3d Question: Bumpmaps

[eric1223]

I've been experimenting with obj files and Moho for a while and I know there are some limitations like not being able to have lighting.

I really don't get how bump maps work if it is lighting based, or texture base, but I notice moho doesn't show bump maps. With poser, If I add a obj file, it doesnt start out showing the bump map; I have to find the file on my computer. Idk if its the software I am using to model, or if it is moho itself. Does moho read bump maps with obj files?

[Greenlaw]

Bump textures depend on 3D lighting to be visible so, no, you wouldn't see them in Moho anyway.

I don't normally use the 3D effects in Moho except for multiplaning, 3D camera movements, and occasionally rotating layers towards camera to simulate hinged items.

The reason I avoid working with 3D objects in Moho is because of its limited ability for animating 3D objects and, as you noted, no ability for lighting 3D objects. (But I think you can kinda fake it little using layer effects.) Not being able to use any actual 3D shading properties (bump, reflections, normal maps, etc.,) is another reason.

When I do need Moho animations to interact with 3D objects, I find it easier to animate and render 3D objects in an actual 3D program and merge the results with Moho renders, typically in a compositing program.

The key is to share camera motions across programs.

Moho is a bit limited there, but there is a script that can export Moho camera motions to After Effects. You might then be able to get the data from AE to your 3D program.

Moho can export FBX, but in the current release I'm not sure that includes the camera. If it doesn't, that's a shame because FBX works great when I'm sharing camera and object data between LightWave, Maya, Motion Builder, and Fusion. I'll need to check on this, but somehow I don't think Moho's FBX supports camera export yet.

Another way is to track the background passes from Moho in a program like SynthEyes or the 3D Camera Tracker in AE. You can then export the reconstructed camera data to your 3D program or compositing program.

Most of the time, I keep the process much simpler though and just animate all my Moho characters 'in-place,' and then map the renders to 'cards' in my 3D program or compositor, and have the 'cards' interact with the 3D animation there. Then I can have the best of both environments.

Hope this helps.

[synthsin75]

You'd have to bake any lighting or texture effects into the 3D obj's mtl, since that's all Moho reads.

[eric1223]

Thanks Greenlaw and synthsin75

In the future, I'm planning on using obj files for the backgrounds and props, and maybe character animation through poser. I like the idea of rendering out 3d and compositing it a movie editor, or Moho even. Especially since Moho has motion tracking (something I forgot about into now.) After I finish this project, I may put the 3d thing to the test!



Thanks Synth. Now I'm trying to figure out how to do this. The program I have now is really limited of what it can do with texture, but it sorta works with another program to help with textures. But That is for a different Forum!