Introduction: How to Make Paper Craft From a Game or 3d Model

About: Actually unemployed

first sorry about my english it´s not my languaje

The software needed
A game using Direct X or a 3d model (in the web there’s a lot free)

3D RIPPER DX

Autodesk 3D Studio Max

or something similar like sketch up for work with files *.3dr and save as *.OBJ

Photoshop with Nvidia dds Plug in

or a software like DDS converter whit the ability to change dds textures to jpg or bmp files

Pepakura Designer and viewer

this process need time but makes the paper craft you want and no one design

If you chose to use a 3D model jump to step 2

If you chose to use a 3D model and don’t want any change jump to step 4

Step 1: Using 3D RIPPER DX

Select the game you want to run, the game doesn´t start until you hit the launch button in 3D RIPPER DX in the options yo can change the capture key, the folder where all the files go when captured

Note: try to find an environment with low amount of grafics


Image 1

Green Arrow: search for the game (you can use Shortcut/Icon )
purple arrow: Folder were the files go when you ripp a game
in the options you can change the key F12 for start the capture and enable the also capture the wavefront .Obj option (this option capture a *.Obj file but it´s better to work with *.3ds file

Image 2
I use the game Lineage II from NC Soft an old version for this tutorial

in the left corner show the words "ready to capture" in yellowthat tell us the 3D RIPPER DX works correctly.
when yo got in the screen what you want to ripp just hit the F12 key and the process start, it takes a few seconds or minutes (the time change because the environment you chose)

Step 2: Autodesk 3Ds Max

i use Autodesk 3Ds Max 2011 but it work whit a lot of version

or you can use other software for work whit *.3ds files and export to *.Obj files but need some in game camera align or work whit the model for the correct size

when you import to Autodesk 3Ds Max pop up a menu, select the option whit numbers in the recommended value line this is a plug in from 3D RIPPER DX.
Image 1

You need to remove all the environment you don’t want to work whit

Sometimes the model you choose need some easy to learn work in Autodesk 3Ds Max like make two or three mesh only one mesh (helps a lot when you need to glue the parts) in this model the legs, hands, shoes and head isn´t part of the same mesh (image 1 show diferent colors), you can make a single mesh with this and make work whit Pepakura Designer a lot easy or move part of the model for a better view

Image 2 show same color yellow in all the body (cuerpo) and use diferent textures

Now need to be export like *.Obj file and its all the work whit Autodesk 3Ds Max

Image 3 show the model with some parts inverted arround the correct model, this inverted parts can be used for the interior view and not see the white paper

Step 3: Photoshop

For this part yo need to instal the Nvidia DDS plug-in for photoshop.

Autodesk 3Ds Max work whit *.Jpg, Bmp or *.DDS files but Pepakura Designer needs *.Jpg or *.Bmp files,
can’t work whit DDS Files you need to open dds files and save in Jpg format or if you want to make some change in the texture for the paper craft model you can make it on Adobe Photoshop

or just change the texture format from *. dds to *.Jpg with the ddsconverter software (free)

Image 1

1 only open the *.dds format with the texture and save as *.Jpg

Note: all the dds textures ara saved in (if you don´t change in 3D RIPPER DX) my documents/3D reaperDX/textures (C:\Users\Oficina\Documents\3D reaperDX/textures)

Step 4: Pepakura

Pepakura Designer

Whit this software you can convert the 3d model to a plain paper.

First we need to open the *.Obj file, Pepakura Designer start working whit a Green bar and pop up this menu Image 1, sometimes the design needs to be flip, the black part is the correct position without textures. the gray parts it’s the paper, in this case for a more detailed job we need this way because we don’t want double side view parts whit white paper

Here i add the textures (setting /texture settings) in *.Jpg format and remove the edge lines (3D menu/ Show Edges) this give us an idea how´s the model seen wen finished Image 2

The next step is putt he cut lines the way we want to work the model (highly recomended) or click in the unfold button and set the size for the paper model but if you let the software cut alone the model, the software makes all the cuts the way of “less time” and make the model really hard to be assembled, you can always return from the unfold process with the same button and cancel the changes the software makes (try to work almost all the model)

If the model was worked in Autodesk 3Ds Max looking to errease the future troubles you can work really easy, you can turn off the parts you don´t need to see and get a relly good view of the parts you need to work

for start the cut progress you need to select the yellow cutter in the icon menu and touch the lines in the model (always think if the cut can be made, you can test unfolding the model)

the line colors can be change in setting /other setting / color

in this model the colors work this way

Orange for cut

Red for open edge (some times need to put flaps wen working the 2D design)

Dark Blue for edges with soft curve

Light blue for edges with a hard curve (need atention here)

Yellow for the texture body part

Image 3

Image 4 Here all the cuts are finish

Now use unfold and select the size you want the model (if you want to make more than one model of the same game check the scale) this model use scale 9 and the size is 420 mm (I make other lineage models and want the same size )

after using the unfold model all the model moves to plain paper 2D in the right side, the software avoid contact with other pieces but use a lot of paper sheets, you can check for additional flaps or move flaps for an easy work and can move the pieces for save some paper

Image 5 Model after using unfold button, the model use 64 paper Sheets

In the right side of the screen (the 2D design) you can move, rotate the parts or you can cut and paste for a better use of space or assemble options, and whit the flaps yo can change the side the flap is (to this part or the other part) or if you want to join together 2 parts (like the original 3D model the legs and the body isn´t the same mesh) yo can add flaps without conexion if needed

Image 6 the same model after adjust the position in the 2D design now using only 9 paper sheets

now you can export to a protected *.Pdo file or just save the file, i recommend to use Pepakura Viewer or Pepakura Viewer for Silhouette CAMEO (if you got one) for print and assemble because make really easy to identify the parts in the paper sheets and the 3D model. and for printing gives option like add numbers in all the flaps (only the flaps with conexion not the custom) print flaps whit the neighbor color (this help whit the errors)
Image 7

Step 5: Pepakura Files

i let the files from the model (scale 9, 420mm of height) choose the better option for you and be patient this model dificult is hard because have a lot of small pieces and hard fold lines but i think all the people can do something if he likes

with fold lines (L2FDE linea.pdo)

without fold lines L2FDE (makes the finished work more clean)

ready to unfold L2FDE exportar.pdo for make your custom size work

Good Luck

Papercraft Contest 2015

Participated in the
Papercraft Contest 2015