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Surforge 1.4.5 - 3D rendered PBR texturing in Unity

Discussion in 'Assets and Asset Store' started by Sergeyv_3d, Jan 27, 2017.

  1. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Aaaand another small problem: emitting texture is being generated by taking into account a label object that is below it.

    OK, I slightly changed the emitting mesh and it seems that the emitting meshes materials are being OVERLAYED to all the rest somehow. Can you explain how this works exactly?

    And other "small" problem: just tried the first export of the textures, and the albedo seems waaaayy too dark. I use light power of 1 for full sunny day directional light, all my textures, included the Unity Standard Asset ones, create a perfect atmosphere... from Surforge, instead than having a nice white material I have a dark grey, but in the Surforge viewport it looks perfect.
    In general, all the textures exported seem too dark, with exception of normals and AO.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018
  2. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Aaaand another thing: I have this halo following some objects.
    I checked the black material and the chrome material and they both are free from ANY rusty colored effect.
    So, I don't know from where this is popping up... and I would cut it away.

    And attached, another proof that the labels are rendered on top of everything else.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018
  3. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Something strange is definitely happening with texture export.
    In the first image you can see the screenshot render, and if you check the albedo you can clearly see that the values of the "white" part are around 140.
    In the texture the RGB values are halved to around 70.

    Even the emissive texture is much more dark than in the screenshot.
    It's probably the same for all the textures.

    P.s.: sorry everyone for taking over the thread like this, hope these posts help, apart me, in development of the tool.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018
  4. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Found the dark texture problem: color space.
    I suspected that this was such a general problem that I tried to switch "back" from Linear to Gamma and now textures are exported correctly. I need linear space because it produces more realistic results.
    Now, it would be nice to have them exported the same as the screenshots if possible. Those are correct.

    Other problem: I miss all these icons. Thought they were empty slots in the beginning, but they are working, only the icons are missing.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018
  5. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    Hello. Thank you very much for your purchase and feedback. I will do my best to help with the issues. I am writing a detailed answer.
     
    PolyMad likes this.
  6. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Thank you Sergey, no hurry ;)
     
  7. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Feature request: ability to specify file format and name suffix for textures.
    I would like to have them all in TGA compressed, and suffix like:
    _A
    _E
    _H
    _N
    _O
    _S
    :D
     
  8. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    Yes, you are right. When the project is in Linear mode, you textures exported in linear space. The textures, looking "dark" in project tab is the correct exported Linear space textures. They should be such "dark" to work as intended (auto gamma corrected in the shaders by Unity, after all Linear stuff, that benefit from linear textures, is done). Just make sure they marked as "Linear" in the import settings (Surforge sets this by default on export).

    If textures are stored on hard drive as gamma corrected, they still could be used by Unity in Linear project. It will be autocorrected to linear before go to shaders. This is ok too, but extra transition will (slightly) affect the quality. So the most right way is to store them linear.

    At the screenshot exported by Surforge, linear textures are gamma corrected for the preview purposes.

    There is a "dirt" effect by default, on the top of all materials of the material set. You could tweak/disable it with the "dirt" group of contrils found in materials selection dropdown menu under the texture preview.

    Never seen this issue before. I am investigating it now. There should be icons of kitbash assets.
    Could you please try to install Surforge fresh into the clean new project without any third party assets, make shure nothing is renamed/moved. Just to check there are no conflicts. You could then use it with other assets.

    There are snap mode settings with lock icons near the magnet button at the very bottom. By default all snap conditions are active, this could be to agressive in some cases. You could try to disable some conditions.
    I am afraid snap distance not yet exposed to the Gui. You could try to tweak it at "SurforgeInterface.cs" near line 7237, but it is not yet designed/tested for changes.

    Surforge is designed to work with single mesh, single material. You could easily achieve the needed material combinations by Surforge material ID feature. Just select the needed PolyLasso objects and press 1-8 hotkeys on the top of keyboard text block to set different IDs. Then drag and drop materials from the Surforge Materials tab to the corresponding parts of texture preview.
    The single material per model workflow is better optimized in terms of draw calls.
    If you can't see some polys on the texture preview, there is something with 3d editor settings. Could you please try collapse/remove all materials and poly groups in your 3d editor (don't forget to backup!) and export. The single mesh with single material should work right.

    4096 (especially with high AA settings and SSAO mode) is kind of "final" render and takes some time, about 1-2 minutes on modern Gpu. It also needs good amount of RAM to work (8GB is required minimum, 16 is better).
    Please confirm if keeps stucking every time and I'll try to find out the reason.

    I am afraid it can't be edited yet. This feature is already in todo list. You could use "split" feature (with Ctrl) to cut your existing PolyLasso objects.

    I know all this could be somewhat confusing at first. Just give it some time. Experiment a bit with example models, and you will find Surforge workflow very rewarded.
     
