model problem
 

I created a model of a fetus for a movie.
Every time I try to smooth the mesh, some spots on the model deform.
I've never had this happen before.

I'm not super experienced... I've made a number of models that worked well.
On this one, at the wrists the vertices all come together in 4 spots and "pucker" in - totally screwing up the wrist. Another spot creates a hard edge line of vertices down the skull.

Does any one know if I can save this model - or - do I have to start over entirely?
I can send a screen shot!

I also need to know how to export the model for someone to apply texture in his program - Cinema 4D. I think I need to export it as an object, but, I have not had success in passing it on to the director.

Thank you.

it sounds like your model may either not have some vertices merged or some sitting on top of each other from double extrusions.

try merging vertices or the clean up tool and play with the options. post a picture if that doesn't help.

Also, try to keep things in quads as much as possible. I often get strange deformation on my organic models when I use tris, although I'm getting better at poly-flow.

messed up fetus model
 

OK
I need to fix something I just screwed up with my PC - (I am a Mac user primarily) -
re: the model -
I'm going to try your suggestions. I don't know if I have all quads... that means four vertices on each polygon, correct? Mostly I do.

COULD YOU ALSO TELL ME WHAT TO SET TO EXPORT THIS FOR THE CINEMA 4D producer who wants this model to skin / texture?

thank you - it's great to finally find a community I can get help from!! I'm over 50... most friends haven't got a clue what I'm doing!

as soon as PC is accessible - I have to figure out how to restore Factory settings so my mouse will work again - I'll attach newer photos... these are quite old; not showing problems.

where are the problem areas? try posting a screen shot with the wireframe turned on so we can see the geometry of the model. to take a screen shot, use the 'prt sc' button on the top right of your keyboard, then paste in photoshop.

haven't used cinema 4d, but if you find out what file type it uses and have a look on the export options you should be able to figure it out.

:)

as soon as PC is working
 

I have Vista - what a loser OS.
I need to restore system due to mouse not working.

I'm a Mac user.

Anyway - I cannot do the screen shot til OS is functional with my mouse again - will post as soon as I can.
Thank you -

I believe the Cinema 4D opens .obj -
how can I learn about the settings for exporting the mesh?
Thanks again!

expert options
 

Where do I find info on the "expert options" you mentioned please?

Re: as soon as PC is working
 

People in glass houses should not throw stones...

This is a typical closed minded responce from a typical mac user.

I have used Vista since its public launch (on and off, due to lack of drivers support at the begining), but have been using it for over 1 year and must say its far better than any of the other OS's (except 2000 Pro). Anyway I won't rant on as I do usually, but...

WINDOWS ROOLZ :attn:

Re: Re: as soon as PC is working
 

Fanboy :p lol jk but seriously though, Vista isn't as horrible as people make it out to be, some seem to have endless problems with it, some don't, personally I think its ok as long as you ditch the vista theme/visuals.

Re: Re: Re: as soon as PC is working
 

Wait a second... I thought that Windows Vista's purpose in life was to provide millions of eye-candy-deprived users with modern gradients and 3D effects!

Will somebody please think of the eye-candy-deprived users! :)

Re: expert options
 

er... not sure how this thread got on to vista...

anyhow, the 'export' options are under the file menu. not sure where the 'expert' options are. let me know if you find them.... ;)

export
 

yes, thank you.
I know the place to find the "export"... but, I also know there is some other setting - I cannot remember it.
But thanks. If anyone else knows the step, sotospeak, before you actually export the object, please respond.

PS Mac's come with a boot-up disc. You can easily restore your system and search for issues with the utility on the purchase package boot up disc. Why is HP / MicroSoft forcing people to pay $49 (minimum) to their phone service engineer to learn how to reboot from other than the startup drive? Why not supply a disc with the purchased hardware? I went to see if a disc came with the box, but, alas... no.

This is corporate greed. I'm sorry if it stirred "brand loyalty". I am fully aware that Apple also has its pitfalls in terms of what they require you to lay out financially... it was a lighthearted put-down. For a lot more money, you do get some valuable stuff that makes dealing with Macs easier.

Re: export
 

er... my hp laptop came with 2 discs and didn't cost me anything to talk to someone on the phone. also, without my requesting it, they called me up a couple of days later to make sure that the problem i was having was completely resolved, so not sure what you're talking about.

all of the export settings will be under the options box.

