Mesh Symmetry Blendshape Hell

[user_deleted]

Please help... I am going nuts.

I have a face that is (unintentionally) asymmetrical.
It was modelled sloppily by a sloppy modeler (me) who should be shot.

I want to fix the assymmetry. But I don't want to alter vertex ordering for several reasons I can explain if you like.
Please check out the video below.
I think it's obvious what I'm trying to achieve...

the head here is obviously just a theoretical example...

Head Video

[drblacksnake]

duplicate AFTER merging both halves
since you've performed TWO merge operations, there are TWO different sets of numbering.

[user_deleted]

thanks for watching that 17 meg deal...

except if I do that, I can't fix the head... the reason I'm duplicating is so I can fix A, and leave B alone, and then plug A into B as a blendshape...

Does that make sense? Or am I missing something else?

And WHy, oh why, does maya have to number them differently on two occurances of "combine"?

[drblacksnake]

QUOTE(holographix @ 10/09/06, 07:35 PM) [snapback]249599[/snapback]
And WHy, oh why, does maya have to number them differently on two occurances of "combine"?

Because You are not doing it edge by edge - automatic multiple edge/vtx merge works unpredictably each time, and even if, i am not sure if numbering would be the same. So You'd better create symmetric face, then duplicate it and make a blendshape from that duplicate.

[user_deleted]

Okay, I've taken a different approach but I still have a problem.
Basically I've redone the topology of my head from scratch.
ie. modeling one half of the head, with an instance scaled at X by -1, so I can see the mirroring in realtime.

Then I delete the instance, make a real copy, scale it by -1, and combine.
(or do Mirror Geometry, I guess it's the same?)

I select the row of vertices that goes right down the center of the face (and back of head). And hit "Combine Vertices"...

Now I try various plugins that supposedly can mirror changes you make on one side to the other side... but they're all telling me my object is not symmetrical!
What did I do wrong here? I know making symmetrical faces is something people do every day so what did I miss?

[drblacksnake]

perhaps Ypu even have a nonmanifold geometry. check the facing of normals - they all should face likewise, yet better - outwards.
also before mirroring straighten (e.g. snap to grid) outer edge and snap a pivot to that edge - only that way You can achieve a symmetrical model.

[user_deleted]

awesome, it's working - thanks blacksnake - I think it was the normals...
damn normals!