Max to Maya, some initial questions?

[Lomax]

I'll answer what I can, but I don't have access to Maya right now, so in some areas I can't be more specific :shrug:


1.) to turn off backfaces, go to Display -> Custom Polygon Display, and look for the backfaces option. I'm not sure if it will prevent you from selecting them, as I usually do things the slow way :p

3.) Playblasting will make a preview directly from the viewport. Since it's rendered through hardware, it relatively quick.

4.) Quick render probably has no anti-aliasing. To make things looks better, you'll have to change the settings in the render globals.

6.) Select your object and press Ctrl+a. At the top of the editor you should see tabs for each of the deformers. Click on the tab you want, then hit select at the bottom of the editor. This should let you delete the deformer.

7.) The target objects are called Pole Vectors constraints. You can also animate the swivel, although it might be called something else. It'll be listed in the channel box along with the translate and rotate values. You can use it as a slider by selecting the channel, and draggin the middle mouse button in the viewport. To find the right channel, I'd say save your work, then experiment.

8.) Skin weights can be typed in in the component editor.

Hope this helps

[bluedragon128]

Ok, I hope this helps you.

1. Backface culling allows faces where the normal is faceing the other way not to show. There are three ways that i remember to turn it on or off; first - window / settings/preferences / preferences.http://www.bluedragon128.com/backfaceculling1.gif, second - under display / custom polygon display options.http://www.bluedragon128.com/backfaceculling2.gif, third - see image three..http://www.bluedragon128.com/backfaceculling3.gif

2. Maya seems to only allow you to move the verts or Cv's in normal coordinates. You can get to the options for transform tools under modify / transform tools, or by double clicking on the move icon.

3. Rendering out an .avi will take forever in maya, best bet to do so is to do that in a compositing package; after effects, premiere, and such. To render out a sequence go into render globals and tell it under Frame/animation ext. to name.#.ext, the set the frame range, and the Frame Padding. Make sure resolution is set to what you want and all other options click Close. The go to rendering F5, go to render Batch Render. After you are done FCheck will allow you to preview the images as an animation.

4. Quick render needs to be set to what resolution you want to preview your image at, which is done in Render Globals.

5. For the colors where you said to go is the right spot, you just have to browse around in there to find the correct tabs. I believe.

6. Deleting History, you can delete all by type(does what it says), or you can delete by type, you have to select the object(s) and then go to that option. Deleting History on a Deformer gets rid of the deformer.

7. For the Solver I believe what you want is called a pole vector this controls the IK handle(under animation / constain), what you do to use it select object that controls the ik, then the ik handle and then do a pole vector constainant.

8. You can paint weights with the paint weight tool (takes time to get hang of), or in the component editor.

Hope that helped somewhat.

[Velocamonkey]

Thanks for the answers guys, I'll check them out and get back to you with any problems I'm bound to come across.

[doms]

the paint selection tool is my weapon of choice as, unlike the marquee tool, it only selects facing err... faces.

[Gilgamesh]

Alright, rather than start my own thread, I'll post my MAX to Maya question here.
Is there a script or plugin that is the equivilent of MAX's Meshtools? Or Wings? I'm really missing the ability to select edge rings and then cut an edge loop through them all.

[Gilgamesh]

Ooooh, just thought of another one. In the perspective viewport, is there a way to constrain a translation to just two of the 3 axis? I don't mean the box in the middle, but being able to move something without affecting it's position on the Y axis, say.

[stunndman]

2. Edit Polygons -> Move Component

[Ibanezhead]

Is there a script or plugin that is the equivilent of MAX's Meshtools? Or Wings? I'm really missing the ability to select edge rings and then cut an edge loop through them all.

MJPolyTools...

http://www.maya3d.dk/Scripts/MJPolyTools/



Ooooh, just thought of another one. In the perspective viewport, is there a way to constrain a translation to just two of the 3 axis? I don't mean the box in the middle, but being able to move something without affecting it's position on the Y axis, say.

Select either move or scale, hold down the Control key, and select the axis you don't want to effect...

[Gilgamesh]

Ah, muchas gracias.

[umjetnik]

1.When modelling, what is Maya's version of ignore backfacing, ie. so that when you select a bunch of verts or polys you don't select the ones behind it?

make use of the Edit > Paint selection tool, particularly if you have alot of verts...

7. When you make an arm or leg out of bones, in Max you can adjust the IK solver's SWIVLE ANGLE with a slider or pick a target for it to point at so you can move the elbow or knee. How do you do this in Maya, it's obviously called something else?

just select the ik handle and hit T on your keyboard which will give you an extra manipulator handle for the poleVector, that is if you don't want a PV constraint. In fact use the "T" for alot of things like camera aim, light aim etc...

6.When I model it creates a whole history of everything you've done, I know at the end I get rid of it all by going delete by type>History. But how about when I add deformers

Make use of the hypergraph, here you will see anything and everything in your scene, with the abiltity to break connections and reconect to your hearts content

[Velocamonkey]

Hey thanks loads for all the help, it's really hard learning a new app when your mind is stuck in the old one. I'm still trying to remember all the terms to use in Maya to even desccribe things to you. Anyway, here's some more questions, hope you folks don't mind.

1. This is probably really basic but... I edit my smooth skin with
the paint skin weights tool, how do I get out of the paint skin tool mode? Right now I'm just pressing W to switch to move mode.

2.You mentioned I can edit the idinidual weights of each vertex in the component editor, I can't figure it out though. Do I have to select the object first and then go into component mode? I'm flumexed.

3.I downloaded the ToggleMania utility, from a MayaScripts page, how do I install it and access it in Maya?

4.I found this piece of scipt to toggle backface culling on and off:

-----

Poly blackface culling hotkey

int $test[];
$test =`polyOptions -query -bc`;
if ($test[0] == 1)
{
polyOptions -fb;
}
if ($test[0] == 0)
{
polyOptions -bc;
}

-----

I paste it in the script editor and MM drag it into a shelf. But when I click on it I get: "Error: Invalid redeclaration of variable "$test" as a different type."

Any ideas on how to get this script working or know one that does the same thing?

Okay I think that's plenty for now : ), thanks in advance.

[umjetnik]

2.You mentioned I can edit the idinidual weights of each vertex in the component editor, I can't figure it out though. Do I have to select the object first and then go into component mode? I'm flumexed.

you have to select a vert('s) then go to the smooth skin or rigid skin tab in the component editor depending on which you used, where you can see values for each vert..
Here's a tip, when you are unsure of how to use a specific tool just use the help on the top of the tool option where you can find help on that specific tool..

and yeah just selecting "W" to disengage the Paint weights tool is the way to do it

[misterdi]

"Error: Invalid redeclaration of variable "$test" as a different type."

You might had declared the same variable $test as different type then string array previously for example you had declared it as:

string $test;

Since re-declaration is not allowed, you got the message.

Usually it is safer if the script bound in local proc, all the variable that is use inside a local proc only live within the proc.

Best regards,

[Velocamonkey]

Hey thanks umjetnik, I'll try that out, thanks for the help tip.

misterdi: Thanks for trying to help, but what you said just went way over my head, I know very little about MEL, sorry I should have said.

[MasonDoran]

Originally posted by Gilgamesh
Ooooh, just thought of another one. In the perspective viewport, is there a way to constrain a translation to just two of the 3 axis? I don't mean the box in the middle, but being able to move something without affecting it's position on the Y axis, say.


ctrl + LMB click the axis you want constrained.....ctrl +LMB click the center of the pivot to release the contraint

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