Second Life Wiki - User contributions [en]

Mesh/Creating a mesh

2011-07-24T07:53:57Z

Carnie Bing: /* Collada(DAE) Supported Programs for Mesh */

{{Multi-lang}}
{{Navbox/Mesh|tools}}__NOTOC__
You create mesh models using a third-party 3D modeling tool. If you're a seasoned content creator, you may already be familiar with tools such as [http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=13567410 3ds Max], [http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=13577897 Maya], [http://www.blender.org/ Blender], or other popular professional tools; Google's [http://sketchup.google.com/ SketchUp] also provides a low barrier to entry for aspiring 3D modelers. Any 3D modeling software will work, as long as it can output models in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collada COLLADA] (''.dae'') format. ''Note: Second Life uses COLLADA 1.4.''

A list of software that has COLLADA support can be found at [http://www.collada.org/mediawiki/index.php/Portal:Products_directory COLLADA.org Products Directory]
A very extensive list of 3d software can be found at [http://www.3dlinks.com/ 3Dlinks.com] under the software section. Which of either the COLLADA or 3Dlinks items
will work with Second Life is not known, but at least it is a starting point to look.

To learn more about some of the available 3D modeling tools, visit the [[Sculpted_Prims:_3d_Software_Guide|3D software guide]] created for use with [[Sculpted prims|sculpted prims]]. Most of the tools that work for sculpted prims should work with mesh, as long as they can export models in COLLADA format.

=== Collada(DAE) Supported Programs for Mesh===
Notes on mesh support for specific versions of various applications - please update if you have additional information:
{| {{Prettytable}}
|- {{Hl2}}
! Programs
! Bone
! UV Mapping
! Method
! Version
|-
|| 3ds Max || Yes || Yes || Import/Export via [http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=10775855 FBX Plug-in ] || 2009 and up
|-
|| [http://www.inivis.com/ AC3D ] || No|| Yes || Import/Export || V6.7 and up
|-
|| Bentley's MicroStation || No || Yes || Import/Export || V8i and up
|-
|| [http://www.blender.org/ Blender ] || Yes || Yes || Import/Export || 2.49 and up
|-
|| Cinema 4D || Yes || Yes || Import/Export || R11 and up
|-
|| DAZ 3D || Yes || Yes || Import/Export || 2.0 and up
|-
|| Lightwave || Yes || Yes || Import/Export || 9.5 and up
|-
|| Maya || Yes || Yes || Import/Export via [http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=10775855 FBX Plug-in ] || 2009 and up
|-
|| [http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch/ms3d/index.html Milkshape 3D ] || ? || Yes || Export || ?
|-
|| [http://www.luxology.com/modo/features/modeling/index.aspx Modo] || No || Yes || Import/Export || modo 401, 501. [http://sourceforge.net/projects/colladamodo/ Collada plugin on sourceforge]
|-
|| PhotoShop || No || ? || Direct open || Creative Suite 4 (11) and up
|-
|| [http://sketchup.google.com/ SketchUp ] || No || ? || Import/Export || 5.0 & 7.0 and up (6.0 was not supported)
|-
|| [http://www.wings3d.com/ Wings3D ] || No || Yes || Import/Export || 1.2 and up
|-
|| [http://www.meshmixer.com/ MeshMixer(FREE) ] || No || Yes || Import obj/Export obj,dae || 5.0 and up
|}

===General Tips===
* For the best results, first try outputting individual models before trying whole 3D scenes.
* If you already have a library of 3D models and need a way to convert them to COLLADA format, try [http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=10775855#section7 Autodesk's FBX Converter] (our preferred converter) or [http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/ MeshLab].
* Check out the [[Mesh/Troubleshooting|troubleshooting guide]] for more tips.
* Check out the [http://blog.machinimatrix.org/kettle-quest Kettle-Quest tutorials] for a comparison of Mesh vs. Sculpted Prims

{{KBnote|If you use FBX converter, you may need to convert your models to an intermediate format, then to DAE, depending on the original format.}}

