edge weighting [subD]

#5

I have yet to figure out how to export sub-div and weight map info into Lightwave. I know sub-patches are not a problem when exporting to LW but then it defeats (to some extent) the purpose of modeling in modo. Don’t get me wrong I like modeling in modo, but at this stage if I am limited to 3 or 4 vertices required for subpatching I can do it much faster in LW.

Since no one using LW has mentioned this problem, I may have missed someting to get around this problem and would appreciate some info on this.

#6

Maya’s creasing is pretty crap. The solution we’re looking at is any crease in modo between say .3 and .7 would become a partial crease and anything over .7 would become a full crease. More info to be forthcoming.

#7

Would it be possible to create a function that adds geometry just to the crease region in order to replicate the crease for apps that don’t support it? This would be very useful for LW exports as well.

#8

griffin: that’s what I’d excpect, cause maya has only partially and fully creased. But modo exports to maya only as polygon, not sub-d so that should be changed as well.

#9

that would be a good idea…
but i am a high rez modelor, and adding more geometry would give me a painfull blow to my unmentionables when rigging or animating.
but maybe there are work arounds… [exporting some kind of normal map information my be ideal]

and yes, maya’s creasing is very lacking and limited in functionality… and the lags on high rez models are painfull to watch…
and the .3 to .7 partial crease would seem a little bias and might give weird results if u are doing hard surface modeling. but oh well. modo seems like a great tool nonetheless.

#10

well yeah, great, but what the hell would I use modo’s great edge weighting for, if I can’t transfer it to an animation/rendering app.

#11

u can always freeze it and transfer :hmm: :slight_smile:

#12

what do you mean by transfer?

#13

hehe transfer 2 maya :slight_smile:

#14

u mean u can transfer a subD model to maya?

#15

What he means is, Freeze [Geometry>Create>Freeze] your model first, then transfer to Maya.

Bert

#16

Yea, thats what I have to do with Lightwave as well. Freeze is the only way. :shrug:

#17

That was done on purpose. It gives people a choice between polysmoothing and converting to subd.

I am currently investigating a better method of getting subds to Maya with creasing. If you constrain your creasing values in modo to 0.0, 0.5 and 1.0 they should map favourably to the Maya equivlants.

#18

How about an export options popup/settings panel? :slight_smile:

#19

hehe, yeah great, freeze and then animate high poly ;]

“I am currently investigating a better method of getting subds to Maya with creasing. If you constrain your creasing values in modo to 0.0, 0.5 and 1.0 they should map favourably to the Maya equivlants.”

griffon: ok that’s a way to model, but still when modo saves to the maya ascii file it doesn’t save as sub-d, so all vertex maps are lost anyway.

I think the only workflow available so far is to:
-model in modo like you said, with constrained values,
-then go to maya, convert polygon to sub-d
-crease prope edges once more.

That’s a pretty crappy solution.

What I thought modo would do is:
-if you’re in polygon mode and export it’d save as polygon
-if you hit tab and go to sub-d mode i’d save as sub-d.
pretty straight forward.

or just make an export popup ;]

#20

i think this latest solution would work very well, even if a panel with export options or something similar would be required as well. I think there’s no prob on having these 2 ways to work implemented.

Good export options owf geometry with weighted edges towards the apps that support them like maya (but don’t forget XSI and others ) is important and surely a system like Griffon explains seems to be a good thing , if maya’s creasing is quite crap. such possibilities are what we consider a good behaviour with other apps for Modo.

Having to freeze geometry is a solution, but it’s not the best solution, because u’ll have to go let’s say in Maya and reduce poligons with some of its tools or whatever, with a logic waste of precious time.

#21

Is there any way to transfer selections to maya?

If it’s possible in any way I suggest following:
write a script that would select weighted edges in modo and save 2 selection sets:
-first edges with weights close to 0.5
-second with weights closer to 1.

In maya load these selections and reapply creasing. Or better just write a mel script that does it automatically.

#22

As you all said the problem is with mayas dud sub-d creasing – but to me the whole sub-d layout in maya is awkward, but that could be another thread. – So, if the problem is maya… would it be possible to make the changes in maya. Either a plug-in or an upgrade. It definately seems like thats what is going to be needed.

I don’t actually use modo (yet)-- but yesterday was working out how to make a sub-d model from blender and then bring it into maya. I prefer the ability to toggle between the polys and sub when modelling, weighted creases are good aswell.

kk

#23

Like I said, that’s why we’re looking at changing it.

#24

With any luck lux will release their rendering package sometime soon. Im sure that will work better than exporting to another package. The rendering I saw on the apple keynote speech is what sold me on modo. But for now I have to get better at modeling before rendering issues. just my two cents. not helpful.