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
# 31 20-05-2010 , 11:21 AM
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New one Ive been working on for a few days. Thinking of extending it, but started new lighting and rendering course today so have to weigh up my time a bit.

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# 32 20-05-2010 , 05:02 PM
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your getting pretty good at this keep at it user added image

# 33 20-05-2010 , 05:14 PM
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Looks nice!


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# 34 20-05-2010 , 06:57 PM
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Thanks guys. Am trying to buy vue 8 at the moment. Hopefully then I can really play

# 35 20-05-2010 , 07:47 PM
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Hi Ben
I dont understand what vue 8 will give you please could you explain, looking good ..........dave




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# 36 20-05-2010 , 08:29 PM
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In vue 8 you can create your own terrains. So I think you can generate like forests/mountains etc, and other plants/foliage. So You have a bit more control over what you need rather than relying on photos from the internet. Im not 100% sure. I've seen some nice stuff created with vue, and I've seen lots of terrible stuff too. Im not completely sure of the workflow, I guess there are lots of variations, from rendering out single passes of single objects, to creating a whole environment, and you can import obj files into it aswell. So perhaps you can create a whole image in vue, then tweak in photoshop. Or, as in a tutorial by Chris Stoski on Gnomon I have, you can create just a few trees where you need them, but make and light them exactly to your needs rather than, as I say, rely on google images, or whereever.

Should also help with the matte edges of assets aswell, where say, it can be hard to get a good edge on a tree when cutting it out in Photoshop, with vue, you render out with an alpha and...job done. But like I say, this is largely guesswork on my part. I have bought a comprehensive user guide for vue 8 which is for 3d artists. Am waiting for the transaction to clear on the payment for the software, hopefully a couple of days, then I can put the two together and ... see what happens.


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# 37 20-05-2010 , 08:47 PM
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Not used Vue for a while (We've got it at uni) but I dont think you can export render passes, though you can import to maya so you might be able to do it from there (the last version I used was 6 I think.

Vues eco systems are really good though very heavy on the PC, sculpting the terain is pretty cool too!


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# 38 20-05-2010 , 08:56 PM
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Ive got like this 550 odd page user manual sitting here which I want to get stuck into. Ive only used a ple version of Vue before, and to be honest, I didnt really like it, but never got too familiar with it. Couldnt stand the resolution limit and watermarks on the renders. This time ive told myself I'll really try and get to grips with it, work through the manual, visit conrnucopia 3d site and try the tuts on there.

Ive heard about some of the render times on animations in vue, like...days, not hours!... but not really planning on using it for that.

That'll be annoying if you cant do render passes. Do you mean like, you cant save out stuff in layers? so it'll still involve cutting out bits to use stuff in photoshop?


Oh, do you mean, you can export scenes to Maya and them Render them out of there? I read about the different plugins for that on the E-on website. But I think that ability is only with the super-duper-top-of-the-range-Vue for studios. I've just gone for Vue 8 Infinite, which doesnt have that export ability.


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# 39 20-05-2010 , 09:19 PM
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vue is an alternative i wouldnt advice it unless you work for a company that has a licence for it cause all it is an alternative. if it can be done in maya (if time is not really an issue) ignore it paintfx is great so long as you know how to play with the bsp .

# 40 20-05-2010 , 09:51 PM
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user added image too late now. I dont work for a company or anything. Well not one doing this kinda stuff. Its just how I spend my free time. Im hearing you on the paintfx, but when I think of paintfx, I think of a more cartoony kind of feel, as opposed to vues sort of crude realism. But I know thats just a rendering thing. Well, Im getting it now, so i'll just have a play.

...Keeps me off the streets...

I hadn't really thought of using paint fx for matte painting, well ...on a large scale anyway.hmmm


p.s murambi....is bsp that setting to do with trees and leaves(no matte painting puns intended) and stuff how Maya organises it's memory during rendering?

# 41 20-05-2010 , 09:57 PM
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yup yup if organised properly and you can reduce the amount of ram your scene uses on paint fx
i once had a scene i was doing on archviz but after abit of tuts i reduced it from 8gb to about 6gb

# 42 20-05-2010 , 10:02 PM
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Ive got a Gnomon Mental Ray tut which covers this stuff I think.

Do you find yourself adjusting the bsp settings often?


Last edited by ben hobden; 20-05-2010 at 10:06 PM.
# 43 20-05-2010 , 10:09 PM
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i had a digital tutors covering this user added image anyway get to work and see which is the most essential way and let us know
how goes with the after effects i would love someone to consult with since most AE sites are abit snobbish when it comes to noob Q's

# 44 20-05-2010 , 10:26 PM
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user added image. All that bsp stuff is like, well on the other side of that artist/tech-expert barrier that i'm loath to have to tread! I will keep the pfx in mind for matte paintings. Still early days there.

Good you ask about the afx. Havnt touched it since the course I was doing finished. However. A mate of mine is shooting a music video for a local band, and has asked me to play with the footage to see if I can add anything cool to it. He's a video editor by profession (wedding dvd packages) so he knows his stuff, Ive seen a couple of music videos he's shot for other bands and theyre very professional looking. Im dubious about whether I can do what he's after but he is a good friend Ive known since school so the pressures not huge. I've stated very clearly I'll have a go, on the proviso that he's completely happy with what he's got first so should I not be able to come up with anything it won't be a problem. He basically just wants me to 'play'. 'Do anything I want'. God knows how it's going to turn out! Thats in about 3 or 4 weeks time..

# 45 20-05-2010 , 10:34 PM
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wow thats loads of time there is so much you could do i did abit of songs and movies in after effects

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i usually get like three or four days deadline to do this stuff

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