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Model distortion when sending to Hexagon

JimbobthevalJimbobtheval Posts: 13
in Technical Help (nuts n bolts)

I have recently purchased Haxagon to create different morphs and tweak models used in Daz. When I import the object,  the geometry becomes distorted (both in Daz AND in hexagon). When I then try to send the morph back in to Daz3D, it only partially works - there are clear differences in the Daz version of the morph. I know that there are so many things to learn when using this software, but it just seems very strange that it would mostly work but have these little imperfections.

Please could anyone help me?

Comments

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,804

    Are you using the Bridge (File>Send to Hexagon) or are you exporting as OBJ from DS, editing that in Hexagon, and loading as a morph with one of the Morph Loaders? What options are you setting?

  • JimbobthevalJimbobtheval Posts: 13

    I'm using File -> Send to Hexagon and then using File -> Send to Daz Studio. The strangest thing to me is that the geometry of the model in Daz is changed as soon as it is sent to Hexagon, without me doing anything in Hexagon.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,804

    If it's a SubD item, as the Genesis figures are, then only the base cage should usually be sent to Hexagon - that is noticeably lower resolution then what you see in DS. Is that the issue, or is the distortion more localised in effect?

  • JimbobthevalJimbobtheval Posts: 13

    It does look like it could be a resolution issue. Is there any way of getting around that?

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,804

    Not really, since the mesh has to be at base resolution to create morphs (except for PAs making content for the store). The only workarouns would be to work on a stic mesh (sacrfice posing), try creating a high poly version of the figure (many issues), or use an external application to bake the mesh to a normal or displacement map set

  • JimbobthevalJimbobtheval Posts: 13

    Okay, thank you all very much. Disappointing that they have restricted Hexagon so much for the people who have bought it. Will consider requesting a refund.

  • mindsongmindsong Posts: 1,701

    I believe you can turn smoothing on/up in hex to get the same resolution as the DS default, but I recall there were possible issues w editing in this mode (memory). It's been a while, but I was able to create working morphs via hex. fickle, but usable.

    --ms

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,804
    Jimbobtheval said:

    Okay, thank you all very much. Disappointing that they have restricted Hexagon so much for the people who have bought it. Will consider requesting a refund.

    I'm not sure what you mean by restricted - the same applies to sending items to ZBrush, or using OBJ to create morphs in other applications.

  • JimbobthevalJimbobtheval Posts: 13
    mindsong said:

    I believe you can turn smoothing on/up in hex to get the same resolution as the DS default, but I recall there were possible issues w editing in this mode (memory). It's been a while, but I was able to create working morphs via hex. fickle, but usable.

    --ms

    That sounds interesting! I'll give that a shot. Thank you :)

  • JimbobthevalJimbobtheval Posts: 13
    mindsong said:

    I believe you can turn smoothing on/up in hex to get the same resolution as the DS default, but I recall there were possible issues w editing in this mode (memory). It's been a while, but I was able to create working morphs via hex. fickle, but usable.

    --ms

    I tried this and it has worked perfectly for the tweaking in Hexagon. However, as soon as you increase the smoothing, it won't let you use the model in DAZ as it says that the geometry has changed, and therefore will not allow me to use it for a morph. Do you know how to get around this? :)

  • JimbobthevalJimbobtheval Posts: 13

    Okay, got it working! Thanks all for the tips. For anyone else who wants to do this, I needed to follow the following steps:

    1) Create the model in Daz3D, and lock the 'High Resolution' option in the parameters. This prevents the model from being distorted in Daz when sending to Hexagon. (File -> send to Hexagon.)

    2) In Hexagon, turn on smoothing change the smoothing to a higher level (I chose 4). Make the changes as desired to the model using the sculpting tools.

    3) Save the Hexagon file for future use if desired.

    4) Change the smoothing back to 0 and turn smoothing off. Then, send the file back to Daz. (File -> Send to Daz.)

    5) Give the morph a name when it pops up in Daz. Then, using the slider under parameters, apply the morph.

    6) Save the morphed object in Daz.

    *Note: Sometimes, sending it into Daz when you just open the original model doesn't work, especially if you open Hexagon and start working from a saved document. No popup seems to appear in Daz. Open the base model in Daz, send it to Hexagon, then in Hexagon open the saved file (don't worry about saving the latest import) and then send that saved file back to Daz. It worked for me that way.

     

     

  • mindsongmindsong Posts: 1,701

    great news, and the workflow sounds familiar to what I would do on a project a while back.

    Note that each smoothing level doubles the vertex/poly count, and can take hexagon out if you're not patient while it's grinding... I don't think I got a genesis1 to work at smoothing 4. Toggling back and forth taught me to save more often too!

    glad it works for you. fwiw, there are some great hex modelling freebie tutorials at rendo by catherine3678a, lots of gotcha tips! YouTube vids too.

    cheers,

    --ms

     

     

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,804
    mindsong said:
    Note that each smoothing level doubles the vertex/poly count, and can take hexagon out if you're not patient while it's grinding... I don't think I got a genesis1 to work at smoothing 4. Toggling back and forth taught me to save more often too!

    Quadruples polygon count, in fact - each face is split into a two-by-two grid at each level

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