Hi, guys. Today I made a prototype of curve based retopo tool, it's rough because user should make some adjustments since it's not that precise but it does what it says, 5 minutes example:



The future destination: no curves at all, only directional ones

P.S. Yes, I remember about greeble and stuff, its need more time.



Version 2 is here.

Before using it lower your expectations: this was made in a few days without any technical excellence, if you'll find any bugs post comment on this thread, I will try to fix them as soon as I have free time.

Requirements:
Because of Kang's node and sipyutils module, Softimage 2013 SP1 x64 is required

Installation:
1. Drag-n-drop *.xsiaddon file into the viewport, refresh the compounds list or restart Softimage
2. Install Byungchul Kang's CnD_NormalizedCurve addon

Usage:
Select the mesh, go to View -> Toolbars -> Retopo Tools, click on "Initialize" button and enable Sketch curve tool (Model -> Curve -> Sketch)

Wow. Amazing start! Keep going with it please.

Looks good, do you know what the consequences will be when this is complete ?

This is really awesome! Great work can't wait to see it finished.

I wonder if it's possible to analyse the object to find contour curves and make a really efficient cage based upon that.
It would be awesome to have something that Could solve and define the most efficient sub d cage for any shape.

Interesting. Do you think it is possible to make it model that way even without the mesh?

I wonder, too. As far as I know (and I know a little) 2D contour detection algorithms are based on contrast between black and white. As for 3d, I think what's possible for sure is to emit particles on objects contour for each "camera" direction. The problem is: we dealing with quads, where poles would be, then?

If we look at the stanford bunny, he twisted his head, so we draw slightly rotated curve for quads which should repeat its symmetric structure. We know that head is symmetric, but how the computer can understand that this head was twisted to some direction? Parts of organic creatures are twisted by default, in many weird directions, Earth's gravity bend our feet, for example, so we can stand, I don't know how to explain it to the computer other than draw a curve to show the bend

Nice work, is this done with ICE? Reminded me of the free graphite tool (not the Max one) which has some curvature detection built in as well for the auto retopo. Might be worth a look since they give access to their sourcecode too. http://alice.loria.fr/WIKI/index.php/Graphite/Graphite

ICE with standard operators and scripts.

Thanks, but source will explain me nothing since I have no imagination to draw pictures from code loops.

No. Not now, at least. Sorry!

It's already complete, my tools are not go beyond the prototyping stage since they just work, at least for me, lol. Today, maybe, give me few hours...