Texture maps

JASE · Post by **JASE** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:08 pm

Hi folks, I am creating what we call downunder "Replay Transitions" for various teams in a local sporting Tournament.
I have illustrator files of every team and I am using the vectors paths to create the models of the logos which is all going smoothly so far.
My question is when I am loading a complex texture map of a logo which is A4 size and 300 dpi it does not matter what I do when I increase the size of my objext the texture map gets extremely bad pixelation around its edges. If the texture is a solid colour, no problem but some of the logos have a complex face eg of a panther or a snake etc..
I have put the filter on but when a logo zooms up to full screen you do not want the texture map to be blurry!! I can email a hi quality Jpeg or Targa if people do not understand what I am trying to explain.
Any help or suggstions would be greatly appreciated
Cheers

rwernyei · Post by **rwernyei** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 2:26 am

A4 size images are small and will interpolate when being strecthed to full-screen. I have found to get the best quality texture maps, they should be a minimum of full-size video resolution. Example:(NTSC 720x480). Note, COOL3D also automatically resizes all large images to 1024x1024.

JASE · Post by **JASE** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 4:41 am

Thanks for the response but my image is 2480 x 3508 rgb and 300 dpi
I have tried making it smaller, bigger, even 720 x 576 and 72 dpi etc before I map it but to no avail. I even upscaled the model and inserted the texture while the model is large. I have emailed U-Lead technicians for help but have had zero response. It must be a software fault. I have a work around which is to make vector paths of each component and use the RGB colour palette and enter the correct values. Fortunately the team logos are fairly un-imaginative so the complexity is low. This problem needs to be addressed as to create vector paths of every piece is very time consuming.

rwernyei · Post by **rwernyei** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 3:03 pm

Is your image texture being manipulated in anyway over your model? Bends, curves, round objects will interpolate, thus stretching a pixel to conform to its surface. Unfortunately this is a limitation in the software. Other 3D software use UV and bump mapping for achieving their great textures.

JASE · Post by **JASE** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 11:58 pm

No curves or bends, I have a bevel on the edges but even when turned off it does not make any difference. Do you know of any other 3D software as easy to use as Cool 3D that does the same job but does not have this texturing problem or is it a case of getting more complex software such as 3D studio, Maya...etc. Email me directly if you wish
Cheers

Post by **Ron P.** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 12:10 am

You might try Blender..http://www.blender3d.org/cms/Home.2.0.html it's Free and very powerful..

Ron P.

rwernyei · Post by **rwernyei** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 1:31 am

Ron's advice is somewhat correct. Blender is free and very powerful. It rivals many of the other high-end 3D software on the market but it is nowhere close to being as easy as COOL3D. It has a very unique interface and carries a steep learning curve.

JASE · Post by **JASE** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:02 am

Thanks again for your help guys.
I have had a look at Blender and the learning curve is very high but will attempt to give it a go. I know I am going to hit a few more brick walls with Cool 3D as I am using it to make broadcast 3D graphics and have have a lot of success so far. I have ended up sticking all my cool 3D transitions in our Hal (Old Quantel machine which we still run ) key framing a variable intensity blur and keying some flames behind and in front. It all happens over 18 frames so the fact the 3D animation is slighty blurred to hide the pixelation ends up being not so much of a problem.

pauley · Post by **pauley** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 6:36 am

This may be obvious, but you did set the quality level to Best, correct?

Pauley

JASE · Post by **JASE** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:11 pm

Everything is set to Optimal. It is a problem with the way the software interprets the texture map, hopefully U-Lead will address this in the next software upgrade.
Cheers

htchien · Post by **htchien** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 10:06 am

Hi,

Due to the texture map size limitation of DirectX (which is the rendering technology COOL 3D Production Studio uses), C3DPS can only accept texture size which is 256 based. That means 256x256, 512x512 and so on, otherwise it will be resized to fit the DirectX limitation.

It can only be fixed by using another rendering technology, or, another rendering formula....

Hope this helps.

H.T.