Mesh/Creating a mesh

2011-07-24T07:18:06Z

Carnie Bing: /* Collada(DAE) Supported Programs for Mesh */

{{Multi-lang}}
{{Navbox/Mesh|tools}}__NOTOC__
You create mesh models using a third-party 3D modeling tool. If you're a seasoned content creator, you may already be familiar with tools such as [http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=13567410 3ds Max], [http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=13577897 Maya], [http://www.blender.org/ Blender], or other popular professional tools; Google's [http://sketchup.google.com/ SketchUp] also provides a low barrier to entry for aspiring 3D modelers. Any 3D modeling software will work, as long as it can output models in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collada COLLADA] (''.dae'') format. ''Note: Second Life uses COLLADA 1.4.''

A list of software that has COLLADA support can be found at [http://www.collada.org/mediawiki/index.php/Portal:Products_directory COLLADA.org Products Directory]
A very extensive list of 3d software can be found at [http://www.3dlinks.com/ 3Dlinks.com] under the software section. Which of either the COLLADA or 3Dlinks items
will work with Second Life is not known, but at least it is a starting point to look.

To learn more about some of the available 3D modeling tools, visit the [[Sculpted_Prims:_3d_Software_Guide|3D software guide]] created for use with [[Sculpted prims|sculpted prims]]. Most of the tools that work for sculpted prims should work with mesh, as long as they can export models in COLLADA format.

=== Collada(DAE) Supported Programs for Mesh===
Notes on mesh support for specific versions of various applications - please update if you have additional information:
{| {{Prettytable}}
|- {{Hl2}}
! Programs
! Bone
! UV Mapping
! Method
! Version
|-
|| 3ds Max || Yes || Yes || Import/Export via [http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=10775855 FBX Plug-in ] || 2009 and up
|-
|| [http://www.inivis.com/ AC3D ] || No|| Yes || Import/Export || V6.7 and up
|-
|| Bentley's MicroStation || No || Yes || Import/Export || V8i and up
|-
|| [http://www.blender.org/ Blender ] || Yes || Yes || Import/Export || 2.49 and up
|-
|| Cinema 4D || Yes || Yes || Import/Export || R11 and up
|-
|| DAZ 3D || Yes || Yes || Import/Export || 2.0 and up
|-
|| Lightwave || Yes || Yes || Import/Export || 9.5 and up
|-
|| Maya || Yes || Yes || Import/Export via [http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=10775855 FBX Plug-in ] || 2009 and up
|-
|| [http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch/ms3d/index.html Milkshape 3D ] || ? || Yes || Export || ?
|-
|| Modo || No || Yes || Import/Export || modo 401, 501. Collada plugin on sourceforge
|-
|| PhotoShop || No || ? || Direct open || Creative Suite 4 (11) and up
|-
|| [http://sketchup.google.com/ SketchUp ] || No || ? || Import/Export || 5.0 & 7.0 and up (6.0 was not supported)
|-
|| [http://www.wings3d.com/ Wings3D ] || No || Yes || Import/Export || 1.2 and up
|-
|| [http://www.meshmixer.com/ MeshMixer(FREE) ] || No || Yes || Import obj/Export obj,dae || 5.0 and up
|}

===General Tips===
* For the best results, first try outputting individual models before trying whole 3D scenes.
* If you already have a library of 3D models and need a way to convert them to COLLADA format, try [http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=10775855#section7 Autodesk's FBX Converter] (our preferred converter) or [http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/ MeshLab].
* Check out the [[Mesh/Troubleshooting|troubleshooting guide]] for more tips.
* Check out the [http://blog.machinimatrix.org/kettle-quest Kettle-Quest tutorials] for a comparison of Mesh vs. Sculpted Prims

{{KBnote|If you use FBX converter, you may need to convert your models to an intermediate format, then to DAE, depending on the original format.}}

Sculpted Prims: Technical Explanation

2007-05-29T15:34:34Z

Carnie Bing: /* Rendering in Second Life viewer */

==Introduction==

[[Sculpted Prims|Sculpted prims]] are three dimensional meshes created from [[textures]]. Each texture is a mapping of vertex positions, where at full resolution each pixel would be one vertex, this can be less due to sampling (read below how the Second Life viewer treats your data). Each row of pixels (vertices) links back to itself, and for every block of four pixels two triangles are formed. At the top and bottom the vertices link to their respective pole.

