GUIDE COLOR TOOL
XGen does not allow a simple way of changing the color of its guides, except for painting a map and using it as a ptex in the guide color attribute under preview/output tab.
This tool is created to simplify this process. It is made by utilizing Maya’s display layers.
This tool is created to simplify this process. It is made by utilizing Maya’s display layers.
* Before creating a guide layer, please make sure there are no transform on the scalp mesh.
Current Description - The description that XGen is currently on. Only guides in the current description should be selected when creating a guide color layer.
Preview Percent - Determines the primitive preview percent each time when a guide color ptex map is re-baked. Set this to 0 when first assigning colors to avoid confusion
Mesh SubD - This setting is highly dependent on the scalp mesh face counts. To be able to assign color to XGen guides, it's taking the underlying scalp mesh, subdividing to receive the color. Set this value higher only when a scalp geometry has low face counts. Setting this value too high can cause red/orange bleed and misinterpretation of colors. Normally 1 should be sufficient.
Color Random - Varies the value between each guides, but keeping the hue and saturation.
Full Update - Apply the settings from above to all the guides in the current description.
Update Selected - Apply the settings from above to selected guides in the current description.
Create Guide Layer - Select guides in current description, and creates a guide color layer.
Layer Names - Click on the layer names to select the guides in the selected layer.
Color Swatches - Change the color by clicking on the color swatch. Every time a color is changed, the tool will re-bake a new .PTEX map to be used in the guide color attribute.
Isolate Mode - Middle mouse click on the layer name to toggle isolation of a layer. The global visibility will be unchanged.
Layer visibility - Like Maya Display Layers, turn on/off of guides in that layer.
Layer Lock - Like Maya Display Layers, set template/lock of guides in that layer to keep them from being selected.
+ Add Guide - Add selected guides into this layer.
- Remove Guide - Remove selected guides from layer.
x Delete Guide Layer - Delete entire guide layer. This will assign guides in this layer back to the default orange color.
Current Description - The description that XGen is currently on. Only guides in the current description should be selected when creating a guide color layer.
Preview Percent - Determines the primitive preview percent each time when a guide color ptex map is re-baked. Set this to 0 when first assigning colors to avoid confusion
Mesh SubD - This setting is highly dependent on the scalp mesh face counts. To be able to assign color to XGen guides, it's taking the underlying scalp mesh, subdividing to receive the color. Set this value higher only when a scalp geometry has low face counts. Setting this value too high can cause red/orange bleed and misinterpretation of colors. Normally 1 should be sufficient.
Color Random - Varies the value between each guides, but keeping the hue and saturation.
Full Update - Apply the settings from above to all the guides in the current description.
Update Selected - Apply the settings from above to selected guides in the current description.
Create Guide Layer - Select guides in current description, and creates a guide color layer.
Layer Names - Click on the layer names to select the guides in the selected layer.
Color Swatches - Change the color by clicking on the color swatch. Every time a color is changed, the tool will re-bake a new .PTEX map to be used in the guide color attribute.
Isolate Mode - Middle mouse click on the layer name to toggle isolation of a layer. The global visibility will be unchanged.
Layer visibility - Like Maya Display Layers, turn on/off of guides in that layer.
Layer Lock - Like Maya Display Layers, set template/lock of guides in that layer to keep them from being selected.
+ Add Guide - Add selected guides into this layer.
- Remove Guide - Remove selected guides from layer.
x Delete Guide Layer - Delete entire guide layer. This will assign guides in this layer back to the default orange color.
The tool comes with Visibility, Lock and Up/Down buttons:
1. Toggle all layer Visibility ON
2. Toggle all layer Visibility OFF
3. Invert current layers Visibility states
4. Toggle all layer Lock ON
5. Toggle all layer Lock OFF
6. Invert current layers Lock States
7. Move selected Guide Layer Up
8. Move selected Guide Layer Down
NOTE: This is based on your Maya's Layer Editor. The UI window filters the Guide Color layers created with this tool, but the innate 'ordering' does not change. So, if there are other display layers created outside of this tool, you will have to click on the arrows a few time to move it up/down.
2. Toggle all layer Visibility OFF
3. Invert current layers Visibility states
4. Toggle all layer Lock ON
5. Toggle all layer Lock OFF
6. Invert current layers Lock States
7. Move selected Guide Layer Up
8. Move selected Guide Layer Down
NOTE: This is based on your Maya's Layer Editor. The UI window filters the Guide Color layers created with this tool, but the innate 'ordering' does not change. So, if there are other display layers created outside of this tool, you will have to click on the arrows a few time to move it up/down.
