
GET YOUR 3D ART INTO THE
ColorMinis APP PLATFORM
Here's how it's done
1. YOU PROVIDE 3D SCULPTURE / CLOTHES
The app does not require videogame geometry and texture optimizations. As such this is the ideal system for 3D artists that have never produced videogame art because the system doesn't require you create LODs, game shaders, or complex normal maps and data textures.
High Poly is NOT an issue and actually welcome! We process and display in our interactive turntables models with millions of polys. Since we use a pre-rendered approach, you can and should go very deep with the model details and include anything you wish to be highlighted. Surfaces should NOT be game-resolution with visible polygons artifacts.
Naming your Model Parts
Model parts must be named starting with a number followed by the part description (no spaces and regular characters only).
08Sunglasses1
09Hat
10HatBow1
11HatBow2
...
Draw Order #
A base mannequin is rendered in the app and will have clothes applied on top. The app will first draw the mannequin, and then the render code will need assistance in defining the next part to draw on top. This layering logic is defined by numbering the parts.
The Mannequin gets Part #1 to #20 (includes hair, eyes, lips, nails, skin, makeup,...)
The first part number reserved for clothes in the app is 21...This number is assigned to the first clothing part name that would cloth the mannequin. 21Undies and 22bra...variations can get an additional letter/number to continue to correct sorting: 21Undies1, 21Undies2, 21Undies3,...
Socks would come next, and so would gloves and any other part that would be on the skin of the mannequin but over undies and bra.
Pants/Skirt and top/shirt would be layered on top of the undergarments so they get the next numbers...and so on.
Textures
Parts can be defined by texture masks and these use the same naming convention. Textures can also be applied to model parts in final rendering and we can support texture options/versions if the underlying part is not an optional swap.
Additional Details
Much like regular pre-rendered modeling guidelines; don't be needlessly wasteful on surface definition that won't be visible. A billion poly sphere will look very smooth, but so will a 50k sphere and a savings of 100x on render times.
Ideal delivery is a ztl zbrush file with parts/cloths as subtools. We also support obj and fbx files for multi-part models, and also support stl for single-part input.


2. WE CREATE MATERIAL AND PART MASKS TURNTABLES
-Turntables are rendered for each part and option (both material and texture)
-We support up to 120 model parts
-UI buttons and generated
-App code links and produced

Parts are compact and localized
The parts total spatial volume in 360 turntable is very important for the final app data structure. It's a different concept that needs a bit of explaining so here's a quick breakdown:
When processing the model and assigning it's data block, we consider it's volume captured as a 3D spatial bounding box: added up/accumulated at each position along the model's 360 rotation.
As such, the bounding box size of a part ends up being huge and problematic in different scenarios:
1) The part is large and envelopes all or most of the model/frame. If you have a large wrapping scarf covering head and dragging to ground?
a) IF this part can be turned on/off there's no option other than pay the data cost of this asset. Models can only support having a few of these types of parts before overloading a users device RAM memory.
b) IF the part will always be on and visible, the optimal way to treat parts such as this is to split it into many new subparts that can each be colored/customized differently. The app however would not currently be able to support the turning off/on of all the parts as if linked in some way....this would potentially leave some parts "floating" without logical or physical support.
2) The part is covering model elements separated by lots of empty space. This empty space will require data block regardless if there's data. If you have customizable jewelry on a headpiece and on the ankle? Make both of these parts separate.
3. WE INTEGRATE FINAL LAYERS INTO APP FRAMEWORK
Now a 3d Figurine to "Paint" Color and Materials
