Messiah and Lightwave hosting problems

[Nichod]

One thing you didn't state is what version of LW are you using? If you are using the open beta version. It might be possible that is why things are not working.

[borisgoreta2000]

Messiah works with 9.2 like a charm. You can do what ever you like.


Maybe you moved messiahLW.p from it's original position ?

[DMack]

By far the best connection between the two apps is MDD export/import - it'll save you days in the long run and make the whole experience more satisfying.

Keep them separate adn you have better performance, lower scene overheads and a less technical set-up (read less issues!)

:)

[KAMAKAZZI]

Nichod-

I am using Lightwave 9 and it works on another computer station with the same LW version.

I didnt know the open beta wouldnt work with Messiah though, makes sense....


borisgoreta2000-

9.2?---an update on Newtek?

I dont recall moving the LWPlugin from its original position---all I did was copy and paste the plugin from Messiah>Modules into the LW plugins folder. At first, LW couldnt download the 6 plugins or at least couldnt detect them. I recopied and added in some extra files to make it work.

In the long run--you could be right... I might of accidently moved it...could reinstalling the softwares work out my situation?


DMack--

You are absolutely right with mdd file route. Do you use Point Oven or the SaveMorph straight from Messiah in the customize tab?

Wegg explained to me on the IRC the differences and which route was better, which coincides with your experienced input. I am convinced and will go the mdd route. I still want to fix the problem though...

I already SaveMorph and generate it on fat guy model I have and the motion dynamics came out awesome in Lightwave without taxing the computer!

Plus I can send this mdd file to my co-workers and have it work for them too on their stations. In addition, when you host everything from Messiah into LW, you cant really save the scene in LW without scene/file corruption since the data was extracted elsewhere and LW just gets confused upon reopen.

I tried it with a guy with a cape. I know saving out separate mdd files for the character and cape is ideal. Add in softbody dynamics and everything. Saved out Mdd within Messiah. Go into LW and now I have a problem with the cape not following my character when he walks. When I hosted it, I didnt have to worry about this situation for the rig in Messiah is all legit.

Got an idea on what to do DMack? Anyhow--the softbody dynamics comeout really awesome in LW though, just the cape wont follow my character in LW.


Thanks guys for yalls help. I highly appreciate it.


Respectfully,

Cypher

[DMack]

Not sure I completely understand the problem but a couple of pointers:

Subd should be set to last in LW's geometry tab.
Have you got anything else deforming the cape? (SBD on top of the MDD?)

You could try doing the animation of the guy in messiah, baking out the mdd's (you don't need Point Oven any more, there's something built into messiah itself) and then attach the cape in LW and get it to do the cloth FX from within LW - it should work on a deforming mesh?! Then bake the capes deformation to an MDD file for NW rendering.

Seriously, don't bother fixing the plugin thing unless you enjoy the techie side of things! :) The separation of LW from messiah was something that I am so glad I embraced early on. One cool thing is that when you tweak the animation in messiah and re-bake, it means that the LW scene that references the MDD's is automatically updated. I find that useful as IMO LW has a stronger preview system. So I have both apps open but do all my CA in messiah.

Hope that helps. If I've missed the point, let me know and I'll have another bash.

[Tama]

You need to keep that messiah plugin in the pmg messiah directory or it won't work. Just put it back where you found it and re add the plugin from that location. The directory I have my plugin kept in is the Program Files\pmG\messiahStudio2.4d\messiah path. I did the same thing you did a while back and I eventually read the docs and it tells you to keep that plugin in the pmg directory or it will not operate.

[KAMAKAZZI]

Tama-

I do have both LW-plug in both directories, Messiah and Lightwave. I have done this before and did what you recommend sometime ago and it worked. I tried doing it again only this time its not recognizing messiah interface. So I dont know what happened.

The plugin--is it only one item, one compressed file? Last time I remember, it was 6 plugins that LW would recognize when adding in the plugins within LW. I had that one LW plugin at first and LW couldnt find the 6 plugins. I copied more data from the Messiah directory and placed them within LW plugin directory, now LW recognizes the 6 plugins and adds them. Now when I go to the messiah:interface in LW to host connect, Messiah cant open. I have no idea whats going on, all the plugin files are still there in both directories, LW and Messiah.



DMack-

Have you got anything else deforming the cape? (SBD on top of the MDD?)

What do you mean SoftBodyDyn. on top of MDD? MDD is not really an effect for it to be on top of the SBD effects, I could be wrong and just totally misunderstand what you mean.

To clarify what effects I have going on is for the character himself has the bone deform effect with fieldweighting (Metaeffectors), couple of sliders and expressions, and the cape has the SBD effect. Both Cape and Character are separate models. How can I transfer both effects in Messiah into LW with the .mdd route and have the cape follow my character like how I have it in Messiah with all the effects in tact? Hosting it the other way made it easier to have multiple effects on multiple geometries to work in LW but now I cant have that freedom of just giving my co-workers the mdd motion file or have it convenient for Network rendering.

You could try doing the animation of the guy in messiah, baking out the mdd's (you don't need Point Oven any more, there's something built into messiah itself) and then attach the cape in LW and get it to do the cloth FX from within LW - it should work on a deforming mesh?! Then bake the capes deformation to an MDD file for NW rendering.

Its nice to know that you can add in effects in LW on top of your deforming mesh from Messiah. Although, motion designer feature in LW is not really advanced like Messiah's softbody effect (in my opinion). I would like to transfer my character animation and SBD effects from Messiah in LW rather than redoing the cloth simulation in LW and only be able to transfer the character animation from Messiah. So you cant really add in multiple .mdd files onto multiple models in LW in one scene?

You've mentioned baking the capes deformation--do I bake motion first then generate the MDD files for Lightwave? Do I bake motion on my character as well? Or do you mean bake and the mdd process is basically the same thing (when you generate mdd files-it bakes it for you?)?

Seriously, don't bother fixing the plugin thing unless you enjoy the techie side of things!

Of course I wont bother fixing the plugin thing if it takes too much of my time, you got my vote.

Any other suggestions would be highly appreciated.

Its okay if we cant figure out the mdd onto multiple objects in LW bid, I will just make it easier on myself and just render this particular character in Messiah if it gets too laborous and messy. Still, any other suggestions would be a great help for me and others.

Many thanks,

Cypher

[Tama]

Why do you have the same plugin in two directories? :shrug: It only needs to be in the pmg directory. Try removing the one you have in the Lightwave directory since it won't work from there and will likely cause a conflict just placing it there.

You might need to verify that your messiah config files are ok also.

[KAMAKAZZI]

Tony,

You might have pinpointed the problem. I am going to try and delete the LWplugin from the LW plugin directory. I dont know what made me think or feel that I also had to copy it into LW archives.


I am not at my initial workstation at the moment but I will try it out and let you know if I still have problems.

Many thanks and I highly appreciate the response.

Cypher

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