Maya 2020 fundamentals - modelling the real world
Get halfway through a model and find it's an unworkable mess? Can't add edge loops where you need them? Can't subdivide a mesh properly? If any of this sounds familiar check this course out.
# 181 09-05-2010 , 03:03 PM
Jay's Avatar
Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 6,287

Resolution of UV spacing

okay so...those of us who create alot of uvs generally output the map at the usual resolutions of 1024, 2048 and 4096 from the uv snapshot menu, but how many of you think about the resolution of the map in the first place in accordance to the uv grid?? I know I didnt.

Well since I was introduced to this little nugget a little while ago Ive since really considered the way I output my uv's from maya before heading into painting them.


What you want to achieve or for a better word is avoid bleeding between the uv shells.

So here in Image 1 we have the standard and default settings of the editor prior to output of a uv map. I've use two cubes as an example.

user added image

Okay so heres the cool bit. Lets say you want to output a 2048 map of your uvs and you need to make sure you have a good amount of room between the shells. Simply adjust the Subdivision slider to two pixels less than the output, in this case it will be 2046. This number allows for cut off of 2 pixels that are actually your grids edges. Also check the subdivisons line radio box and put the other two sliders to 1 for now just to keep it simple as we are not creating multiple uv maps.

So then by zooming into the shells you can see how many pixels are going to be between each shell once in PS or Zbrush. and if you feel they are too close then you can move them. from a map of 2048 I would suggest judging the distance you feel comfortable and is adequate enough as in Image 2 to give you ample enough room for any occuring bleed that may happen.


user added image


try putting in 1022 on the subdivisions for a 1024 map and watch how the grid spacing differs, again you can then judge the distance again before outputing to a 1024 map.

user added image

and also a 4k map. Note how the pixel spacing increases and decreases on both the new settings, so its time to move those shells in either direction to avoid the bleeding areas.

user added image

hope this helps

Jay

# 182 14-05-2010 , 07:18 PM
EduSciVis-er
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,374

UV layout using marking menus

Tip for increased speed in laying out UVs:

For fast cutting, moving and sewing UVs, try this workflow. These instructions just involve clicking the mouse buttons and dragging in a certain direction quickly then releasing.

Turn on edge selection: RMB + drag_up
Select the edges to cut: (click or lasso) Shift, Ctrl, Shift+Ctrl LMB as usual
Cut edges: Shift + RMB + drag_left
Select edges to move and sew: See above
Move and sew edges: Shift + RMB + drag_up

Repeat as necessary.

If you're not familiar with these marking menus, if you hold down the mouse button until the labels pop up you can easily see which options are available. However, as you get familiar, and let me tell you with UVs it's so monotonous it takes 30 seconds, you can just drag and let go without giving the labels time to appear. You'll never hit those panel icons again!

Disclaimer: Having said that, I don't have Maya here and so I may have forgotten whether it was Ctrl or Shift, but I think Ctrl + RMB allows you to expand selections to shells etc.


Last edited by stwert; 04-04-2011 at 07:18 PM.
# 183 05-02-2011 , 08:28 PM
Jay's Avatar
Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 6,287

Moving objects for more precision in increments

Simply with any axis on the move tool selected, hold down the alt key whilst tapping the arrow key in the direction you want to go.....


Jay

# 184 05-02-2011 , 08:53 PM
EduSciVis-er
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,374
Cool tip Jay... just to add to that, the increment size depends on distance from object, and it doesn't appear to work in single axes, at least in persp, as XYZ all change regardless of axes selected (i.e. it appears to be camera based in the perspective view).


Last edited by stwert; 31-03-2011 at 09:56 PM.
# 185 14-03-2011 , 08:33 AM
Chirone's Avatar
Subscriber
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: NZ
Posts: 3,125
I dont know how often this happens for people but every so often (but very rarely) I duplicate a mesh and go to rotate it and it rotates really weirdly like its being scaled at the same time. It even ignores you when your rotate tool it turned on to discrete rotation. I think someone long ago had this issue but since it's so rare (at least I think it's rare) it's hard to resolve such issue. Found the way to solve it (don't know what causes it), just opened up the hypergraph to see if there were any odd inputs and it just turns out that the mesh is grouped weirdly, despite never having been explicitly grouped and all sources having their transforms frozen and all history deleted...
Just middle mouse drag it out of the group and it'll start rotating properly.
Below is a screen cap of the funny effect and the weird hierarchy that it came from...


these are really just features, not really tricks or work around limitations of maya

and because of that everyone is deceived by the title of this thread "Maya tips & tricks" and hates us for it because it has tips and tricks like the title said, and we should all be posting threads with non descriptive titles like 'help me' and 'i'm stuck'. Yeah. Right.

Attached Thumbnails



that's a "Ch" pronounced as a "K"

Computer skills I should have:
Objective C, C#, Java, MEL. Python, C++, XML, JavaScript, XSLT, HTML, SQL, CSS, FXScript, Clips, SOAR, ActionScript, OpenGL, DirectX
Maya, XSI, Photoshop, AfterEffects, Motion, Illustrator, Flash, Swift3D
# 186 14-03-2011 , 10:43 AM
bullet1968's Avatar
Lifetime Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,255
Hey Chirone...I have had that before too...and my rotate manip went all weird as well...it went elliptic???....aaaaahhhhhh Maya.

