[Chipped Tooth Media]

Is there a way to create a 3D matte painting where you can use a Vue render, paint it in Photoshop and then re-project in Studio Max?

For example, can I create a mountain terrain in Studio Max (using Vue) the same way I build geometry, render a still from the projection camera, paint it in photoshop and then re-project the painted over terrain back in Studio Max?

I have no issues with geometry, but when I try to re-project the Vue terrain, it just shows black and gives me a 'UVW Texture' error.

Basically, I would like to create the geometry using Vue inside Max instead of having to model it by hand (to save time).

Any help would be great.
Thanks in advance!

[Suirebit]

You need to open the vue file (the one you used with the max scene) as a standalone and inside it create a projection texture/camera. Then save, exit, go to max and voila :)

[Chipped Tooth Media]

Thanks Suirebit....appreciate the help! I'll give this a shot this week.

Generally speaking, when you create elements in Vue and Max do you build them in the same project or make your Vue elements in Vue standalone and Max seperately and then import/merge them in the end? Trying to figure out a good workflow for using Max and Vue for projection painting.

Thanks again - you're the bomb.

[Suirebit]

You're welcome; Generally, I start with Max+Vue plugin, lay down the basic shapes, objects, geometry etc so that I get the positioning right and then refine the vue elements in the standalone version, where I have better control over them.

However, lately, when projections are concerned (especially those with a lot of cameras), I don't tend to use the two in the same scene; It may sounds awkward, but I prefer to export the geometry (eg vue terrains) if really needed and do everything in Max, rather than mix it up - because sometimes it dosn't work as expected or it brings up funny artefacts that you have no clue how to fix, *especially* when you need to use several projection cameras.