Replace object with not retaining surfaces

[Rich Deustachio]

When I replace the Logo with my logo the surfaces from the stock logo does not transfer to my logo as it does in the tutorial. What am I missing?

[Don Ballance]

trying to understand

you make a logo in modeler
save it and it has the surfaces

then load a scene
replace in layout and surfaces are not there?

Make sure your content directory is set to the 3D arsenal master content dir in both modeler and layout.

in both apps
hit o key
set content dir to 3D Arsenal Master Content

Try this

[Rich Deustachio]

Yes I make the logo with easy text in modeler.

Save the logo.

Load a Logo scene.

I save the scene to my customer content.

Use the replace logo to replace "your logo here" with my logo and my logo doesn't inherit the "your logo here" surface textures.

I did hit O and set content to 3D Arsenal Master Content and still no go.

[SBowie]

Rich, is there any chance that your custom object and the original template object have identically named surfaces? I don't think this should happen if the new object has unique surface names.

[Rich Deustachio]

Well the object when in modeler doesn't have any surfaces on it at all! I made the lettered logo with the Arsenals text maker. I followed the tutorial and when he replaces the object with his custom made logo it takes on the same silver metal surface as the "you logo here" text, mine doesn't. Maybe I am missing a step.

[SBowie]

Well the object when in modeler doesn't have any surfaces on it at all!It's quite awhile since I looked at 3DA, so I'll be happy if someone who has it loaded jumps in here - but your logo has to have a surface name when you create it in Modeler (the default name is simply "default").

Check the surface name of the stock logo object, before you replace it. If you're basically just using the standard LW replace object function, I expect the only way it would assume the original texture is if your custom model had the same surface name(s).

(If I'm completely off base here, Don can just tell me to shut up.)

[Don Ballance]

also make sure
in modeler
hit the o key
set content dir to 3D Arsenal Master Content

If this is not set during creation, it con't find the default surfaces.

We also supply the surfaces in the 3D Arsenal Master Content Dir.

If you have an object with no surface
load into layout
go to the Surface Editor
Click on YLH_Bevel
Click the load button in the surface panel
go to 3D Arsenal Master Content/surfaces
select Logo Bevel

do the same for faces and sides and this logo now has the surfaces an Easy Text logo would have from the start.

If it is still not working
email me and I will contact you to get you going.

thanks

[Tom Wood]

Coming from just a LightWave background here - Open both objects in Modeler, open the Surface Editor and expand the surfaces list for each object. Then Right-Click on the surface you want to copy and a Copy/Paste dialogue box will open. Select Copy, then go to the surface of the other object that you want to have that surface setting, Right-Click and Paste. Save Object, then open your scene in Layout.

[Don Ballance]

Thanks for the input Tom.

In 3D Arsenal the customer should not have to do this. The stand in is used as a referecne in modeler for creating surfaces for the new Easy Text logo but the end user should never see it.

But your info is correct.

[Rich Deustachio]

Thanks guys, I will give it a try and let you know.

[Rich Deustachio]

Seems to be working now, thanks!

[Don Ballance]

your welcome.

Have any ideas for new scenes or objects?

Let me know.

[Rich Deustachio]

What would be really great would be an easy to use scene system that would integrate creating DVEs from the lightwave scenes. Have many different types of scenes like warping into different shapes, also particle wipes with warped video, boxes, balls, etc. Make it so we can load the basic lightwave scene, pick from several options, and have the ability to customize parts of the scene, then click the render button and it renders and creates a DVE that can be then used as a DVE without having to recreate it over and over again.

The key features would be an easy to use interface, customizable adjustment to the type of scene we pick, and easy one click creation into a DVE.

Succeed in all of that and you will probably sell more than you could ever imagine.

[Don Ballance]

That's a great idea Rich.
Ralph and I have been batting a simliar idea around for a while.
Stau tuned.

[Rich Deustachio]

Woohoo!

Staying tuned!

[Rich Deustachio]

Also Don, maybe you guys can come up with a picture montage ammo pack with all kinds of different ways to display pictures.

Some ideas for that are to make 3 or 4 large 3D planes of 25 pictures each and have the pre made animation motion go to a different picture and stay on it for about 5 seconds, then zoom out and spin a bit to get to the next picture on another plane location. This way if you make a scene for 100 pictures, even if we have less pictures we can map duplicate pictures on the panels so the scene would work for all amounts up to 100 pictures.

Another montage idea would be to have a picture cube on a desk with 6 picture sides. The camera would animate into the cube and the cube would come full screen, hold for a few seconds, then spin to the number 2 location. You could somehow allow us to change the number one picture when it is zoomed into the number 6 picture so we could then add another set of six pictures. Make the scene loop from 1 to 6 and back to one again.

Another way would be to make just a two sided plane with some cool outer animation sparkle etc. and have different scenes with different 3D transitions from front to back, then the back picture would be replaced with the next picture in the series. Is there a way to have Lightwave use a list of pictures in order and change to the next picture automatically? Well you can make all different kinds of transitions types for just a two sided plane. Or you can even map the pictures to a disco ball or some other 3D object that would spin around from pic 1 to pic 2 etc.

The thing is that we would be able to load in different amounts of pictures and easily make a 3D montage.