ID Link Editor - Custom preset Materials

Sieve · Jul 2014

Hi there!
I've some trouble for setting a good preset workflow for automate some steps.

I have created some custom smart materials, but i can't see them in the ID Link Editor for associate them to specific colors in order to create a ID Link preset, i see only the list of dDo default smart materials.

What is the right workflow to create a ID Link preset with custom smart materials?

Thx!

lordsme · Jul 2014

Hi Sieve,
I think we have the same problem.

We're looking for a way to automate the texturing workflow across different DDO projects, using custom materials we want to define at the beginning of a production.
We did it with old DDO using material presets, but now we can't figure anymore how to do this job with the new DDO...
Can ayone help?
Thank you!

Sieve · Aug 2014

Any idea?
someone else has the same problem?

Eric Ramberg · Aug 2014

Hi guys!

I've forwarded this to the dev team, I'm almost certain this is a coming feature though!

sulky · Aug 2014

The smart materials list and the Quick PBR list (ID link tab) seems to be two different thing. I see the ID link function like a quick way to define a surface by its material and mask him from other materials type at the same time. It will add a default material at runtime base on the selected value ( i.e. steel, wood etc). But the big difference from the first dDo is that you don't chose a preset in the beginning you juste create a primer, and after you add the presets (smart materials). Most of the time i don't assign any ID to my color map i just add materials later from the main dDo interface even my customs one.

Assign smart material from the ID link tabs will be a nice thing for sure lest hope it will be there soon :P like @Eric Ramberg said !

lordsme · Aug 2014

Thank you for your messages, but now the question is: how can you automate the texturing process with new dDo? I mean, with the old one we built a pipeline with this workflow that was VERY effective:

Pre-production:
- the team defines a list of materials that will be useful for the production
- a tech artist sets up a Maya scene with corresponding materials, each one with a different color ID (using the base scene that was included in dDo) and exports a "shader ball" OBJ containing ALL these materials
- a senior artist using dDo defines details of each material and adds environment details, then he save the environment and material preset

Production:
- every artist, after modeling and UV layout, uses the Maya material library to assign materials to its model
- using a custom script he bakes out everything needed by DDO, especially the color ID map
- he imports everything in DDO, just choosing the environment and material preset defined in pre-production
- he tweaks a little and then he exports all maps from DDO

RESULT: a lot of assets textured very quickly, visual consistency for all assets, texturing time reduced by 70%, a very happy customer, lots of licenses sold

How can we do this with new DDO? Quixel Dev team, we really need your help!!

Eric Ramberg · Aug 2014

@Lordsme - Sorry this one slipped through the cracks a bit, let me seek the answer from someone smarter than me and get back to you! Really sorry for the delay!

STEVONATRON · Aug 2014

I don't know if we're talking about the same thing here (I'm relatively new to Ddo) but I have a problem loading a pre-saved custom preset. So for example; I go through the process of adding details to the texture base then save preset to save myself the trouble of doing it all over again for a similar project - but it doesn't show up when I try to load it.

Are we on the same page here, or am I just doing something completely wrong?

teddybergsman · Aug 2014

Hey guys,

This workflow is very much possible, and a few things are underway for making it easier in 1.4. The key is color links & project presets.

- When setting up the project, make sure all colors are linked with the type of materials you wish to associate them to (Blue to Metal/Steel for instance). DDO will remember the links forever and you can also save it out as a ID link preset to share with the team. Next, generate the project.

- Create your materials and link them to the various IDs.

- Save a Project Preset in the DDO dropdown menu. This will output a file that links all the various IDs with the materials you have created.

You can now load this new preset when creating a new project, to automatically load the materials you have set up for the different color IDs -- you'll find the preset loading option in the preset dropdown (right below the input slots in the Base Creator).

Note that you can also use ID maps with new completely random colors, and the project presets will still work, as long as the new colors have been linked to the same material IDs (yellow to Metal/Steel will generate the exact material you set up for your Metal/Steel link in your project preset).

A proper guide on this will be released with 1.4 as well as some features to streamline this workflow. Stay tuned!

- Teddy

Eric Ramberg · Aug 2014

@Steveonatron - You're talking about something different, have you watched the video on smart materials from the wiki: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ltYc6D4v2mo
It covers this whole operation!

lordsme · Aug 2014

Thank you for the info teddybergsman, keep up the good work!
Anyway I'm not sure we have understood everything

Hey guys,
This workflow is very much possible, and a few things are underway for making it easier in 1.4.

Will the 1.4 release be available before beta closes? I think it won't...
This workflow is really important for us, it would be nice if we can see it working before Beta ends.

- When setting up the project, make sure all colors are linked with the type of materials you wish to associate them to (Blue to Metal/Steel for instance). DDO will remember the links forever and you can also save it out as a ID link preset to share with the team. Next, generate the project.

I can't understand this point: when we create our custom materials in DDO and we save them as an XML, they are not showing up in the default material list (where you can find Metal/Steel). Maybe this is the normal behaviour...
What do you mean with "setting up the project"?

To setup all materials in the old DDO we used a fake geometry&maps (something like a multi-shader ball) containing all materials, with IDs taken from the provided FBX sample.

- Create your materials and link them to the various IDs.
- Save a Project Preset in the DDO dropdown menu. This will output a file that links all the various IDs with the materials you have created.

This step is clear and everything goes fine.

You can now load this new preset when creating a new project, to automatically load the materials you have set up for the different color IDs -- you'll find the preset loading option in the preset dropdown (right below the input slots in the Base Creator).

This step is not working on our workstations: when creating the new project with the saved preset (Color ID maps are 100% compatible) a lot of undefined layers and groups appear in the DDO GUI.
Has anyone ever experienced this bug?

Note that you can also use ID maps with new completely random colors, and the project presets will still work, as long as the new colors have been linked to the same material IDs (yellow to Metal/Steel will generate the exact material you set up for your Metal/Steel link in your project preset).
A proper guide on this will be released with 1.4 as well as some features to streamline this workflow. Stay tuned!

Uhm, I really can't understand this... I hope the forthcoming guide will shed some light on me

Kosrona · Mar 2015

I hav same Failer and doesnt help. this step

ID Link Editor - Custom preset Materials

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