texture help wanted

[sqwarsh]

Question is this, I have TGA and JPEG file of the texture and am using pepakura for unfolding. I want to increase the scale but don't want to lose texture quality with the size. Should I change the texture file type to keep the image integrity and if so to what type? Pepa is kind of limited to image type it can use. Any thoughts would be appreciated:)

[eric_son]

Hi,

I'm afraid you won't get very far with raster images (pixel based) and pepakura.
Pepakura has a self-imposed texture image limit of 1024x1024 pixels. If you try to assign a bigger image, Pepakura will downsize them to 1024x1024. (Pepakura does this because they're also selling a plugin that will remove the 1024x1024 limit...)

If the TGA or JPG image that you are using is less than 1024x1024, then you can try to increase the resolution of those images to 1024x1024. That's the best you can do.

If you have the original 3d file that pepakura used, then you'll have more options open to you. You can divide the 3d models into multiple, smaller objects. And to each small object, you can assign a dedicated 1024x1024 texture file. So let's say you're modelling an airplane. You can probably make a 1024x1024 texture file that contains only 1/3 of the fuselage. Then update the UV mapping of your model accordingly, and so on and so fort.

Pepakura may have a 1024x1024 limit in texture size, but it has no limit on how many 1024x1024 texture files you can assign! (Or at least it appears that way to me....)

When you export the model back to Pepakura, you'll have a pdo file with a high texture density that can easily handle up-scaling. But yes, it is very tedious. :(

[sqwarsh]

sounds like a lot of work, and i'm not too good at texture mapping yet. Another one for the back burner LOL!

[eric_son]

I forgot to tell you that the pepakura plugin for removing the 1024x1024 restriction is available in demo mode. You can check it out if you like.
But the price is ridiculous -- 98USD!