Whether or not they are 'tricks and tips' or whatever people want to call them...they are all part of the knowledge base guys....and ANYTHING that can help a noob like me become a complete amateur in Maya is good for me. Dialogue is great...and I think does encourage people to experiment. There is NOTHING worse (trust me) than having a mate that does EVERYTHING by the book...this is a boring approach and finite in its end result.

I have to train people to be Surveyors and the first thing I say is this..."what did you learn in school??" pupil " well I know how to calc this and do that and wizzbang Im a Surveyor" me " throw NEARLY all the crap you learnt in the bin...its no good here..this isnt theory..this is real world money etc etc ". I never went to school to learn how to Survey...I learnt on the ground, in the dust and dirt the hard way...and I have been told I am a good Surveyor...because I dont follow the books.

So in finishing, I will say 'thank you' to ANYONE that will post some titbit of info...its the only way to truly learn sometimes (no Im not knocking those who have studied) I studied in a different way and it worked.

cheers bullet


bullet1968

"A Darkness at Sethanon", a book I aspire to model some of the charcters and scenes

Last edited by bullet1968; 14-03-2011 at 10:43 AM. Reason: spelling
# 187 14-03-2011 , 05:23 PM
honestdom's Avatar
The Nurb Herd
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
Posts: 2,381

these are really just features, not really tricks or work around limitations of maya

in the script editor
type gatherWoWGoldUI;

# 188 14-03-2011 , 06:08 PM
Gen's Avatar
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: South FL
Posts: 3,522
Yeah I noticed the sig. Deleted.


- Genny
__________________
::|| My CG Blog ||::
::|| My Maya FAQ ||::
# 189 18-03-2011 , 08:08 PM
EduSciVis-er
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,374

Serendipity

Here's a good ol' general one:
To find new hotkeys and workflows, mash the keyboard every now and again. You will be surprised at the results. Just save prior to experimentation.


Last edited by stwert; 04-04-2011 at 07:18 PM.
# 190 18-03-2011 , 08:35 PM
Perfecto's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TN (USA)
Posts: 1,889
Every now and then we find it necessary to switch between local, object, world, etc for our rotate, translate, and scale tools. A quick and easy way is hold down the shortcut key and then the LMB.

For example
w + LMB lets you change the move settings
e + LMB lets you change the rotate settings
r + LMB lets you change the scale settings


Don't be satisfied with what you can do but rather strive to do the things you can't do!
Exceed Expectations!
# 191 31-03-2011 , 09:54 PM
EduSciVis-er
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,374

Virtual sliders

Alternately Perfecto, Ctrl+Shift+RMB works for any of those tools.

Virtual sliders are pretty well known (Ctrl + LMB drag in any field in the AE). However, you can get faster sliding using Ctrl+MMB and even faster sliding using Ctrl+RMB.


Last edited by stwert; 04-04-2011 at 07:17 PM. Reason: add title
# 192 04-04-2011 , 07:03 PM
EduSciVis-er
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,374

Changing selection priorities

If you ever use a curve to extrude, you might find it's a pain to select the curve again because it's in the middle of the geometry. You could use selection masks (turn off select polys or NURBS or whatever). However since this is a frequently occuring annoyance for me, this trick seems to work pretty well.
Window > Settings/Preferences > Preferences > Selection tab > Priority Presets Custom > set NURBS Curve Priority higher, like 5 or 10. Now the selection priority is higher so I can more easily grab that elusive curve. A higher number seems to indicate a higher priority (kinda backwards, since I think 'this is my #1 priority'... anyway). You can also set priorities for pretty much anything else you can think of... locators, clusters, bones etc. Hope it's useful to people.

# 193 04-04-2011 , 07:16 PM
paldav's Avatar
Subscriber
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: north west england
Posts: 388
One of the first things i learned in Maya was snapping..since then an invaluable tool i never used but now cant live without when moving vertices is the set move tool to edge, it really helps to keep things planar when i am having a good fiddle!

Press W then left click, just choose axis, then when sub menu pops choose set to edge, the move manip alignes with the edge you picked so if you need to move it it keeps the normals neat!


free memory low..exception thrown
# 194 08-06-2011 , 06:40 AM
bullet1968's Avatar
Lifetime Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 4,255
What are you trying to make/achieve jacketshen?


bullet1968

"A Darkness at Sethanon", a book I aspire to model some of the charcters and scenes
# 195 14-10-2011 , 07:38 AM
treazon's Avatar
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Tacoma WA,
Posts: 11

verions?

is there some way to find out what versions are being used for these tips? I know that there are several versions out there and some of the tips and tricks for older versions won't work in the newer ones and vice verse (newer won't work on older)

Posting Rules Forum Rules
You may not post new threads | You may not post replies | You may not post attachments | You may not edit your posts | BB code is On | Smilies are On | [IMG] code is On | HTML code is Off

Similar Threads