geometry mirror annoyance!

[JosiahBrooks]

hey guys
im brand new to these forums, seems like a pretty kewl place.

anyways to the point, ive been looking everywhere for an answer to my question: i recently got the maya techniques book on hyper-real character creation and so far it's awesome. the only problem im having is when i try and mirror/copy/duplicate the geometry, theres a whopping line down the middle which is BUGGING ME TO DEATH!!

if any of you know how to help, i'd be really grateful!

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/4817/lineinmiddlezk7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[enhzflep]

Nice model Josiah!

To solve this problem you may like to try the following solution:

1) Convert 1st half to polygons
2) Duplicate 1st half
3) Combine both halves
4) Merge all the vertices on the centre-line
5) Convert your model back to subds

Your problem is do to with continuity. By connecting both halves before you turn it into a subd, you keep continuity over the seam and lose that nasty looking line.

I believe Alex Alvarez has written a good little tute on the subject.

Simon

[bruce dwyer]

i'm not sure (pretty new myself but) for my limmited experience when you merge the two halves it should go away ... providing of course that you keep the angles of all surfaces crossing centre at 180 degrees ... if you know what i mean ... its just the two halves and Maya showing you that they are there and seperate
... "thats what I think"

[JosiahBrooks]

Originally posted by enhzflep
Nice model Josiah!Simon
thanx!

Originally posted by enhzflep

1) Convert 1st half to polygons
2) Duplicate 1st half
3) Combine both halves
4) Merge all the vertices on the centre-line
5) Convert your model back to subds
Simon

uuuh, the model is actually polly
as for merging the two halves as bruce sugests, i tried that and the line remains

[Jay]

Edit Polygons>Normals>Soften/Harden>Soft 180

Jay

[JosiahBrooks]

*sigh* the problem remains...:confused:

[The Architect]

Is it possible that the edge of original half of the model is curved too much outwards? If you use mirror to duplicate the half, the curve would be reversed creating the 'line' (it looks more of a ridge to me though).

By the way, nice model!

[enhzflep]

Oops! Polys already, hmmm. Lemme think....



What's the topography like near the join? As in, you don't have a set of vertices on the axis and another set quite close to the first?

If you post a wireframe showing a poly or 3 either side of the center-line it may provide a few clues.

I guess you could always try a scale operation on the vertices that lie on the axis.

I spose you could also delete all the vertices that make up the seam, (as in, delete all the edges that lie on the axis
then delete the vertices on the axis)leaving you with polys that ran across the axis. You could then select all those polys and then do a cut faces tool on them to re-insert edges and vertices on the center-line, this time with the vertices lying on the axis being an average of the ones either side, thus (hopefully) removing your visible seam.



Simon.

[JosiahBrooks]

heres a orthog/perp view of the model.
ive looked closely and the angle around the entire model is quite low, angle wise. it shouldnt be producing such drastic results

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/6056/lineinmiddlenn3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)




by the way, i just tried merging geo/ duplicating geo / mirror geo, and deleting the inner verticies, and it said this:

"// Warning: Some selected vertices have complex edge attachment; Delete Edge/Vertex removes selected vertices and related edges //"

[erictacti]

Are the normals facing outwards on both sides? I haven't seen that mentioned, so I figured I'd throw in my 2 cents.

If you duplicated an opposite, and froze the transformations, then the normals probably got reversed. Try selecting the duplicate half and reverse normals. Then merge the verts. There will be a hard edge there, but you soften the edges if it still looks bad.

[parka]

From the first posted screenshot, it might be that you didn't merge the vertices that were on top of each other.

After you have duplicated and merged the two half poly bodies together, go to the Front view.

Select the vertices that lie in the middle. (Careful not to select those that are not in the middle).

Then choose to Merge Vertices. (You might need to change some numbers in the option box)

Do update us when you find the solution.

[enhzflep]

Bit hard to see the polygon edges there I'm affraid, there's just too many of them, but no matter.

Just in case Eric's(EDIT: or Parka's) suggestions didn't do it,

Here's an image of the steps I'd go through to do it.

1) Image just shows the gemetry with a seam
2) All the relevant edges selected
3) With those edges deleted
4) 'Floating' vertices selected
5) Floating vertices deleted
6) Faces to be cut selected
7) After CutFaces tool applied
8) New vertices selected and scaled a teeny bit.

Simon

[JosiahBrooks]

yaaay it worked
thanx for so much help all of you guys!
the one that worked was selecting all of the middle verts and -merge

thanx again
heres the 'flawless' final
wooT!
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7516/lineinmiddletz0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[erictacti]

Sweet. Looks cool!