Seam Mender Beta 0.89.f (10-26-2014)

[gerra6]

Seam Mender Beta 25.A

 

Mend Physical seams between two or more nifs.

 

This update includes three utilities.

 

Make Seam Template: This can be used to generate a re-usable seam template from one or more nifs.

 

Seam Mender: This can be used to mend the physical seams between any two nifs that share a seam, or mend a single nif using a pre-generated template file.

 

 

Tri Update: This can be used to update any tri files after their corresponding nifs have been updated. This is useful if you update the seam on a head nif.

 

Using Seam Mender

 

First decide what nif you want to use as a template. For best results, run 'Make Seam Template' to automatically generate templates for multiple nifs.

 

Next, Run Seam Mender

 

Using Seam Mender:

 

File Menu:

 

Select Template: Choose the .nif or the template .pkg file that you want to use as your seam template.

Source Mesh Options: 

* Select Source Folder: Process all of the nifs found in the chosen source folder

* Include subbolders: If checked, the tool will also process all of the nifs found in the subfolders of the source 

* Process Selected Meshes Only: Opens a window that allows you to select 1 or more nifsin the same folder.  If selected, Seam Mender will only process those nifs.

Select Destination folder: Choose the folder where the nifs should be saved to.

 

Location: Button enables/disables Location repair

Normal Vector: Button enables/diables Normal Vector repair

Bone Weights: Button enables/diables Bone Weight repair.  Note, this will copy bones from your template mesh to your target meshes as required.

UV: Button enables/disables UV Repair for nifs that share the same UV texture

 

Vertex Targets: Set this to 1 to get an exact match only for every vertex.  Set this to higher numbers to get an averaged match for every vertex.

 

Search Distance: How far should each vertex on the Target mesh search for a nearest neighbor.

 

Template Mesh Vertex Options

These options determine which vertices on the template mesh will be valid search targets during a search by vertices on the Target mesh

 

Edges Only: Only the outer edges on the template mesh will be valid search targets for the Target mesh

Exclude Edges: All vertices *except* the outer edges will be valid search targets

All: All vertices will be valid search targets

 

Target Mesh Vertex Options

These options determine which vertices on the Target mesh will actively search for partners on the Template mesh.

 

Edges Only: Only the outer edges on the template mesh will search for partners

Exclude Edges: All vertices *except* the outer edges will search for partners

All: All vertices will search for partners

 

Cancel: Close the tool and don't do anything (same as closing the window)

Load Defaults: Reset settings to factory default

OK: Accept the settings and begin processing meshes

 

Installation:

 

Extract the folder to anywhere in your computer that is *not* part of your Blender install (do not add it to your Blender scripts folder)

 

 

Changelog:

 

P.2 Beta 1 to Beta 2

 

1. Vertices will no longer be moved when 'loc' option is disabled

2. Bones can now be copied onto both skinned and unskinned meshes

3. Improved performance when searching large numbers of vertices

Seam_Mender b_25_A.7z

[gerra6]

Reserved

[gerra6]

***Reserved for future updates***

[gerra6]

***Reserved for future updates***

[gerra6]

***Reserved for future updates***

[Sugimi]

I've been aimlessly looking everywhere for a Seam Fix for any kind of mix and match textures etc.

 

Any chance you can explain your program to me?

I'm a complete rookie to everything like gimp, photoshop, nifskope, etc etc etc.

 

[gerra6]

Sugimi,

 

Right now, the development version of Seam Mender is just about at the end of Phase 3. That means that it can mend just about any physical seam between two meshes.

 

However, it won't do anything about texture differences. Some time in the next few days, I'll begin experimenting with accessing and manipulating .dds files (textures). If my initial tests go well, I'll start working on an automated algorithm that will use the UV Map on the seams on each mesh to carefully and precisely blend the textures to attempt to make the transition points as smooth ans seamless as possible.

 

In the meantime, I'd be happy to share the phase 3 beta with you. I'm always looking for more testers.

[geistman]

This seems very promising, I hope I can get this tool to work since I'm also a total newbie when it comes to this sort of thing.

If you don't mind (otherwise ignore me!) I have a couple of suggestions:
I hope you include an optional text Pop ups with Extended explanations for menu choices like I've seen with other programs - this is surprisingly effective in learning to use a new program.
I use Mod Organizer will I have to move all the relevant files from different mods to the same folder to be able to use this or could one choose all the files one wanted to effect?

I'm gonna stop bothering you now

[gerra6]

My plan at the moment is to include some tutorial related content in the 'Help' Menu. I may add some context sensitive popups as well, I'll need to see how much coding would be involved.

 

You shouldn't have to move the files around to get the tool to work with them. However, you do need to tell the tool where to find the files.

 

I'll be releasing an update in the next few days that should be compatible with Skyrim.

[Sugimi]

I'm pretty sure my seams aren't from texture mixmatches. I would think it's either skeleton or mesh. I'm leaning more towards mesh because no matter what i do and change ENBs my seam is still there. but i dont exactly have a head mesh so, I just found one but it's not really workin' either xD.

So I'm downloading all this stuff now and going to see if I can make it work unless there's more instructions apart from the ones you've already posted.

[gerra6]

The version linked here is a bit out of date in light of some recent breakthroughs.

