Maya vector render problem

[the_kirill]

I'm having this problem with vector render. The original model was imported as an iges format object and I think that's the main problem but I can't get around that.
Here is what it looks like the software render and the vector render, it looks like it's loosing tessellation when rendered with vector. all the settings are maxed out and it still looks bad. If I create the same shape from scratch it renders fine but these imported models are not behaving.

This nurbs surface is part of a larger model (I'm not just lazy, rebuilding the complete model will take more time than I have).

Has any one ran in to this problem or can think of something I can try? Any help would be appreciated.

[secoh2000]

Yeah I know what you mean. I've been trying to import my Liger Zero/Panzer model into Maya, and i've been getting simliar results:

Supposed to look like this:

I've used Deep Exploration to import this model as a Maya Scene, and I still have had no luck. It appears that this error occur no matter how you try to import the model/s. Your error is diffrent then mine, but I feel that it is occurring from the same probelm, which is causing mine. I don't know If many other people have had this problem. I've posted on Alias's User to User site with no reply, and i've tried a 3rd site for help. It could also be that no one has any idea on how to fix this. Lets keep our fingers crossed, and hope someone out there can help us with our problems.

[the_kirill]

I'm glad that some one ales is seeing this problem, I've had the same experience with polygon meshes, I ended up rendering out the .ai files and manually deleting the extra lines to finish the project on time, I spent most of the effort doing this instead of improving the model... there must be a better way.

One way I got around my problem is converting the nurbs in to polygons. Because the polygon model was derived internally from nurbs in maya it did not add the extra lines when rendered with vector.

Also I did this:

created a polygon sphere exported as obj unchecked all the export options.

imported back in and rendered with vector and got this problem to show up.

It seem to loose some information during the export that vector render needs to have to know what to outline. Is it a node of some sort that can be create and reconnect to the object to fix this problem?

I've created a new sphere and compared most of the parameters with a "sick" sphere, they were consistent. There might be something I missed I'm fairly new.

[joojaa]

First problem! NUrbs dont realy go well with the vector renderer but you should increase the precision! So that maya tesseletes it more Or covert to polys.

Second problem! Firstoffall you lost your poly smoothing or each face got spearated during import (dont trust importing fo a dime!), the vector renderer uses this info to know where to do a line! Smooth or join and smooth the eges!

[the_kirill]

Thanks for the help!

1) "increase the precision!"

are you talking about the appearance options and edge options in Maya Vector Global Settings?

2) Like I said I'm new. "Smooth or join and smooth the edges!"

You are talking about Polygon/Smooth option?

[joojaa]

1) im talking of increasing the tesselation of the nurbs object... but ive had bad time doing this properly in the vector renderer (the bastard doesent seem to want to do it the way i want!) so isuggest to tesselate out the nurbs surcase to polys before render.

2) no im talking about smoothing normals!

[secoh2000]

Ha Kirill, I think I know how to fix your prediciment. I've been mulling over this situation for well over a week, and I did find one way to fix this error. You have to use the Polygon Smooth function to get yours to work. To do this goto Polygons>>Smooth It will smooth out you model, and it should work fine. Sure it will increase your poly count... by a lot, but it fixes the error.

I also agree, I believe Maya loses something, for vector rendering; When imported models are used. I made sure that my liger model is whole, has no seperate polygons, or holes. Polygon Smooth will also fix my problem, but I don't want that. The model is not supposed to be smooth... So i'm still at a lose. I own Maya 5.0.1 Unlimited, and I want to contact Alias, but I would get little if any help. I am a college student and I own a student copy. Since i own a student copy, I have no maintanence agreement, and hence no tech support. I tried tp contact the creators of the Ravix 3 rendering engine (used for the vector rendering). But they really only care about there standalone products, and give you no help with the Ravix 3 problem. I'm still looking into this, and I hope I can find a solution, because I was going to use this model for my portfolio.

I hope that I was able to fix your problem.

[joojaa]

Smoothing normals should fix this withiout using excessive polycount.... normals usaualy go haywire in esport... howevera a xport can screw many things up so!

go to edit ploygons->normals ->softeh harden and set all soft!

[joojaa]

Ok if the polygon isnt supposed to be smooth then there should be a LINE period! Thats how its defined.

But you dont need to unfacet the thing just defining smooth edge normals suffices... and now if you want a sline somethere intentionaly just make the edge HARD!

[secoh2000]

HAHA THAT DID IT Joojaa!!! Thanks ever so much, sorry If it seemed you were being ignored . You weren't, just trying to figure out what you said. I've only been working with Maya now for a couple of months. Should have realized that it was the normals causing problems. I didn't know that exporting will cause that. I wish the manual said "If importing into Maya, you may wish to fix the soft/hard with the normals". It may have said that... mabye I should go take a look through them. Again, Thank You so much, it fixed it perfectly!!!

[joojaa]

Expoting/ impirting has many problems becaus edifferent renderes use different models for doing things and not all intermediary formats support everything...

You cant realy rely om export/import. Unless you realy realy know what you are doing! How the formats work etc..

Also objects tend to loose ceratin maya render flags such as visible in reflections etc etc. Just because most formats dont have flags like this.

[the_kirill]

Now that the polygon problem is taken care of lets beat this NURBS horse some more.

Please take a look at these images:

1) A perfect NURBS mesh

2) A perfect NURBS surface

3) A horrible nightmare from Vector

4) All the settings used (there seem to be no change at all when altering the tessellation quality or the detil settings in the vector render options).

Is there a way to improve the vector render? Would really like to keep my models as NURBS if possible. Thou I will settle for polygons if there is no other way.

Could I please get more info on "tessellate out the nurbs surfaces to polys before render". Are you talking about convert nurbs to polygons option or is there a different way to get the tessellated meshes out? Thanks for all the help everyone.

[joojaa]

Yes exactly the only value that governs this is the prcision of the vector render nothing else wich is a shame!

Thats why i vould convert to polys piror to render!

[-coj]

try cranking up the "number U" and "number V" values, that worked for me when having similar problems with vector rendering trimmed surfaces..

[the_kirill]

SWEET JESUS!!! it worked, thank you all for being extra helpful this is most excellent development, i can actually get some sleep tonight. Thanks all.