Create a full 3D mapping project from scratch

The objective here is to create a full 3D mapping project using imported mesh of the stage and virtual video projectors.
In our study case we have 3 projection surfaces, 2 totems and the floor. We got 4 HD Video projectors, but only one 4K output, that will be split later on (with a X4 for instance).
This Pipeline creation allows to:
- Send content on the real model using the UVs of the 3D model
- Use virtual video projectors to ease the deformation and warping process
- Show in-context pre-vizualisation to clients
- Create custom elements to display content as you want with 2D and 3D Content Mapping Automatize complex dispatch of content from the Show toward Content Map Read More
Here is what will be reviewed during this process:
- Create a new Project and build Content Map This section describes how to set up your content maps and use Content Area Read More and Content Area Organize your content maps Read More
- Create a 3D stage simulation with 3D File External referenced 3D file (.fbx and .obj) Read More inside the Stage 3D modeling of the real-world video setup Read More
- Use Video Projector Virtual video projectors of Smode stage, used for real life mapping, usually directly connected to the Outputs Read More
- Use a 3D Camera Mapping Dispatch your content creation using 3D transformations procedures Read More to display seamless content
- Create Processor This section describes how to configure Smode processors in order to configure your output(s) and also make some nice and smooth stage pre-visualisations Read More to create the pixel map from the content maps with Pipeline Layer Use pipeline steps to inject them inside a Processor Read More
Here we will choose the minimal creation project wizard and try to build the project from scratch. The goal will be to construct this project from the example pack :


On the bottom of this page is a short video tutorial. This video is probably a little bit fast but in here there is everything for you to create a full mapping project with 3 video projectors sharing a single 4k output pixel map
In this tutorial you'll learn how to do an advanced 3D mapping project in 15 min. Here is the step by step, you can jump directly to theses parts by clicking in the YouTube video description:
00:00 - You must have a clean 3D model with unfolded and non-overlapping UVs. Go check 3D File External referenced 3D file (.fbx and .obj) Read More for the specifications of imported 3D models.
00:27 - Create a new minimal project and enter the resolution of the default content map.
00:50 - Create 2 Content Map This section describes how to set up your content maps and use Content Area Read More , one for the floor and one for the Totems. At 01:07, the signal mode of the newly created content map "Signal Mode" is set from "test pattern" to "Input (meaning content from the Show Contains all the video content of the project Read More )"
01:17 - Create 2 Test Pattern Generate a Test Pattern Read More inside the Show Contains all the video content of the project Read More and send each one into a different target (targets being the content maps, here "floor" and "totems"). Note that you can still change back the "signal mode" of any content map to "test pattern" with the icons of map module displayed inside the Pipeline Define how video content is processed in a project Read More .
01:56 - Import the 3D File External referenced 3D file (.fbx and .obj) Read More and assign the content maps
02:05 - Assign a content map to each imported surface. The content maps will then be applied on the surface in function of their UVs
02:20 - Divide the totems Content Map This section describes how to set up your content maps and use Content Area Read More in 2 Content Area Organize your content maps Read More (one for each totem). As here my model is made to have each totem UVs unfolded on one side and another, so each Content Area Organize your content maps Read More will be assigned to one totem.
03:03 - Create a Camera in order to Create a 3D Camera Mapping Dispatch your content creation using 3D transformations procedures Read More
03:50 - Create the 3D Camera Mapping Dispatch your content creation using 3D transformations procedures Read More module inside the Pipeline Define how video content is processed in a project Read More , choose it's resolution and select as a projection camera the one we just created.
04:30 - Now This Content Mapping Automatize complex dispatch of content from the Show toward Content Map Read More has become a new target on the Show Contains all the video content of the project Read More , thus you can now send content through it. As you see in 04:32, the content send through the Content Mapping Automatize complex dispatch of content from the Show toward Content Map Read More is projected on the 3D stage simulation and the rewritten with correct deformations over the content maps.
05:18 - Create the 2D Scene Mapping Dispatch your content creation using 2D transformations procedures Read More module inside the Pipeline Define how video content is processed in a project Read More . This will allow to send medias from the Show Contains all the video content of the project Read More to the Content Maps through a 2D transformation procedure. What we try to achieve here is to have a new target inside the Show Contains all the video content of the project Read More named "repeat all" that will repeat any content send through it on each Content Map This section describes how to set up your content maps and use Content Area Read More and Content Area Organize your content maps Read More . For that just duplicate the Parent Input layer Use the video/image used as Input of its parent modifier Read More of the 2D Scene Mapping Dispatch your content creation using 2D transformations procedures Read More and send it to every content maps. Any transformations can be done inside a virtual screen, here I changed the color hue of the last parent input, targeted on the floor. Now each time a content is send through this "repeat all" virtual screen, it will be duplicated on each surface and have it's color changed for the floor area.
06:44 - Create Video Projector Virtual video projectors of Smode stage, used for real life mapping, usually directly connected to the Outputs Read More and place them in simulation mode inside the Stage 3D modeling of the real-world video setup Read More . Here the projectors must be placed accurately with precise measurements and the right optic settings. Inside a video projector you can change throw ratio, FOV, lens shift and many things. Lumens of the video projectors are only important for the simulation part but will not affect how your project will work in real life.
08:22 - Each Projector contain a Processor This section describes how to configure Smode processors in order to configure your output(s) and also make some nice and smooth stage pre-visualisations Read More in which you can select which object (surface) of your stage this video projector will see and how. You can select to render some stage surfaces in black to create masks also.
09:01 - Create a new video Projector, here you can choose which surface it will see by default. You can still change that afterward by adding / deleting stage surfaces from the video projector Processor (as on the previous step).
10:55 - Here you can see I enter the view of a video projector so you can see what is happening when adding / deleting a stage surface of it's processor.
11:15 - Here is the Lumens simulation mode. In Smode 8, the icon to enter this mode is no on the right bottom part of the Viewport Preview and edit your content Read More .
11:30 - I chose for the floor projector to display the totems in black, so I will only project on the floor.
11:57 - And now let's add some content :).
13:16 to 14:51 -UNNECESSARY STEP- Here you can see me adding content map into the video projector's processors. You can do anything inside a processor, but to do this kind of mapping, better to use a standalone Processor than to mess inside the VP, as we will do in next step.
14:51 - Create an output pixel map composed with all your Video Projectors outputs inside of a Processor This section describes how to configure Smode processors in order to configure your output(s) and also make some nice and smooth stage pre-visualisations Read More . A Processor allow many things, as Warping, Soft edges and Mapping, but here the goal is to send 3HD signals into a 4K output, that will be then split to our 3 video projectors in real life.
15:53 - Select among the Content Map This section describes how to set up your content maps and use Content Area Read More / Video Projector Virtual video projectors of Smode stage, used for real life mapping, usually directly connected to the Outputs Read More and Processor This section describes how to configure Smode processors in order to configure your output(s) and also make some nice and smooth stage pre-visualisations Read More which one you want to send into the video outputs you configured inside the devices.