Re: export
 

Sorry to jump in on this, but its not a Microsoft issue, the OS supports thousands of different configurations, not the strict set hardware configs that macs have, its the manufacturer's issue. Macs are supposedly more stable as the hardware is so so strictly controled (not that i've seen more stability with them tbh, as its down to the software more than anything) but therein is the major problem. You try upgrading a mac to the latest hardware, but as you say you get a nice little disk that sorts it out.

Then again you can just pop the windows disk in and go for a repair, or use system restore to go back to previous settings...

For how much apple charges for hardware and with the lack of avialable configs and future upgrades, I personally think that there not a viable option, look good though!

As for exporting to C4D I would go with obj, as it preserves the UV's, you may have to start up the obj plug in in the plug in manager which is in Windows-> settings/Pref's->plug in manager.

thanks for help
 

my desktop with Vista came with no disks and I still have no mouse so I have to pay $49 - $119 to get it reinstalled from the "upgrade" disc they have in package. 1.3 years old = no free support.

hopefully this is resolved soon
trying to get HP to respond to me to get it running.

is it a business or home desktop? you have to make sure you specify which when you call hp help or you might reach a dead end.

i might ditch vista though and stick with xp.

good luck.

great help again
 

thannk you very much, again.
i'm hoping to get it settled shortly -
I actually have XP from an older PC
I just don't want to lose my work.

What I was told is that windows reinstalls and erases discs.
Macs don't - so - could be this PC has to go get serviced, I was trying to avoid the outlay of money but all is on hold to work on PC at the moment.

just save your work to a hard drive - that way you can install xp and not lose anything.

Not too sure about Vista but XP you have the option to repair without wiping the data , it copies your data and apps over and then reinstalls windows and restores the links (I've done it in the past) You loose your system restore points but it will start to make new ones right away. All you do is insert the disk and reboot and you'll get to the options to install windows, there should be an option for repair or reinstall, use repair.

I'll hazard a bet that vista will have a similar option, if your not too sure what your doing then I would suggest having a look on google or MS's website just to make sure.

It's prudent to back up your data anyway just in case (regardless of the OS, vista, XP, OSX, linux) as things can always go wrong.

repair
 

OK
thanks.
I may be able to take care of this and also wrote to HP.
All of this thread has helped and informed me.

I appreciate your help.

screen shots of fetus
 

I'm adding 4 screen shots of an older version of 1/2 model of fetus.

mesh shots / smooth shots (I guess I have to add one at a time).

I've gone back to this rough version - which I know has many triangles instead of all quads - to see how far back were the errors that created problems.

In the smoother version, you can see a ridge alone the head and continuing behind the ear / along the neck

It's been a while since I did a model - probably a lot of this is my inexperience.

SO
any remarks appreciated!

PS - got an older mouse to set PC up again!

next image 2
 

image #2

next image 3
 

image #3

next image 4
 

image #4

model image #5
 

here's what was happening
later in the modelling.

I think I have to build the model again - yes?

ewww ugly..

can't you pull that dip in the neck out?
and it looks like all the vertices in the hand have been merged or are just sitting on each other...

did you try the clean up tool? it looks like you just have double extrusions or maybe normals pointing in different directions.

yes -
 

I did use the clean up tool

there is a darkened area where the problems occur so I thought that there might be multiple vertices / faces extruded, as you said... but, it doesn't seem to be the case. I merged vertices one by one to be sure.

I don't know how to manage "normals".

Thanks -

look of model
 

Hi Chirone -
Please understand that the fetus model is not online for it's beauty or modeling expertise. Just for help with technical problems. It is shown here in a very rough state due to some problems with it which I encountered later - but have gone far back to see where they originated!

I work for many years in clay, so, I understand you're thinking of this as more realistic, but, it's not.

Thank you just the same.

Re: look of model
 

my apologies, the "ewww ugly" was referring to the technical difficulties, not to the actual model itself
the actual model isnt ugly...

no problem
 

thanks -

normals
 

there is something wrong and I'm not sure the point of normals - but here are some screen shots.

what are normals for - lighting angle?

anyway - here you can see that the head seems to be two parts... I don't get that.

any more suggestions?

shot 2 of 4
 

shot 2 of 4

shot 3 of 4
 

shot 3 of 4 -- before i reset the normals using the Vertex Normal Edit Tool

shot 4 of 4
 

before i reset the normals with the same tool