[[Image:Sculpted-prim-explanation.png]]

==Pixel Format==

The alpha channel (if any) in position maps is currently unused, so we have 24 bits per pixel giving us 8 bits per color channel, or values from 0-255. Each color channel represents an axis in 3D space, where red green and blue map to X, Y, and Z respectively. If you're mapping from other software take in mind that not all 3D software will name their axises the same as SL does. If you have a different default orientation in SL than in your designer compare the axises and swap where appropriate.

The color values map to an offset from the origin of the object <0,0,0>, with values less than 127 being negative offsets and values greater than 127 being positive offsets. An image that was entirely <127,127,127> pixels (flat gray) would represent a single dot in space at the origin.

A sculpted prim intrinsically has a size of one meter, so the color values from 0-255 map to offsets from -0.5 to 0.5 meters. Combined with the scale vector that all prims in Second Life possess, sculpted prims have the same maximum dimensions as regular procedural prims (10 meter diameter).

==Texture Mapping==

The position map of a sculpted prim also doubles as the UV map, describing how a texture will wrap around the mesh. The image is already an explanation of what vertices correlate to what pixel, which is used to generate UV coordinates for vertices as they are created. This presents a big advantage for texture mapping over procedural prims created in Second Life because you can do all of your texturing in a 3D modeling program such as Maya, and when you export the position map you know the UV coordinates will be exactly preserved in Second Life.

==Rendering in Second Life viewer==

Note: based on 1.16.0(5) source and some tests.

The Second life viewer will at it's highest level of detail render a grid of vertices in the following form:
:1 top line of 33 vertices all mapped to a pole
:31 lines of 33 vertices taken from your texture
:1 bottom line of 33 vertices all mapped to a pole

For each line the 33th vertex is the same as the 1st, this stitches the sculpture at the sides.
The poles are determined by taking the pixel on width/2 on the first and last line of your texture. (In a 64x64 texture that would be the 33rd pixel as we start counting from 0).

For example, a sculpture at the highest level of detail Second Life supports requires a mesh of 33 x 33 vertices If we have a 64x64 texture, this grid of vertices is sampled from the texture at the points:

(32,0) (32,0) (32,0) ... (32,0) (32,0) (32,0)
(0,2) (2,2) (4,2) ... (60,2) (62,2) (0,2)
. .
. .
. .
(0,60) (2,60) (4,60) ... (60,60) (62,60) (0,60)
(0,62) (2,62) (4,62) ... (60,62) (62,62) (0,62)
(32,63) (32,63) (32,63) ... (32,63) (32,63) (32,63)

It is recommended to use 64x64 images. In theory 32x32 should give you the same quality but current code will not use your last line of your texture both as vertices and as the line to get the pole from. It will incorrectly trigger generation of a pole 1 line early and you'll hence get your 2 last lines of vertices filled with the pole.

Note that the next levels of detail are:
17x17 vertices and 9x9 vertices which are taken in the same way as above. You can control how your sculpture looks at each level of detail by locating the key vertices at the points that are always sampled.

==Examples==

A pack of sculpture maps available for download: [http://www.jhurliman.org/download/sculpt-tests.zip sculpt-tests.zip]

An apple sculpt shown in the sculptedpreview program
[[Image:Sculpted-preview-03.png]]

An S-shaped sculpture shown in the latest version of sculptedpreview, with the sculpture map also applied as the texture map
[[Image:Sculpted-preview-04.png]]

[[Category:Sculpted Prims]]