  9. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    Yes, this is already requested. The problem with TGA compression (RLE) it is outdated, it has almost no benefit on detailed images (like textures/photos). It is for graphics with large single colored areas.
    I am going to add Tiff export, that has better compression, but it is rather complex.
     
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  10. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    I already have my first production ready, took a couple of hours to get accustomed with the new system, but the productivity boost is huge.
    After that, I had to rework the UV, so I had to remake the whole material by scratch. That took me something like 10 minutes! o_O I love this!
    Thank you for this invaluable tool :cool:

    About the missing icons, I had a warning of old API import, so I clicked cancel and installation proceeded anyway, maybe because of this.
    I will try to reimport Surforge, I have just backed up the project.

    Now another problem in installation on another project: installation went smooth but there is no Surforge menu item.
    I deleted the Surforge folders, and now I try to reimport the package.

    Edit: had a critical error in Screen Space Obscurance from Standard Assets (???) saying that a variable blablabla. I deleted it and now Surforge appears in the menu. Who knows...
    I have tens of yellow errors on Surforge interface now though, of obsolete stuff etc.

    Edit2: doesn't work anyway. Interface mangled etc. Don't know what is going on here.
    I have installed Playmaker, Terrain Composer 2 and Easyroads 3D already. I hope they don't annoy Surforge.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 20, 2018
  11. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Uhm, other feature request.
    I see there is a SETTINGS in the scene. So I suppose each scene has its own settings then.
    In those settings, you could expose the FILENAMES straight away, and when the user exports the textures, they will go straight in there with that filename! So not even need to choose path, filename, etc. at export phase and then copy the files to the Unity folder etc.!
     
  12. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    Thank you very much for positive feedback. I am happy you like Surforge.
    Yes, when importing Surforge, you should let Api Updater to update the scripts for your version of Unity. This is needed because Surforge is aimed to also support older Unity versions.
    When exporting textures in your current project, it remembers the last used path and file name. Store the path in the settings is good idea.
     
  13. M-P-F

    M-P-F

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    Hi Sergey, figured I'd just ask: what happened to the option of exporting maps for a Metallic (as opposed to Specular) workflow? Still on the roadmap? Forgive me if I've somehow missed it, I haven't quite been keeping track of Surforge lately, we were forced to use a different software (that shall not be named!) for a while (to support aforementioned Metallic workflow). But I'd love to be able to add Surforge back into the pipeline.
     
  14. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    Metallic workflow still on the roadmap. Huge thing, but it will be implemented.
    I was intensively engaged in the new 3d modeler asset these months. For sure it is time now to complete some Surforge things that are in developement.
     
  15. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Seems that the Standard Assets are preventing a correct installation.
    Tested right now: imported Surforge in a project with Standard Assets (latest version on Unity 2018.1) and didn't show up in the Window menu and the interface didn't work (I have a Layout set up with it, so if the interface was working, it had to show up even if the menu item was missing).
    Deleted the Standard Assets folder and Surforge now shows up.
    But now the interface shows up incomplete, all the part under the preview is missing, and few buttons are overlayed on the main section buttons at the top right of the interface.
     
  16. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Maybe I tracked down a solution for the missing part of the interface: switching straight away to a Layout that includes the Surforge panel will prevent the first initialization of that part of the UI.
    Having a Surforge scene loaded and opening the Surforge window by itself once will fix it.
     
  17. M-P-F

    M-P-F

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    Great. That's all I wanted to know, really. Make no mistake, Surforge is well worth the price even without metallic workflow, but with it it's phenomenal value for money.
     
  18. Sergeyv_3d

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    Got it. I will fix Standard Assets issue in next update. There was such issue fixed before, but they changed something.
    Could you please check if Surforge installed in the fresh project, in which never installed Standard Assets, works for you? If you continue facing Gui issues, could you please try "Window - Layouts - Revert Factory Settings"?
     
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  19. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    I've never used this REVERT TO FACTORY SETTINGS.
    It says that it delets all my windows layouts (I can't understand why, wouldn't be just enough to revert just the ACTUAL windows configuration to factory settings???).
    I really, really, really don't want that, how can I save them?

    P.s.: tried on EMPTY project, loaded all icons no problem. Also, switching window layout straight away to my setting with Surforge panel open in there, worked well.
    Going to try now to install on an empty project WITH Standard Assets only.

    OK, now SAME PROJECT, I imported Standard Assets and then I imported Sourceforge.
    Again the problem with the GUI not showing the panel under the preview, and no matter what I do, like opening the Surforge GUI window apart, it doesn't show up, and there are those few buttons up left overlayed on the Surforge GUI.
    The icons are all there though.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 21, 2018
  20. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    I will fix the issue with Standard Assets in the next update. Please don't install it in one project along with Surforge before it fixed.
    If you need to use Standard Assets in your main project, you could install Surforge into separate project. It will be your "texturing factory", and use exported results in your main project. I am sorry for the inconvenience.
     
