tip: changing the color of RPC cars

plastic · April 3rd, 2003

this is a small tutorial how to change the color of RPC cars with 3dsmax and autodesk viz...

first you will need this free plugin:
http://www.cuneytozdas.com/software/...rrect_v204.zip

read more about it here:
http://www.cuneytozdas.com/software/

it's a material plugin that allows to change the hue/saturation, brightness, color balance of any map in the material editor.
it's a great tool, because there is no other way to change the hue of a map, for example.

now, if you want to change the color of a RPC car, just load the RPC material into the material editor (with the 'pick material from object' eyedropper icon),
and wrap the rpc bitmap into a new 'color correct' map.

step by step for newbies:
---
you should see a multi/sub-object material, with only 1 sub material.
open the submaterial slot. (click on the button with the car name on it)
you'll see a standard material with a rpc map in the diffuse color slot then. (blabla.rpc)
now replace the RPC map with a new map: 'color correct'.
a dialog will pop up, asking you to discard or keep the old map.
choose 'keep the old map as sub map'(!!)
---

now you can tweak the rpc map. to change the color of the car use the 'hue' and 'saturation' spinner.
it reacts like the photoshop hue/saturation tool.
works perfectly to change the color of cars, since cars have only one prominent tone usually.
with people this technique won't work well, because it will also affect the skin color.

that's it, have fun

update:
quick example...the original RPC color is blue.

[ April 04, 2003, 05:58 AM: Message edited by: plastic ]

quizzy · April 3rd, 2003

This only works with RPC3.4.... Right Marc?

plastic · April 3rd, 2003

Quote:

Originally posted by quizzy:
This only works with RPC3.4.... Right Marc?

the version i used is 3.2.6.0 with 3ds max 5.1

quizzy · April 4th, 2003

And the same goes for trees, you can create your autumn collection yourself:

The only thing is: there are the same amount of leaves on the trees.... ah well...

nisus · April 4th, 2003

Marvellous marc!

Jeff Mottle · April 4th, 2003

There is one problem with doing this however. Becuase the Hue control affects the entire bitmap if you have a red car with red tail lights they are also affected. IE. you get green tail lights if you chnage the hue to green.

quizzy · April 4th, 2003

Hey marc, post a picture of the rears of the cars.. I would like to see that...

nisus · April 5th, 2003

Maybe this can be masked out in some way... Imho the creators of rpc have a job to finish

nisus

Jeff Mottle · April 5th, 2003

Hey Nisus I spoke to the guys ay ArchVision about this and it's not simply a matter of just changing the color of a few maps. I think an undertaking of this nature is quite complex and would require the stop in development of other advancments as it is so difficult.

Quote:

Originally posted by nisus:
Maybe this can be masked out in some way... Imho the creators of rpc have a job to finish

nisus

Ernest Burden · April 5th, 2003

Quote:

Hey Nisus I spoke to the guys ay ArchVision about this and it's not simply a matter of just changing the color of a few maps. I think an undertaking of this nature is quite complex and would require the stop in development of other advancments as it is so difficult.

That sounds like a bunch of horse-cookies to me. Did they go into any detail as to WHY their special way was so much more complicated than the most logical way to do what they do? Whether its maps or shading geometry, each is fairly easy to change. What else could it be that would NOT be fairly easy to change? Can you see the tense meetings where they had to choose the color for the PT Cruiser--"come on, people, we only have ONE chance to get this right!"

If there is any criticism to be leveled on RPC its the low diversity of content. Obviously they are adding more all the time, but if they cannot see that there is a problem with putting all yellow VWs in a parking lot then there is, well, a problem.

Also, there are times that you don't want such bright, colorful, entourage. ArchVision really needs to figure out how to allow some control of content.

April 3rd, 2003	#1 (permalink)
plastic Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: vienna, EU Posts: 314 Name: Marc Lorenz	this is a small tutorial how to change the color of RPC cars with 3dsmax and autodesk viz... first you will need this free plugin: http://www.cuneytozdas.com/software/...rrect_v204.zip read more about it here: http://www.cuneytozdas.com/software/ it's a material plugin that allows to change the hue/saturation, brightness, color balance of any map in the material editor. it's a great tool, because there is no other way to change the hue of a map, for example. now, if you want to change the color of a RPC car, just load the RPC material into the material editor (with the 'pick material from object' eyedropper icon), and wrap the rpc bitmap into a new 'color correct' map. step by step for newbies: --- you should see a multi/sub-object material, with only 1 sub material. open the submaterial slot. (click on the button with the car name on it) you'll see a standard material with a rpc map in the diffuse color slot then. (blabla.rpc) now replace the RPC map with a new map: 'color correct'. a dialog will pop up, asking you to discard or keep the old map. choose 'keep the old map as sub map'(!!) --- now you can tweak the rpc map. to change the color of the car use the 'hue' and 'saturation' spinner. it reacts like the photoshop hue/saturation tool. works perfectly to change the color of cars, since cars have only one prominent tone usually. with people this technique won't work well, because it will also affect the skin color. that's it, have fun update: quick example...the original RPC color is blue. [ April 04, 2003, 05:58 AM: Message edited by: plastic ] __________________ Marc Lorenz http://plugins.angstraum.at My 3d gallery at Flickr

April 3rd, 2003	#2 (permalink)
quizzy Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands Age: 35 Posts: 1,562 Name: Michiel Quist	This only works with RPC3.4.... Right Marc? __________________ Michiel Quist http://www.3idee.nl

April 4th, 2003	#4 (permalink)
quizzy Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands Age: 35 Posts: 1,562 Name: Michiel Quist	And the same goes for trees, you can create your autumn collection yourself: The only thing is: there are the same amount of leaves on the trees.... ah well... __________________ Michiel Quist http://www.3idee.nl

April 4th, 2003	#5 (permalink)
nisus Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gent Flanders Belgium Europe Age: 32 Posts: 3,276 Name: Evert Vandenberghe	Marvellous marc! __________________ www.ams.be / www.nisusarts.com http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=nisusCGA&p=r

April 4th, 2003	#6 (permalink)
Jeff Mottle President/Founder Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Age: 33 Posts: 5,059 Name: Jeff Mottle	There is one problem with doing this however. Becuase the Hue control affects the entire bitmap if you have a red car with red tail lights they are also affected. IE. you get green tail lights if you chnage the hue to green. __________________ Jeff Mottle CGarchitect.com

April 4th, 2003	#7 (permalink)
quizzy Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands Age: 35 Posts: 1,562 Name: Michiel Quist	Hey marc, post a picture of the rears of the cars.. I would like to see that... __________________ Michiel Quist http://www.3idee.nl

April 5th, 2003	#8 (permalink)
nisus Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gent Flanders Belgium Europe Age: 32 Posts: 3,276 Name: Evert Vandenberghe	Maybe this can be masked out in some way... Imho the creators of rpc have a job to finish nisus __________________ www.ams.be / www.nisusarts.com http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=nisusCGA&p=r

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