 

Here's a link to the latest beta of my tools.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yy280geo997pxls/Portable%20Tools_22_b.7z

[Sugimi]

Alrighty, I downloaded everything. However, as i'm looking at all these files. I am no computer Savvy guy so I have no idea what i'm doing.

lol - I tried xD if there is a chance you could possible make a video tutorial of your current version that'd be cool. I'm sure it at least give me an idea what to do when and if you do changes to your tools.

If only if only I was smart enough =/

[Sugimi]

Alrighty, I downloaded everything. However, as i'm looking at all these files. I am no computer Savvy guy so I have no idea what i'm doing.

lol - I tried xD if there is a chance you could possible make a video tutorial of your current version that'd be cool. I'm sure it at least give me an idea what to do when and if you do changes to your tools.

If only if only I was smart enough =/

[Guitarman355]

This very well could be my saving grace. I did see Calientes Texture Blender, but Im using Coverwomen, and he didnt have a set for it.

Ive tried everything from both coverwomen downloads
This is what keeps happening.

It looks like the normal maps dont line up, but Im using coverwomens supposed seamless normal map AND texture.

[sevenman1345]

This is a very interesting program that I hope to be able to use in Skyrim soon. How has it been going?

[s.eden]

Hm, project to follow, very interesting.

[gerra6]

I've just finished up some updates to Seam Mender, Clothing Converter, and Mesh Rigger. I expect to post them in the next few days.

[ger4]

I've just finished up some updates to Seam Mender, Clothing Converter, and Mesh Rigger. I expect to post them in the next few days.

What does the new version of seam mender include?

[gerra6]

The main update to Seam Mender will be the ability to compensate for differences in bone bind positions.

 

It will also include the existing support for vertex normals, vertex location, UV Map (as appropriate), and bone weights.

 

I've decided to migrate .tri file support to a separate tool. The idea will be to first run seam mender on the nif file and then run the new tri_update tool to automatically update the tri file to match the updated nif file.

 

DDS support is still up in the air. There is no real support for working with dds files in pyffi, so I am looking into alternate libraries to add dds support (I'd like to avoid the need to write my own dds library for this tool).

 

The Clothing Converter update will allow the tool to dynamically modify the vector field node density based on the number of nearby vertices. Basically, the tool is now able to generate nodes where they are needed, rather than building a uniform grid. This gives significantly better clothing conversions with a minimal performance hit. To put it another way, a 500,000 node lattice still takes a long time to generate, but now those nodes are concentrated where the vertices are.

 

There will be many updates to Mesh Rigger compared with the current public version. The most recent is the ability of the tool to weight both rigid and soft meshes.

[gerra6]

Seam Mender Test Update 25

 

This update includes three utilities.

 

Make Seam Template: This can be used to generate a re-usable seam template from one or more nifs.

 

Tri Update: This can be used to update any tri files after their corresponding nifs have been updated. This is useful if you update the seam on a head nif.

 

Seam Mender: This can be used to mend the physical seams between any two nifs that share a seam, or mend a single nif using a pre-generated template file.

[ger4]

Seam Mender Test Update 25

 

This update includes three utilities.

 

Make Seam Template: This can be used to generate a re-usable seam template from one or more nifs.

 

Tri Update: This can be used to update any tri files after their corresponding nifs have been updated. This is useful if you update the seam on a head nif.

 

Seam Mender: This can be used to mend the physical seams between any two nifs that share a seam, or mend a single nif using a pre-generated template file.

It says I don't have permission to download this?

[gerra6]

It says I don't have permission to download this?

Hmm.

 

That's weird.

 

I've updated the main post and added the current download there. Hopefully that should work.

[ger4]

Ok, testing out the latest version, I still can't seem to make neck seems better.

 

In the zip folder are 2 screenshots, 1 of a a seam mender fixed upperbody (big breasts) and a HGEC standard body  (smaller breasts).

 

For some reason, the default HGEC seam consistently looks better. Both screenshots taken is same lighting conditions.

 

Do you have any suggestions as to how I could use the seam mender tool more effectively?

 

Oblivion 2014-02-23 23-51-04-07.zip

[gerra6]

Send me the head nif, head tri file, and the two body nifs that you are working with, and I'll see what I can figure out.

 

In the meantime, try this:

 

Run Seam Mender.bat

 

1. Click 'Load Defaults'

2. Disable 'Mend Doubles'

3. Disable 'Mend Tri Files'

4. File -> Select Template. Select your head nif.

5. File -> Target Mesh Options -> Process Selected Meshes. Select the body nif

6. Set Search Distance to 2.0

7. Click OK

 

If that doesn't work, there are a few other approaches that might do the job.

[ger4]

Send me the head nif, head tri file, and the two body nifs that you are working with, and I'll see what I can figure out.

 

In the meantime, try this:

 

Run Seam Mender.bat

 

1. Click 'Load Defaults'

2. Disable 'Mend Doubles'

3. Disable 'Mend Tri Files'

4. File -> Select Template. Select your head nif.

5. File -> Target Mesh Options -> Process Selected Meshes. Select the body nif

6. Set Search Distance to 2.0

7. Click OK

 

If that doesn't work, there are a few other approaches that might do the job.

FemaleUpperBody.nif is the default HGEC body with the good neck seam.

 

bodies.zip