Creating 3D files for Pep Question

I am trying to create a pep file for a set of shin gaurds. I was not able to find a 3D image of just the gaurds, but I did find an image of the full outfit. I tried to edit the model in Pepakura but had no luck. Also had no luck in trying to edit the model in Blender.

Is there a way to edit the model down to just the part I need for pep?
(in basic terms, how do you seperate the trooper from the helmet??)

 

It really depends on how the 3D model was made. Is the shin guard part of the entire model (i.e. is it "fused" to it)?

Best case scenario is if it's a separate component modeled on top of a body but it doesn't sound like that's the case. I've used Blender some but I'm by no means an expert in it. I do believe you can copy a section of the model (the mesh) and just make a separate mesh that will be just the shin piece. Then you export just that shape and put it in Pep. There's tutorials for each of those steps separately if you just look around. A lot of the time there's not a tutorial for exactly what you need but you can just piece together the necessary workflow from other tutorials.

Be thankful that you have a base model already and don't have to do it completely from scratch - that would be a lot more time consuming.

 

Do you have a link to the model? I can seperate the shin armor no problem if it's in a 3D group for it. If not then I'll just have to manually remove the model faces around the shins.

 

The tutorials are where I am starting at. I was just curious if there was a certain way people were creating the files. Also curious as to how they go from a whole project (like halo armor) and create a single piece from it (like the chest plate).
Like you say though, all this is more than likely scattered throughout the tutorials like an easter egg hunt.

I think I still have the link PepMaster. If so, I will send it to you.

 

There really isnt a certain way to do it, but the most general sense is that you have/make a 3D model, export to a pepakura compatible format (ie .obj), import into pepakura, unfold and save.

If you already have a 3D model then you just have to delete the polygons that you do not need in order to get to get your shin guard.

In 3DS max you have to take 3D files and convert them into editable polys or meshes before you can delete things. Blender probably has a similar type of requirement