Subd Weights

[doug-hines]

You could call this a second interesting dillema. I am attempting to weight a creature I have recently modeled/rigged for class. This model also utilizes a bump2d with tangent space bump mapping, which I have only gotten to work while in SubD.

The Problem

Maya is not allowing me to Paint Weights on the SubD mesh. I can access to tool and change settings n such, but maya will not update the weights display (whites/greys). I convert subd->poly, paint the weights, export the weight maps, convert back to SubD, reskin the mesh/skeleton, and attempt to import the weight maps, but maya does not update the SubD weight data. Any ideas as to how I can get my weights the way i want them?

Doug

:: edit ::
I solved my problem. If anyone is curious, just reply in this thread and I'll post what i did.

[torgie]

QUOTE(kurokawa @ 04/13/06, 10:22 AM) [snapback]234198[/snapback]
:: edit ::
I solved my problem. If anyone is curious, just reply in this thread and I'll post what i did.

I'd love to know what you did - I'm encountering the same problem. Thanks!
-torgie

[doug-hines]

QUOTE(torgie @ 04/26/06, 07:01 AM) [snapback]235507[/snapback]
I'd love to know what you did - I'm encountering the same problem. Thanks!
-torgie

Ok, here's the steps.
1) Have your mesh in polygon mode
2) Rig it up, paint the mesh weights while still in polygon mode
3) Create a duplicate mesh. Convert to subd. Make sure the subd and polygon object are aligned perfectly on the grid (note: not necessary for perfect alignment, but makes it easier to tell how your subd mesh will move)
4) Select your subd surface, then select your polygon object that has the rig on it (make sure the polygon object is skinned with the rig)
5) Under the Animation Menu, go to : Deform > Create Wrap
6) Hide your polygon object

You should now be able to move the IK that is tied to your hidden polygon object, and your subd object will move as well.

Let me know if this helped.

[dunkelzahn]

Aaaaah, that

[joojaa]

nice thinking missed the fundamentals a bit.

QUOTE
5) Under the Animation Menu, go to : Deform > Create Wrap

Now this step is insane, you dont need it. And its possibly 100 times slower than the natural alternative. And safer because if two points coencide at any point in your modell yu may be in serious trouble.

instead right click on your subd and go to polygon proxy mode. NOW this is your subd surface. Its also a polygon and its directly connected to your modell. if you move it your subd updates (and is hellofalot faster than the wrap also infinitely safer because it is the real level 0 data).

Assign the polycage with a material to make it shade (you need this to see the paint feedback). You may want to hide the subd for a while here. Now bind this mesh to yoru skeleton paint. And viola your subd follows suite with no wrap deformer. (the wrap defrmer is by the way the heaviest operator in town).

However most of us work up down anyway so we conevrt it to sud from the polygage so they dont realy se it the way you came to this because they allready bound the cage and let history take its course dowstream. ITs a perfectly valid alternative but basicaly same thing.

Then a HC tip for going on beyond this, you can transfer the skin data ffrom the mesh to teh subd. BUt this is realy rarely the way to go since the above is as fast and as a bonus gives you proxy.