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  21. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    No problem. I am going to try to reinstall it on my main project though, and see if the icons will fix.
     
  22. PolyMad

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    The halo around the emissive pixels is a great thing, but it can't really be used without some dithering!
     

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  23. Sergeyv_3d

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    This is because emission intensity in this case is too low to produce better gradient.
    You could try to increase it in the "Emission" group of controls in Materials selection dropdown menu. This will add more shades to the glow on the exported emission map. You could then tweak it in Standard shader after export. But please note, that GPU based blur effect has some limitations. This effect looks better on larger details with higher emission intensity.
    Also, you could disable it, if uncomment the 47th line in "Surforge/GPURender/addGlowPost.shader".
     
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  24. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Thank you! It's sad though, because it can't be used to make subtle effects... no way to implement a dithering algo?
     
  25. ciathyza

    ciathyza

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    Just purchased this but having some starting problems...

    1. I open the Surforge window.
    2. Click New texture.
    3. A new scene opens with the skybox visible in it.
    4. Trying to drag'n'drop a 3D model into the Open model field doesn't work. It just keeps preview_Cube in it.

    How do I get the actual large Surforge UV view instead of the ordinary 3D model in the window?

    It looks like this after I hit the New Texture button... I doubt it should be like this.
    http://files.ciathyza.com/wl/?id=vpSyslr2MrAMxZVqUdzFCFE1g97nGvNH
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2018
  26. Sergeyv_3d

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    It's a Gpu effect, so not much could be done with it.
    It works ok if glowing details have enough size, like in "winged helmet" demo scene.
    wingsGlow.png
    It is just optional effect. You could also add your own glow to the exported emission map in your image editor.
     
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  27. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    Thank you very much for your purchase.
    Drag and drop your meshes, not complete model assets. Meshes can be seen if you uncover your model asset content, with a little arrow button on your Project tab:
    meshContent.png
    I am afraid for some reson Url you provided not opens. But Surforge work scene window is actually your ordinary scene window. You just have to look on the center of your scene from the top (could easily be done with "compass" tool on the right upper corner of scene window).
    Surforge draw UVs by GL class just in your Unity Scene view, when Surforge window is opened.
     
  28. ciathyza

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    Thanks Sergeyv! So far so good. I figured I have to disable the skybox in the scene view and switch to 2D mode. But how do I get the starting UV map generated from the model?

    In your video here it looks like the UV map is automatically generated and immediately shown. But this is not the case for me. I also can't find any info in the manual for this (without digging too deep).
     
  29. PolyMad

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    Ye, that screenshot comes from a large area. The problem is that the effect is too subtle and spread over a large area without any deatil in it, that's why it's so evident.
    But yes, I'll add it if necessary (probably not, because I make a good use of the bloom effect!).
     
  30. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    No, you shouldn't use 2d mode. It shows your scene from the side, but for work with Surforge you should see it from top (also could rotate if needed, to check how your texture details arranged). Just 3d mode with camera looking from the top, it is also better to swtich in to "ortographic" mode (the center button of Uniny compass controls).

    The UVs are drawn when you drag-and-drop your model. If you can't see it, something went wrong (maybe with a model). Could you please try if example models are working for you.
     
  31. ciathyza

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    Ok, I'm trying some of the models you've provded... After dropping the model in it looks like this:
    https://cdn.pbrd.co/images/HF6vItW.png ... there's no UV map generated.
     
  32. Sergeyv_3d

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    I see now. Let me explain. The model itself is also on the scene (for pereviewing). You focused on it, but you should focus on the center of the scene. You could do it by selecting "root" object in the Hierarchy tab and focus on it (select it, focus to Scene View and press "f" hotkey).

    The model itself is far from the scene center, not to disturb you. It is there along with camera, rendering it to the Surforge Texture Preview window, so you don't need to focus on the model itself on the Scene View, but at the Scene View center, where UVs drawn and all your texture work going.
    sceneCenter.png
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2018
  33. ciathyza

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    Got it! Thanks for your support!
    You should mention those preparation steps to the first section of your manual lol. To prevent confusion among noobs like me. :)
     
  34. Sergeyv_3d

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    Thank you for the idea. Usually a new scene is created with a camera near the center.
     
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  35. PolyMad

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    In fact I can't understand how this happened to him. Every time I click NEW TEXTURE, all is set up well for me, with camera top down view and ready to work.
     
  36. ciathyza

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    Now that I checked it again, the default cube UV map is indeed centered in the scene view but the camera still stays in whatever mode it was before.
     
