Nurbs to Polygons

Complex UV Layout in Maya

Over the last couple of years UV layout in Maya has changed for the better. In this course we're going to be taking a look at some of those changes as we UV map an entire character

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# 1 19-02-2005 , 01:19 PM

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Hi Everybody,

Let's say I create a Nurbs sphere and a nurbs cylinder and then I create a rounded fillet between these two surfaces. I trim the unwanted parts and then I convert the 3 surfaces to polygons (quads). Then I combine the new polysurfaces getting one mesh. The only problem is that I get seams where the rounded fillet was. What's the best way to avoid this?

Thanks

Eduardo

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# 2 19-02-2005 , 01:21 PM

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Nurbs surfaces before converting to polygons:

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# 3 19-02-2005 , 06:55 PM

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If you're using Maya 6, go into the covert nurbs to polygon option s and make sure "attach multiple output meshes" is check. If that doesn't work, than you might have to manually merge either the edges or vertices.

AIM: mhcannonDMC

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# 4 20-02-2005 , 12:00 PM

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your surfaces have different UV spans?

FX supervisor - double negative

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# 5 20-02-2005 , 04:33 PM

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thanks for the answers!

I can't convert Nurbs to Polys using "Atach Multiples Surfaces" because I previously trimmed the cylinder and the sphere.

I think I'll have to merge vertices one by one!

About having different UV spans, I'm not really sure what you mean :-)

Eduardo

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# 6 20-02-2005 , 05:14 PM

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Not sure what I did differently, but I was able to attach even after trimming the sphere. Before converting/attaching, I deleted history and froze transformation. Don't know if that's required, but I find that not doing so can sometimes give unpredictable results.

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# 7 20-02-2005 , 09:48 PM

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ok Mhcannon, I'll try that, thanks!

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# 8 20-02-2005 , 10:13 PM

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It worked!

You were right mhcannon, you saved my life. After trimming the surfaces, I deleted history and froze transformations as you suggested, and, voilà, I could convert nurbs to polys with the "attach multiple output meshes" option on.

Thanks again.

Eduardo

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# 9 20-02-2005 , 10:42 PM

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OK, I have a final question. How can I clean up this nasty ugly mesh I've just obtained? erasing undesired edges? is there any tool that could do this automatically?

Eduardo

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# 10 21-02-2005 , 05:45 AM

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Well, you could try reducing the number of faces, at least on the cylinder section. The triangles you see along the seems are unavoidable as Maya tries to keep the polygons to 3 or 4 sides which is difficult on a curved surface such as the sphere. You can delete the edges, but you'll end up with non-planar or non-manifold geometry. I know the mesh looks unsightly but it will render fine.

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