Introduction to Maya - Modeling Fundamentals Vol 1
This course will look at the fundamentals of modeling in Maya with an emphasis on creating good topology. We'll look at what makes a good model in Maya and why objects are modeled in the way they are.
# 1 21-12-2005 , 12:31 AM
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Huge Problem with GI Tutorial

Hey guys, I have been working on the GI model for about a month now, and so far things have been going quite well. However, last night as I finished video 6, I must have accidentally saved my smoothed mesh (he asks to convert to nurbs, but since I am including this model in a game mod, I converted it to polys to see what it looked like) on top of my base mesh. So now I have no access to my base mesh unless I make use of a model that I saved around the time that I finished video 5. In top of that, I can't even convert this higher poly count poly model into SubDs anymore. Is there any possible way to discover that lost file, or is it forever gone? If that is so, I could possibly live with that if I could at least convert this model to subds so as to smooth the ridges down the middle of the head when I duplicate and combine the one half of the face. If anyone could help, today or tomorrow would be excellent, I would really appreciate, as I have to post the head for an update tomorrow.

Thanks.

(I posted this twice because I really need a quick response so I wanted more people to see it.)

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File Type: rar gi_tutorial.rar (187.7 KB, 263 views)

# 2 21-12-2005 , 12:18 PM
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hey,
i can only help a little here - unfortunatly history has been deleted so u can unsmooth this model but if u want to convert it to sub div's click the option box next to convert 'Polygons to Sub div's' and change the maximum base mesh faces to 3400 and then apply it to the head. i have tried this wiv ur model and it will work. (i only have ple so cant post up the newer sub divs 1)

ne way hope this helps with part of the problem


Now at SMU doing BSc 3D Computer Animation so its hard to get on here
My wire render tut https://forum.simplymaya.com/showthre...threadid=20973
# 3 21-12-2005 , 01:24 PM
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Hey, thanks for your help. I tried it, and yes, it does allow me to convert to subds. However, this hasn't proved to be very useful as the subd mesh has the same massive number of vertexes as the old mesh. Also, if I go polygons - combine before converting, it wont allow me to convert. Any suggestions?

Also, you mentioned something about unsmoothing a mesh. How would I go about doing that, and is it effective?

Finally, if none of this stuff works, is there any way that I can smooth the crease down the middle of the face when I combine the two sides, and also possibly change the facial structure somewhat to make him look less butch?

Thanks so much.


# 4 27-12-2005 , 06:55 PM
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as far as I know, you can't "unsmooth" the mesh, if you have deleted the history. I would very much suggest that you start over from your last save point.
I've made the same mistake of saving a mesh while smoothed twice. that shit just happens for us noobs. :headbang:

as for your last questions, don't be afraid do shape your mesh different from the tut, as long you follow the principals.


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# 5 27-12-2005 , 09:28 PM
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Hey man, thanks for the response. I have already started on an earlier saved file, like you suggested, and now I am farther than before, having finished the shirt basically and now working on the legs. It's annoying that there is no like backup for files on the computer, but I guess that's just the way things are.


# 6 28-12-2005 , 01:21 AM
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well, a thing that might help, is turning on "Incremental save" (file -> save scene (option box)) , so that every time you press save, it will save on a new file. works very well for me.

plz post your work when you are finished!


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# 7 29-12-2005 , 11:33 AM
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In stead of using Smooth on objects you could just use Smooth Proxy. This creates a smoothed duplicate of the object that updates as you work on the low poly, however, it does get a little heavy on your system when you get a complicated model. Another way is to just convert back and forth between polys and sub-d's.


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# 8 29-12-2005 , 12:19 PM
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And last but not least, never hesitate duplicate objects (then directly templating it as a wip-step-backup >> this also helps a lot if you intend preparing a tutorial :bandit: ) before any hard treatment (as pure smooth is) with a save or delete hist. implied.


Well, I think this advice is freakily general but saves the noobs and pros every day user added image

# 9 30-12-2005 , 07:16 PM
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Thanks again for your help on that matter guys. I am now having another, more minor, problem. For some reason, whenever I use extrude, the manipulator tool does not pop up. Instead, I have to manually select the scale, rotate, or move tools. This is not such a huge deal, but it does mean that I can't extrude on the original angle, only the centered angle. Does anyone know how I could bring my manipulator tool back?


# 10 30-12-2005 , 07:28 PM
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press t, it works for me user added image


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# 11 30-12-2005 , 08:29 PM
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Nope, doesn't work for me user added image Thanks for the suggestion though.

EDIT: Nevermind, it didn't work initially, but when I tried another extrusion, it worked fine. Mucho gracias, matt user added image


# 12 30-12-2005 , 10:44 PM
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# 13 31-12-2005 , 06:46 PM
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Well, yet another problem has arisen, this one quite strange. I have now got Maya 7, and all of my preferences were imported and what not, however, when opening my GI file and turning the reference layer for the body of the GI on, it is all... crooked. I checked out the head template and it is still working just fine. I even attempted to create a new plane and acquire a new texture, but to no luck. I checked the image in the folder I am storing it in, and it is still straight, so I have absolutely no idea what is wrong. I don't need the template for too much longer, but I would like to use it as a reference to finish off the arm.

Any of your guys' help would be appreciated. Thanks.

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# 14 31-12-2005 , 07:55 PM
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here is a reconstructed base mesh of head from of your high rez.

done with ZB,

zb can extract low rez mesh from high rez with ease using reconstruct function.

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File Type: rar basemesh.rar (27.3 KB, 261 views)
# 15 31-12-2005 , 08:26 PM
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Cool thanks man, I tried to use ZB to do it, but I couldn't figure out how. However, I have already reconstructed the head, so that one, unfortunately, won't be of too much use.

Maybe you can help me with my new problem though user added image

EDIT: It also turns out that the transformation tool doesn't pop up when I am extruding edges, faces, etc. once again.



Last edited by Nusirilo; 31-12-2005 at 08:35 PM.
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