Pepakura Unfolding Tips

[TheOptimist]

Folks, I'm starting out with Pepakura and following along the lines of some other posts I've seen, I'm heading out into the unknown by starting with modelling some of the smaller Eve ships.

My problem comes when I try to unfold the model in Pep. First off the mesh is too complex to just let Pep do it itself, so I then painstakingly (or lovingly) cut the model myself. When I unfold it now Pep almost ignore some of the cuts I've made in preference for it's own choices.

Does this mean I didn't get the cut right? Or have I got some setting incorrect in Pep so it doesn't always follow my cuts?

Thanks
TheO

 

[legion]

Try simplifying the model some more, or even more rigorous, remaking the model, but this time think about how you want to unfold it and modeling it according to that.

As for the Eve Online models, you might want to try to get your hands on the older models, as the new ones have a lot more detail, which overloads pepakura, or makes parts way too small to be manageable, or the whole model way to big to be practical, like the 1m + Maelstrom model.

 

[TheOptimist]

Yeah I was thinking the models are a little complicated, and I can confirm that unfolding generates a lot of small parts How on earth they'd all stick together even if I could cut something out that's 2mm wide beats me.

I might stick at it for the moment and redo some open edges in Pep. My 3D modelling skills aren't any good really so simplifying the model may be a step too far at the moment. Ah well, back to the drawing board methinks...I may print out a few pieces of distinct parts to see how well they build to give it a test.

Thanks Legion.

 

[legion]

The original 3d model can possibly be used for making a new model, like a 3d blueprint.

If you do like spaceships in general, the Homeworld series are probably a good place to start. Erick made some very nice tutorials for extracting and editing them: http://www.ericksmodels.com/paper/step0.html

 

[TheOptimist]

I'd seen that tut before, but on reading it again, completely missed the point about separating the model into sections by making faces between distinct parts of the model.

Might have to give that a go to see I can't break the model up into more manageable pieces to both unfold, and the make. Will post back if I get something half decent in software - then it'll be the hard part of cutting it all out and making it up.

Cheers Legion...

 

[mrln68]

Not sure what software you are using to edit the 3D models, but sometimes there will be open edges or other artifacts that you don't notice...but Pepakura does. Some software offers tools for checking to make sure there aren't any of these issues.

In simple 3D packages, sometimes you can fix things by selecting all vertices and setting the weld tolerance to an extremely low number - then welding the verts.