendment from topology A, over a median topology B, to the final topology C.

Meaning that C must be created manually without the use of B yet. 

Unless there is a plugin or method to be able to generate topology C from the median topology B.