4 replies to this topic

[snow]

Create a formZ file with a few of your own textures.  Export the following with textures.

 

Export to 3DS: 3 versions of each texture

Export to FBX: 2 versions of each texture

Export to OBJ: 2 versions of each texture

 

This can really (unnecessarily) bloat a project folder when using higher res images.

 

Also, can the formZ logo stop exporting when it isn't in use (spoiler alert: it's never in use).

[Bartjuan]

+1 

Also, it would be great if FZ could see that if a given file name already exists in the destination folder, overwrite/skip it, don't create a filename_2. This wreaks havoc on Obj and Mat files. and bloats the project folder.

 

Bart

 

One of these days we are going to see a lovely home with the formz Logo painted on the side cuz that damn thing showed up in a stray rendering.

[David Lemelin]

I've been thinking about the materials palette for a while as I always seem to be in there cleaning up and rationalizing materials after importing numerous models into a new project. The main problem lies with duplication of virtually identical materials. Sometimes I end up with six or seven glossy blacks and the only way to clean up the extras is to select and delete them one at a time.

 

Perhaps if FormZ analyzed materials in imported shapes and noted not only duplicate names, but also verified a number of factors such as color, transparency, and specularity and offered to substitute a near match from the existing model when a close match is identified... That would give us the option of deciding upfront if a particular material is a close enough match.

 

Also, the texture groups are difficult to work with, the closed folders mean more clicks to access existing materials. Perhaps if the materials palette allowed grouping of textures with a simple shift-select and a pull-down separator similar to how guides work in Photoshop (click on the window edge and drag down a divider where you can add a group name if needed). This would allow dividing up materials by category or by object.

 

FromZ often requires multiple clicks for some processes when one or two should be sufficient if processes were streamlined. For instance, when loading an image map, why all the different dialogs? Provide a dialog that incorporates the file browser and provides the various controls the import requires. 

 

Regarding managing materials, it would be nice to be able to strip out multiple textures at once instead of needing to do it one at a time. A dialog featuring the multiple deletions could be provided to allow replacement of the deleted materials with other existing ones using the same icons as in the materials palette.

 

Lastly, why not provide a range of materials as the base default state? Right now FormZ offer a number of flat colors, but 90% of the time my models only contain 3 or 4 flat colors, the rest are glossy, transparent, metallic, or emitters. Why not offer a starting state that provides a few of each so that models can start with a variety of basic starting points. These could also be customizable to feature textures that repeat across many projects right from the launch. A really nice touch would be to allow the user to specify the rendering engine of choice in the preferences so that the material palettes and options reflect first the material options suitable for Maxwell, VRay or RenderZone while hiding the unneeded options. This could also be leveraged to preset the lighting palette to feature the correct light source type for the rendering engine selected.

Edited by David Lemelin, 16 February 2018 - 12:12 PM.

[David Lemelin]

One last thought before leaving the topic, it would be nice for the Materials palette to offer some better display options... Make the icon size infinitely variable (instead of too small or too large). Consider the option of small tiles that zoom when moused over.

 

Also some sorting tools, right at the palette level to reorganize the palette display by hue, by render engine, or by type (metalic, matte, glossy, glass, and render engine) it would be nice with a simple click to identify all the MXS with a simple click, or get all the glue based colors in the same area of the palette.

[snow]

I second David's suggestion that adding a new material needs to be streamlined.  it takes 4 separate clicks and a double click (not in that order) to pull up the OS file browser.  It should be like, 2 click to bring up the browser, max.  

 

I also like the idea of a icon size slider here.  I think certain parts of formZ is plagued by unnecessary sliders (display resolution, file compression) but this would be a welcomed addition.

 

I like the idea of a "smart" duplicate material filter, but I can see this either taking WAY too long to process or becoming more of a frustration than a blessing.  However, an easy way to override material X with material Y would be nice.  C4D has this ability and it works great for "removing" duplicate materials.