Hello, I have been trying to use Ray Dream to do texture maps for a long time with no success. You wouldn't beleive some of the things i've tried to get the thing to texture surfaces that were nearly flat. The first thing I tried was the paint tool in the program but I was completely inaccurate and uncontrolled. Then I downloaded the UV Mapper and when I imported the shader it still could not place the map correctly. Maybe something has to be set with the coordinated as I did not re-export the object into RD. I decided to try the Painter extension included with 5.5 but It would not open because the import/export could not be found by me or the computer. Nevertheless I opened Painter3D and imported(aquired) my OBJ from there. The controls here were also inaccurate and even though the map was half descent on the shaded version when I imported it into my shaders..still would not map. Being a Bryce user I had heard of the mask render technique used to apply textures in Bryce. I exported a mask of one of my objects into Photoshop and painted it there. using this program was the closest I ever got to actually mapping bumps and textures on the cockpit of a plane. Although the map was to small and did not change in size when I did adjustments in PS at least it was facing the right way#@$%^&. Well, to all you Ray Dream users, what about a map huh, how about some scenery? Happy new yer, SPACEY

Must've slipped my mind...but it's the thought that counts...

http//www.wholebitmedia.com

Make sure that you are using the proper type of maping for the object. IE : Parametric, Box/Face, Cylindrical or Spherical. You can see what type Mapping Mode is being used for the object by selecting the object and then opening the Properties window then click on the Mapping Mode tab. See if using differant mapping modes helps you out. Clint

Clint Hawkins
MarketPlace Manager/Copyright Agent

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All my life I've been over the top ... I don't know what I'm doing ... All I know is I don't wana stop!
(Zakk Wylde (2007))

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If you use the rectangular paint shape tool it should work also. Especially if you want something like a label placed in a specific spot, it works very well. Just create an alpha mask with black as the shape of your texture. Apply the paint shape to the spot where you want the texture map to appear -- it can cover the entire object or you can scale it down and the texture scales with it. With the paint shape selected, open the current shader using the eyedropper. On the color tab in the shader editor, create a mix with the actual image on one side and the alpha mask in the other. Make sure you check the "white is invisible" option for the alpha mask. Do not use the Transparency tab -- you'll be in for a lot of unpleasant reworking if you do -- I learned that the hard way. Hope that helped. Happy New Year -- or should I say, Happy Y2K!

As I said before I have tried using different mapping methods in the the modes section but the cubical always seems to work best. When I use it I am usually able to at least see my textures on the right sides of my plane however they are always to small or out of proportion. I tried exporting the obj that the UV mapper makes and then putting the texture on but it's the same problem. The paint box absolutely will not work. I've seen the training pak demonstration on a cube but when I try it on my sufaces nogo. My last hope is that maybe painter3D has something I missed that will allow me to paint the texture more accurately. Perhaps a zoom of imported obj? Does anyone have info on this? Drop a line if you know more... terry26@hotmail.com SPACEY

Must've slipped my mind...but it's the thought that counts...

http//www.wholebitmedia.com

Try this(I got this from reading the Ray Dream Handbook by JOhn Sledd): 1. Create a blank texture map -- any old texture map will do. Make the background color a plain old white. 2. Create a grid in the color of your choice. 3. Within the grid squares, create numbers from 1 to whatever, according to the number of squares. It's helpful if the squares are very small. 4. Export the map in the format of choice. 5. Go into RDS, open the file you want to use. 6. Apply the number grid to the object you want to map. 7. Position the model as close to the camera as possible and render it. 8. Save the render and note where the numbers appear on the model. 9. Go back into your image editor and open the number grid. 10. Create a separate layer or floater or whatever your image editor allows. 11. Open the render and keep it active so you can see where each number is positioned. 12. Open the number grid file again. Make sure you're working on a separate layer or floater from the grid itself. Then paint your map according to where the numbers fall on the render. Once the map is completed, turn the grid layer or floater visibility off and save in the format of choice. 12. Go back into RDS and open the Current Shader Editor. Do not change any of the mapping settings or shader scale. Select the color channel and change the texture map from the number grid to the map you just made, and apply. The map should fall exactly where the numbers fell. Note: this technique can be used in any 3d application, using any 2d image editor. As long as you use the exact same size map for the number grid as you use for the actual map, it should work.

Diane, check out my Painter 3D tutorial page: www.members.xoom.com/lafolli It's still evolving as we speak and I plan to add the above tutorial to it. I need more feedback on what to add though, so if you go there, please sign the guestbook and tell me what you thought.

Correction: it's http://members.xoom.com/lafolli.

Spacey, you may also want to try exporting your OBJ to a Detailer object, then open in Painter 3d. Once you have the map the way you want it, you can then go back into RDS and re-import the Detailer object -- make sure you check the option that lets you import the surface material. This method has worked for me. You just have to make sure you use the same mapping mode in RDS as you used in Painter 3D to make the map.

I can't seem to raise the link to your Painter page, I tried the # grid method and it seemed as though it was going to work when my system crashed!@#$%%^ Terrible, just as I was importing my finished texture. Does anyone know the link where I can download that Painter3D import/export extension.

Must've slipped my mind...but it's the thought that counts...

http//www.wholebitmedia.com

Sorry to hear that about your system crash, Spacey. I feel your pain! As for the web page, try the second link I posted without www. Sometimes Xoom is touchy about links. You might have to enter it twice.