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[tom]

Please read the first (original) post, I have addad a short explanation about height mpas there.
tom

[tom]

Hi,
we have received the first textures from Keiko and Tightfit, thank you very much. Here are our first notes:

1. Please include the name of the used model in the name of the textures in the future so that we can identify them easily. E.g. texture1_cloth2.png, texture2_stockings.png etc.

2. We have not received height mapf for the textures. Did you try to create one or  not at all? Height map can add the fine structure of the material and also the creases if needed. Here the question is: will you try to add the height map, or should we try to add it, or should we skip for the given model? If we skip the height map the result may look a bit plain.

3. The look of the texture can be controlled using different parameters, I will write about it shortly.

Please answer the 2nd note, that is the most important at the moment to go further.

Regards,
tom

[tom]

Hi,

the screenshot uses standard DirectX functions, here we cannot correct the result, we are terrible sorry.

The GUI could be corrected to adapt better to the resolution, but that is a bigger change, so it is not planned in the near future.

Regards,
tom

[tom]

Hi,

regarding the bump: the normal map is there to create the required bump effect. Everything that Keiko and Tight mentioned can be solved with the normal map. Keiko's sample with the orange uses height map, from that should be generated normal map first to use as normal map. To remove the original bump (e.g. original cloth creases) a 'plane' normal map should be loaded to the diffuse texture. Height and then normal map can be generated also from the diffuse texture using different  utilities, but other bump effects (like creases) need more advanced techniques like e.g. ZBrush.

Should we talk a bit more about normal maps and the usage of them with AChat cloth textures?

Regards,
tom

[tom]

something we really miss in achat a bump maps, to give the clothes some 3d look. wonder if dev-team had ever think about it!

Sorry? Bump maps are there. Should I show samples? The normal maps will be used to create the bump map.

tom

[tom]

Hi,
thank you for considering my suggestion about moving the designs into the shop. I have received feedback about the price we would pay for the textures. To be more exact there are members who think this price is too low. Maybe they are right…. or not. That really depends on the quality of the work. But in our pricing model just the best quality wouldn't be paid fairly. I have received also suggestion about a different pricing model. After considering that we have a new suggestion. The designer would receive the following 'payment':

– Free usage of the own design.
– 20% share in A$ after each sold item in the shop, paid e.g daily.

I think that's a simple and clear model, the best and popular designs will be remunerated as they deserve it. The designer's income has no limits, can be very low but also very high in this case.
I hope you like better this pricing model. Waiting for your feedback again.
Regards,
tom

[tom]

Hi,

we have seen more interesting creations, and would like to make a step forward. We don't plan to build a separated shop for the user creations, first of all because that solution raises lot of technical questions. The way we would like to try is the following:

– We offer A$1500 for the accepted user creation, and it will be shown in the shop. The creator's name can be displayed on the product picture, but otherwise the new cloth will be the property of AChat, and the creator cannot dispose of it in the future in any way.

– That means, only users, who accept these terms can offer clothes for the shop.

As first step, we could select e.g. 3 creations from users, who accept the listed terms. The selection could be made by the forum users with the help of Keiko. Then we will ask for the textures, and talk to the developers about required further steps. E.g. about missing or low quality normal map, possibility of specular map and so on. Finally the result will be published in a future upgrade.

The practical usage of this concept would be refined on the fly, as we don't know yet what kind of problems we will meet.

Waiting for your comments or/and help to make the first step.

Regards,
tom

[tom]

You can download UV map, it can help perhaps the more refined works for those who are familiar with it.
tom

[tom]

Hi,

we would like to introduce a new experimental feature. It enables you to create or modify textures for different clothes. The new textures cannot be used to wear and show to other AChat users, it is only an off-line development feature. Our goal is to offer this possibility to see if AChat users are interested in creating new clothes with texture modifications, and if quality works can be done this way. If both answers are 'yes', we intend to create the possibility of posting the best works in the shop, but the exact way is not planned yet. For now we would like to encourage you to try this tool, and post pictures of your work here in the forum.

How does it work?

When you are offline, type in the chat window the word 'tex' and press the 'Send message' button. A new window will be displayed, where you can select different clothes, and save or load the textures of the selected cloth in png format. To edit the saved texture you can choose your own way, we will not suggest specific texture editor and/or method.

To help texture editing here you can find UVW maps for the textures:

cloth_UVW.zip
shoes_UVW.zip

Short explanation about height maps:

Height maps are grayscale textures, where the different grays between black and white mean different 'heights' on the surface, giving the possibility to add the illusion of fine geometry structure (-> bumpy surface). Please save the following height maps and try to load them to the cloth textures, you will see how they create the described effect.

height_map_1.png
height_map_2.png

or zipped both together:

height_maps.zip

After loading the height maps they should appear on the cloth as follows:

working_height_map.jpg

If you cannot see this effect that means your video card lacks of required shader functions!
In this case we recommend to get a video card which supports shader model 3.

Texture properties

The properties (lighting, reflection) of the textures can be adjusted as described in the following short documentation:

clothed_textprop.txt

Compensation

the designer, whose work will be accepted and published in the shop will receive the following 'payment':

– A$5000-50000 on the designer's account depending on the complexity of the design

or

– payment in real $ as agreed between the designer and AChat before publishing the design

We will kepp adding information about this new feature according to your questions posted in this topic.

Regards,
tom

[tom]

Hi,

we don't plan better option for freckles in the near future, please use the make-up possibility.

tom

[tom]

Do we need to re-save the room Tom? Or does this follow the room choice if we switch?

You can select different decorations for different rooms, so if you change the room, you have to select the decoraction again (for the first time), but of course the selection will be saved for each room.

[tom]

Please remember!
Your AChat user can be hacked only if you give out your password e.g. outside our homepage.

tom

[tom]

Hmm, before I installed the upgrade it looked awesome but now it looks a to shiny…

Was not the previous version too matt?

[tom]

Hi,
I can see the shemale skin problem in the test version, but not in the older version. Can you send a picture of it? (the attachments are unvisible)
Regards,
tom

[tom]

You can keep this version, it will work with all upgrades.

tom

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