Setting up a reference picture in XSI...

[merc]

How do I go about setting up a good reference picture in XSI? I know how to use rotoscope, but sometimes the sizes are bad and all... How do you do that bitmap thing like Ichi did in his tutorials? Is there a way to do that in XSI? Also is there a way to make the model you are working on go semi transparent and stuff like he has in his vtm? Or is that 3dsmax only?

-merc

 

[softmonkey]

yes and yes

1. Model>Get>Primitive>Polygon Mesh>Grid
2. Set subdivisions to 1 in both U and V
3. Model>Get>Property>Texture Projection>XZ
4. Select grid and Model>Get>Material>Constant
5. Darg'n'drop image onto grid
6. Set viewport to Textured decal

Repeat above for other reference images

On the transparency thing...

1. Select your mesh and Get>Material> and pick one. I rec Constant
2. Go to the transparency/reflection tab
3. Make sure you are at frame one and press "auto" in the top left corner of the material page
4. Move the scale slider to 0
5. Move to frame 2
6. Set the scale slider to 0.5
7. Move to frame 3
7. Set the scale to 1
8. turn off auto key
9. Set the color values to (1,1,1,1). You can press cntrl to move all the sliders at the same time

done

 

[merc]

alright well i got the textured decal stuff working, but the transparency thing is still confusing me, im not sure how to know what frame im on and i dont know how to go from frame to frame in the viewports...

-merc

 

[softmonkey]

look at the center bottom of the interface and you will see the playback panel.
There is a text box there with a number. That's the current frame.

Move frames forwards and backwards using the left and right arrow keys respectively.

I am rendering at the moment so let me write you a nice script. Gimmie a couple of mins

 

[merc]

sweet! just email it to me at [email protected] .... i dont know how i can thank you for all this help! also do you know a quick way of deselecting objects? like when i am working on lots of different vertices and moving them around, i want to to deselect and select quickly, but i havent found a way better than ctrl+shift+a ...

-merc

 

[softmonkey]

this script will do the model plane... just open the script editor and paste this code in and run. pick image and there you go...

set oClip = AddImageSource

oXRes = oClip.xres.value
oYRes = oClip.yres.value

set oGrid = CreatePrim("Grid", "MeshSurface", "Ref_Plane" )
SetValue oGrid & ".polymsh.geom.subdivu", 1
SetValue oGrid & ".polymsh.geom.subdivv", 1

ratio = oXRes / oYRes

SetValue oGrid & ".grid.ulength", 10 * ratio 
SetValue oGrid & ".grid.vlength", 10

CreateProjection oGrid, siTxtPlanarXZ, siTxtDefaultPlanarXZ, , "UVs"
ApplyShader "Material\Constant", oGrid , , , siLetLocalMaterialsOverlap 

oMat = oGrid.material

SIConnectShaderToCnxPoint oClip, oMat & ".constant1.color"
FreezeObj oGrid

SetValue "Camera.camdisp.mixviewmode", True
SetValue "Views.ViewA.TopCamera.camdisp.mixviewmode", True
SetValue "Views.ViewC.FrontCamera.camdisp.mixviewmode", True
SetValue "Views.ViewD.RightCamera.camdisp.mixviewmode", True

MakeLocal oGrid & ".display", siNodePropagation

SetValue oGrid & ".display.staticsel", 4
SetValue oGrid & ".display.intsel", 4
SetValue oGrid & ".display.playbacksel", 4
SetValue oGrid & ".display.staticunselnear", 4
SetValue oGrid & ".display.intunselnear", 4
SetValue oGrid & ".display.playbackunselnear", 4
SetValue oGrid & ".display.staticunselfar", 4
SetValue oGrid & ".display.intunselfar", 4
SetValue oGrid & ".display.playbackunselfar", 4

 

[merc]

ok so where and what is the script editor? lol sorry for being such a nub, but i am lost...

-merc

 

[softmonkey]

at the bottom of the interface, left of the "playback button"