Jigsaw... how?

[RussellHplusArt]

How do you have an image running across a number of separate objects? Imagine a set of blocks or a jigsaw, the image is one large image stretched over the top face of all of them but the individual pieces are free to move as separate objects...

An "easy" way escapes me...

Cheers Russell

[Piem]

yes, that's it
A projector with a gel /effect and image map on it

[RussellHplusArt]

But what happens when you move the individual pieces, for example picking up a piece and rotating it for example? The projection wouldn't work that way would it I imagine?

[RussellHplusArt]

I wonder if Baker by Inagoni could bake on the projected gel map?

[jbshorty]

ideally you want to use one shader for all of the pieces. this shouldn't be too hard. I would try this:

• create a dummy template of your jigsaw pattern.
• for each seperate puzzle piece, assign it a planar projection.
• then open the UV editor for each piece and move the UV's to fit the corresponding target area of that puzzle piece.

In this way, you could use the same shader for each puzzle pice, the only difference is the mapping of the image area is determined by the UV coordinate of each puzzle piece. I haven't tried this, but it should work...

Or as Piem mentioned, you could try Baker. But i think it is better to use one main shader as i described. This way it could be animated, and very easy to change image patterns...

shorty

[RussellHplusArt]

Thanks all, I've just tested Baker and as I have Zbrush3 as well I think its worth the few bucks.

Cheers Russell

[CarlLydon]

I agree with Shorty.

This doesn't require anything fancy to get it to work, just the vertex modeler and the UV mapper should do it.

1. Make your puzzle pieces in the vertex modeler. Position them so that they're almost touching, as they would be if the puzzle was solved.

2. Link them all together with the link tool, then break the links. Now they should all be UV mapable as one piece.

2. Set up your UV for the entire puzzle.

3. In the main view, duplicate the entire puzzle 20 times if there are 20 pieces, 30 for 30 pieces etc.

4. Go into each one, create a new master, and delete everything but one of the pieces.

5. Repeat until all the pieces are independant.

Or, you can do a plane / grid, wrap it, then break create pieces from that.

-Carl

[Varsel]

jbshorty and CarlLydon : They beat me too it.
Here is a quick one I made.
Created one objekt in the Vertex modeller.
Made one UV map,
Duplicated 4 times.(making 4 objects)
When open each object : Create a new master and start deleting until you remains whith the one piece of the puzzle.

[medeamajic]

Very good work Varsel.

It might help if you posted a few screen shots of the GUI as a tutorial.

[nickjsky]

Originally Posted by Varsel

jbshorty and CarlLydon : They beat me too it.
...Duplicated 4 times.(making 4 objects)
When open each object : Create a new master and start deleting until you remains whith the one piece of the puzzle.

You can accomplish this much more simply by going back to the Assemble Room, select your object and then go up to the menu and select Edit>>Split Object.

--Nick

[sembler]

Originally Posted by nickjsky

You can accomplish this much more simply by going back to the Assemble Room, select your object and then go up to the menu and select Edit>>Split Object.

--Nick

Wouldn't that reset the shader?

[Varsel]

Originally Posted by medeamajic

Very good work Varsel.

It might help if you posted a few screen shots of the GUI as a tutorial.

As requested, and because its time to give something back to the forum:
I have created a little tutorial in the tutorial aerea

[nickjsky]

Originally Posted by sembler

Wouldn't that reset the shader?

Not if you had UV mapped the object before splitting it (and used a parametric shader rather than a projection shader).

--Nick

[CarlLydon]

Wow, I just learned something very useful. Thanks! What a time saver!