  37. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    I think i should add a button for focusing the camera on UVs.
     
  38. PolyMad

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    Maybe it's better if you just give up with that scene, delete it, and make a new scene.
    Then, open the Surforge window and click NEW TEXTURE. From there don't touch the camera position!
     
  39. ciathyza

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    The Surforge scene camera is in whatever state it was in in the previously open scene. I checked it again just now. And also the camera isn't centered on the default cube either. It is only after I double-click on root in the scene.

    If I then press Ctrl+N to create a new scene (and closing the current) and then create a new texture with SF again, only then the camera is correctly positioned.
     
  40. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    The scene camera is pointed at the preview object.
    The EDITOR CAMERA (not visible in the scene) is the one that you use to edit the texture, and you can move it as you prefer.
     
  41. ciathyza

    ciathyza

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    Yeah but my point is: whenever I open a new texture with SF, the initial camera view of the scene used for SF UV editing is in whatever state (angle, perspective) it was in the previously open scene.

    This led to my initial confusion (and perhaps that of other starters). Maybe it's a bug?!?
     
  42. Sergeyv_3d

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    That is ok. It is how Unity Scene View works. Just position your camera to the scene center. I will add a button for this or auto focus after Surforge "New Texture" button is pressed.
     
  43. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    Our team is searching for a pro 3d modelers.
    Tasks:
    - Intersting, quality original 3d models with high quality UVs. The models should have rights to be included with Surforge.
    - (optional but very welcome) The videos of models textured with Surforge with you comments.

    The requirements:
    - high 3d modeling skills. Blender or Maya is the best.
    - excellent knowledge of UVs
    - basic knowledges of Unity, c#, shaders, and Surforge.

    Send you resume with examples of works.
    mail@surforge.com
    Not have Surforge yet? I will provide the Surforge vouchers for the people going to join.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2018
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  44. PolyMad

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    For the records: I tried to re-import the tool into the project where I miss the icons, but it didn't work, no change at all.

    What can I try? Delete the Surforge folder and re-import it? What would I lose?
     
  45. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    When reinstalling Surforge, check for "Surforge/CustomPresets" folder. You custom saved Materials and Material Sets go there. If there any content you should backup it.
    Also, check for your saved scenes.
    After it fully remove Surforge folder and reinstall. Nothing will be lost.
     
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  46. PolyMad

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    UV problems yet:

    1. UV islands that contain holes are not correctly assessed. The holes are covered both in the UV display and when double clicking with lasso.

    2. In some cases, adjacent faces, with well welded vertexes, are still layed down like separated faces, which prevents the double click fast fill to work properly.
    Untitled-1.jpg

    3. At least in one case, the one with the circle opening in the square, the external seams are not correctly identified, and treated instead as adjacent edges (center section, top and bottom edges), and instead, the adjacent edges (vertical ones left and right of the central face in this example) are treated as non adjacent.
    Untitled-1.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2018
  47. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Feature request: the lasso profiles should have a multiplier.
    I explain why: I was today creating textures for large objects, and the lasso with the screws have huge screws. While they may be acceptable on 1024 and 2048 textures, on 4096 textures not meant to be of this size for detail, but for covering more surface, the screws are huge and the profiles become practically useless.
    A simple multiplier should easily overcome this problem and allow much more elasticity in the creation process.
     
  48. Sergeyv_3d

    Sergeyv_3d

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    Poly Lasso has multiplier:
    profileScale.png

    Unfortunately yes. Poly lasso shapes can't have holes. This is much more difficult to implement than it seems, because such things appear as lists of internal edges and implicit directions of internal edges.
    You could switch to "classic UV display mode" with a little button "UV" under the magnet. It will show the UV holes, and you could create Poly Lasso shape point by point with snapping.

    Unity can't recognize the difference between UV island border and hard edge of imported Mesh asset. Both are separate regions of triangles after the import.
    You could create Poly Lasso shapes point by point in such cases. It is not hard thanks to snapping to UV points. UVs drawn by Surforge is only a reference for snapping and auto-filling. It is never interfere how your "real" UVs of imported model works.
     
  49. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Duh... damn me, I usually read extensively all manuals, but these days I'm absorbing so much information...

    Ye that's what I'm doing, no problem. And yes, it's difficult to implement and not fundamental at all.

    Uhh but I see in most cases the external edges are recognized, these are exceptions.

    Ye, again that's what I'm doing, I surely don't stop my work because I need to place 5 or 10 vertexes :D
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2018
  50. PolyMad

    PolyMad

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    Requests:

    1. Place the pivot point at the average center of the polylass shape. As it is now it's a pain if you want to reuse the polylasso objects and move them around.

    2. For what I can see, the polylasso profile change of created objects is not affected by the profile size. This could be very useful as well: at the moment one has to remake the shape with a different profile size.