Decals

Description

Geometry decals rest slightly above a target mesh to add additional detail at that location through alpha masked textures, without taking up any of the uv space of the target mesh. Decals utilize alpha transparency to display only the image while hiding the rest of the decal geometry. They are useful for displaying color information like graffiti, logos, stickers or text, but can also be used to give the illusion of additional surface detail like cracks, chips, scuffs, rivets, fabric patterns and other more complex shapes through normal mapping or the more advanced parallax occlusion mapping.

One use case of decals would be in the Mid-Poly + Decals workflow, where they enable the target mesh to use its uv space for repeating textures to achieve high texel density throughout the geometry with minimal memory usage, while projecting decals wherever the target mesh requires unique texel details.

DecalMaster provides two types of decals:

• Info Decals

  Displays simple alpha transparency png images.

• PBR Decals

  Displays the illusion of surface details through normal and height maps.

Placement

Decals can be placed into the scene in a couple of different ways:

• Hover the mouse pointer over the location on the target surface that you want the decal to be placed.
• Select any number of faces on the target surface where you want the decal to be placed.

Once you've chosen your placement method, then bring up the Radial Menu and select the desired decal from your available decal libraries.
The Radial Menu default hotkey is SHIFT + SPACE.

You can also re-place the last used decal by using the hotkey SHIFT + D.

Decals placed onto a target mesh will be automatically parented to that target mesh and if the target mesh has a Maya StandardSurface or aiStandardSurface material applied to the nearest face then the decal will automatically match its material.

Adjustment

After placing a decal the DecalMaster Adjust Tool will be enabled in floating decal mode.
You can also access the DecalMaster Adjust Tool from the Radial Menu by clicking the Adjust button or pressing its hotkey A while the Radial Menu is open.
To select a decal for adjustment, with the DecalMaster Adjust Tool active, enter object selection mode and select any floating or projected decal mesh to begin adjusting.
The DecalMaster Adjust Tool behaves differently depending on your selection, in floating decal mode you are given the manipulators to:

• Translate

  Default hotkey W

  Move the decal while adhering to target mesh surface.

• Rotate

  Default hotkey E

  Rotate along the decals normal.

• Scale

  Default hotkey R

  Scale along the decal plane.

• Extrude

  Default hotkey S

  Extrude the decal along the target mesh surface normal.

You can exit the DecalMaster Adjust Tool at any time by pressing Q or Esc.

Projection & Unprojection

Decals on curved surfaces will either intersect or protrude from the target mesh. To remedy this, the floating decal can replicate the underlying faces of the target mesh and apply the decals attributes to the new geometry, this is called projection.
Projection effectively shrinkwraps the decal to the target mesh.
To Project selected decals, bring up the Radial Menu and click the Project button or press its hotkey E while the Radial Menu is open.

Projected decals can only have their extrusion height adjusted but they can be unprojected back into a floating decal and re-adjusted at any time.
To Unproject selected decals, bring up the Radial Menu and click the Unproject button or press its hotkey R while the Radial Menu is open.