Adding photo textures to buildings from tight angles...
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Good morning,
Just wondering how you experts deal with adding photo-textures to buildings fro where you can't get a perpendicular photo?
I am trying to model and the pubs of my town and because the town is very old, there are many narrow streets and alleys where you simply can't get a good photo (like this one for example:
.I know some work-arounds such as breaking the face of the building down into various segments would help, but just wondering if I am missing somethign or if there is an even better tip you can share?
Also, I have a secondary question. Will GE accept these models that have less than perfect photo textures because of the geography of the buildings
Thanks.
Lee
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Hi lee,
Yes, the best solution would be to break the photos/models down to "segments" on the façades possibly at points (edges) where there is a break in it anyway. Then later you can combine these parts into one, single image.
Still you can "cheat" at a lot of places and stretch/skew/edit/clone parts of the texture so that it looks at least "somewhat" real. Google generally understands such hard conditions and if you make a decent job, will accept the building. Also, when there are such narrow streets modelled in a town you cannot easily navigate too close to see the glitches.
Here is just a quick shot at it (eyeballing sizes and cropping the building from where it cannot be seen - although it may still be a bit "wider" on the front than real).
Also make sure to make your texture unique (or combine more than one) once you are satisfied with positioning. With such sharp angles, it is obvious that much of the image will not be used on the façade therefore uselessly taking file size - as well as making it hard to edit (using the clone tool to replace parts etc) as it is skewed originally. This way you can also "optimize" your image size and resolution - better than if the warehouse software does it automatically. Make it somewhere between 1 and 2 cms for a pixel (2 is "ideal" for acceptance, 1 is still "bearable" by Google) but if you save your image with a good quality, it will not be too noticeable on GE (now the image used in the model below is 113kb against your full, 709kb image). Google will like this.
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Many thanks for your reply, excellent, as always Gaieus.
When you talk about pixel sizes and cloning etc, are you referring to processing the image in Photoshop (or similar?), this makes sense.
When you say: Then later you can combine these parts into one, single image. Do you mean this happens in SU?
Sorry for silly questions.
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@leedeetee said:
When you talk about pixel sizes and cloning etc, are you referring to processing the image in Photoshop (or similar?), this makes sense.
Yes, exactly. The procedure should go like this:
- position your image (don't worry about it being ridiculously skewed at this phase on screen)
- right click the textured face > make unique - this will crop away everything that is not needed and your texture will also be "straightened"
- now right click > Texture > edit texture image - now it will open in your default image editor (or any custom editor you set in window > Preferences > Applications).
Whatever changes you make in this image editor, will be instantly reflected in SU (and on the face) when you save it in the image editor. Quite handy as you need not export images and then reload them as in SU 6 and prior.
@leedeetee said:
When you say: Then later you can combine these parts into one, single image. Do you mean this happens in SU?
Yes - and it also makes this new, combined image in a way that it makes every of them unique (with the advantages listed above) AND combines them in a single image (now nicely cropped). It also gives you the option to delete the dividing edges so if you divided your façade due to the problems you described in your first post, it will eventually solve these problems.
It only works when the faces the differenttexture images are applied on toucheach other and are co-planar. When you have two or more differentimages applied on such faces, select the faces > right click > Combine textures...Of course, you should position the neighbouring pieces as nicely as possible but if there is a little seam when combined, no problem; edit the new, combined texture as per above and get rid of the seam...
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Gaieus,
Thanks ever so much for your thorough reply AGAIN. I really appreciate it, you've made it all very clear and easy to follow. Thanks!
I was out at 9am taking a few photos (where I could!) and where the snow wasn't too bad so have now got the weekend to just have a little play.
Also, just one more question if I may. When modelling buildings, how do you photo texture parts of the building which are totally unaccessible?! Or do you just do the best you can by 'borrowing' parts of the building which you CAN see? I assume this is the way to go but unsure what Google will make of it. AM i right in thinkign that I should avoid using SU's materials at all costs?
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Best is not to use SU materials and simple colours. Google tends to reject such models - so yes, cheat!
You can always use some plain plastering "borrowed" from other parts of the building or such. But I think that since you are modelling pubs, the owners should realize their own interests in helping you with going to the back yards and taking a couple of shots. After all, this is their free promotion on GE!
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@gaieus said:
But I think that since you are modelling pubs, the owners should realize their own interests in helping you with going to the back yards and taking a couple of shots. After all, this is their free promotion on GE!
Great idea! You may be on to something there .... !
I'll let you know when my first model is complete!
P.s. Always wondered, what does your username mean?!
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It's just a common name (mor exactly a bit modified version) in Latin; Gaius > Gaieus.
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@gaieus said:
It's just a common name (more exactly a bit modified version) in Latin; Gaius > Gaieus.
Which means "One Who Rejoices"...
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Just look at my avatar, TIG
Or the original it was made form:
http://www.gaieus.hu
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"Gaius Nimium"
Is what you should be... "One Who Rejoices Too Much"
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