Maya 2022 curvewarp unwanted twists fix,ok with an aim curve, then motionpath flow path ffd twisted mess still in all options

#1

Hi cgers

look at the fix in part2, solves the curvewarp maya fuckup…
look at part4 to a solution to mayas motion path, flow path twisted ffd mess default.

but doesnt even touch the tip of the iceberg that reveals the true state of mayas nurb curve
normals as seen when you attach the same exact object to the exact same curve , having centred pivots and freeze transforms of both geo and curve with a motion path and then a flowpath object…
i could not even find an option that did not have a twisted flow path ffd…leading to psychotic twists
in your object when animated along the path

unless its hidden deep with some mayas tds manual marked never show this to the average user.
no aim curve for you ha ha user

please see

https://www.flickr.com/photos/93465359@N03/52141609017

#2

an update on curve warp,

appears to need a centre pivot, and freeze transform before it half works, if you wish to move or rotate your nurbs, path curve it will need an OFFSET curve of your original curve, not just a duplicate, only an offset curve will allow you to duplicate with full history… BUT you cannot instance your start geo with full history, and get to convert instance to a new object with full history curve paths as all of us actually need.

the aim curve is not needed on curves generated from surface geo presumably maya fixed it on such nurbs curves, but forgot to fix it on all actual maya curves created from scratch…

suggestion maya build an aim curve into all your maya curves from scratch, so your maya nurbs curves know which way is up like other 3d programs do…then you wont need aim curves.

please see
https://www.flickr.com/photos/93465359@N03/52142139183

#3

i think the state of mayas nurbs curves are so bad,

that a call out should be made to all cgsociety maya scripters, to create an attribute that can be added by
any normal maya user to any maya nurbs curve so that the curve knows the normal direction down its curve
without the use of an aim curve, as maya cannot operate without one…
especially as autodesk seem incapable of solving the problem at all.

reality is autodesk never created maya in the first place, so maybe they should ask those that did,

i am not being flippant, just want a usable fast solution for people when you go to work in a vfx company.

just to prove autodesk do not give a shit about the maya user

https://forums.cgsociety.org/t/twisted-motion-path-banked-rollercoaster/1669541

that was 8 years ago and my knowledge of maya is a lot worse now than then, having switched to
blender, they just dont seem to get it all get the basics right first…i think this is what
happens when a company buys off the shelf software but not the people who created it…to
further development…they depend on tds and scripters in vfx companies to get proper functionality,

ask autodesk maya what is a curve what do you need it to do would be a good start, bet they havent asked that question ever at autodesk, the only people who ever did in mayas history worked at alias in th early 1990s.

other than that duplicate every maya curve to fix it as an offset, use a curve off a surface, just dont
use acurve by itself, mayas curves were originally designed to connect 2 surfaces, a direction wasnt required then, they just never owned up to it on the box.

#4

a solution to mayas motion path, flow path twisted ffd mess default.
1)centre pivot 2) freeze transforms of geo and start curve
3) draw your start nurbs path curve
4)offset that curve
5) select both curves create poly loft with quad count div2
6) select the middle edge loop
7) modify convert edge loop to nurbs curve using ep1 (not sue if a nurbs curve smooth would actually be better)
8) use that curve as your motion flow path constrain, works all cases except object up that still has twisted ffd.

ie do 6 extra steps for no reason at all except maya never bothered to fix their nurbs curves.
can you scale your start geo no you cant redo attach to motion path flow path(freze transform first)

please see pic
https://www.flickr.com/photos/93465359@N03/52143812497

then wonder why maya persists along this path to parametric oblivion.
could you even do the steps 1 to 8 in mayas node editor, i doubt it centre pivot,freeze transforms, or add anurbs curve vector,how?
its not a question of wether it will happen, only when.
look at their current node editor usability to confirm that