Meshwork 1.7, the latest version of the 3D modeling application from Codenautics Software introduces “pinned-mode texture mapping,” which allows the user to have complete control over the texture coordinates for every point in the 3D model.
This allows artists to make more efficient use of texture memory by combining the textures for several different parts of the model into one image, according to MacTech Magazine. Previously, Meshwork users who needed this level of control were forced to use a third-party texturing application as a post-processing step.
The folks at Codenautics said this often meant repeating the texture mapping work whenever the geometry changed. With the new pinned-mode texture mapping of Meshwork 1.7, users can now produce the type of models used in such games as Quake and The Sims, with a smooth, integrated workflow and no repeated work, according to Codenautics.
Meshwork is a 3D triangle-mesh modeling program for the Mac OS. It is designed especially for making compact, efficient objects for use in 3D games or on the Web.
Meshwork provides a standard set of 3D editing commands, including creation primitives, transformations, lathing, and extrusion. It also allows vertex-by-vertex manipulation with the mouse or keyboard. Models can be viewed from any of the six orthogonal camera views, or from several angles at once in a “blueprint” view. If you have red/green or red/blue 3D glasses, Meshwork can display the model in stereo for true depth. Meshwork also has a “hide” feature that allows you to mask off one part of the model while working on another part. It provides a variety of options for up to eight different materials, including seamless or point-by-point texture mapping.
The PowerPC version of Meshwork includes a 3D Preview feature that lets you view the model with full texture mapping, and spin it around to examine it from any angle. The preview can also be copied for posting to a scrapbook, to the web, etc.
Meshwork includes facilities for assigning bone information to the model, for use with bone-based character animation. The bones file format exported by Meshwork is publicly documented, and is used by the Magdef game framework. The 3DMF files generated by Meshwork use the proper “TriMesh” structure and are already optimized for maximum performance in games.
The US$30 shareware app imports and exports several file formats, including DXF and optimized 3DMF. It can also be used to produce VRML for the web, models for POV-Ray, sprites, models for OpenGL applications, and more. Meshwork is available in English, Dutch, French, and German.