Hi, I wonder if anyone can help…
Im trying to create a string vest for a character Im making and am trying to figure out the best way of doing it. I thought micro mesh might have been the way, but Id like the mesh to adhere to the UV layout rather than the polys of the actual mesh.
The closest I’ve got is to use a tillable alpha in surface/noise. But this doesn’t use transparency and I cant work out how to remove the holes. (rough test attached)
would anybody have any pointers?
many thanks
Nick
Hi @nickholl ,
I thought micro mesh might have been the way, but Id like the mesh to adhere to the UV layout rather than the polys of the actual mesh.
Any method for creating the links as separate, real geometry (Micromesh, Micropoly, Nanomesh) is going to be dependent on the underlying topology. This may involve a multipart process where you create the links section by section instead of all at once, manipulating the underlying topology as you go for uniform shape and distribution.
If you want this to be based on UVs then you are probably looking at a textural solution.
Alphas are used to displace the mesh. There are no “holes”, only zones of minimum/maximum elevation. 100% White is maximum elevation, 100% black is no elevation (subject to mid-value settings). If you apply your texture as an alpha, then the links will be displaced from the surface of the mesh.
If you apply your links as a texture, then 100% black areas can be made to be transparent. However, this is only a render time effect.
With either alphas or textures, the color they apply to the mesh can be converted to masking with options in the masking palette like “Mask By Intensity”. Likewise these features can be used to apply different colors of Polypaint to the mesh, which can then be converted to masking or polygroups for the purpose of isolating or deleting certain sections of geometry. Those sections of geometry can then be deleted, thus creating real “holes” in the geometry based on the pattern of your alpha or texture.
However, this is unlikely to produce very clean results comparable to a purely textural approach or the above mentioned features. It may be suitable for simpler forms. It will leave you with a 2D mesh with jagged holes. Extracts can be used to create thickness. You can smooth the edges of polygroups prior to deletion by using one of the polygroup border smoothing features, but this is likely to greatly limit the detail you can generate with this approach. I would judge it to be strictly inferior to any of the previously mentioned approaches for the purpose you are after.
What are your output goals? For maximum realism with high resolution digital renders you will probably want the links created as real/separate geometry. For print output, a simple chain texture displacement will probably be sufficient. Links created as real geometry are likely to be problematic for the printing process in any event.
Good luck!
wow - thanks for the help!
I think Micromesh will do the trick, like you say ill just have to make sure the underlying mesh is a bit more grid like, and ill then have to delete unneeded bits afterwards.
Now… to create myself a typing pattern! 
thanks again for the help!