How to Merge Vertices
 

Help -

I have built a relatively simple environment, but noticed that the some of the vertices are not connected to each other (I used Extrude Face mainly). I tried using the Merge Vertices tool as well as the Merge Edges tool; however, they do not merge together. I even adjusted the settings. Still nothing.

Any ideas?

Also, if building a simple environment/architectural scene should it consist of one continuous object?

Thanks,
Brandon

First you need to make sure the two parts of your model are the same object. to do this, select both pieces and combine polygons. use snap by pressing V to make sure the vertices are on top of one another. If they still aren't merging you need to open the option box and increase the distance, but only by a tiny bit. If you are using extrude face and your vertices aren't merged, open up the tool option box under the polygon menu and select keep faces together.

As for your second question. no, you can keep everything seperate.
:beer:

It sounds to me like you have extruded multiple faces, without having the keep faces together option turned on. If you are not to far down your project I would redo it and if you still have history undo everything until you reach the point where you were ready to extrude.

If not then you have a long hard road ahead, as arran stated if this is all one peice of geometry then you should be able to merge the verts without issue. If it is multiple geometry then you, first need to combine it to get verts from diff geometry to merge. As I stated above it looks like on peice of geometry without the Keep Faces Together option ticked. This is done by:

Polygons > Tool Options > Keep Faces Together

This will then be ticked and any subsequent geo extruded from a surface with multiple faces selected will be correct. To get around this problem for the time being is long winded and can give you problems with the geo.

Go into component mode and choose faces, if you see two faces that have extruded with faces on the inside then, delete them. Then attempt to merge them as arran suggested. If none of this works then start again I am afraid.

More info
 

Yeah... I tried merging the vertices with 'V'; however, that didn't work because the temple was made by extruding faces from a plane.

I think I may have to rebuild from scratch...

Thanks for the help so far, I may call upon you again. ;)

using V won't merge the vertices - it will just place one on top of the other. Post a picture of the problem area.

Wait...you tried merging vertices with the "V" key?

If so, that's not going to work :p

"V" is the shortcut for "snap to vertices." While you have one vertex selected, and the translate (move) manipulator active, hold down "V" and middle-mouse-drag/click near the vertex you want the one you have selected to snap TO.

This pretty much makes it so that the vertices are lying right on top of eachother; just open up the merge vertex, and the default of .0001 (or whatever) should work perfectly.

It helps if you have the poly count on, so that when you merge vertices, you can see that you do indeed have two vertexes selected before the merge, and one after you have merged.



In case you didn't know:

For Merge Vertices (in Maya 7):
Modeling Menu Set -> Edit Polygons -> Merge Vertices

To display the Poly Count (in Maya 7):
Any Menu Set -> Display -> Heads Up Display -> Poly Count



EDIT:

arran beat me by 3 minutes :p

I would really like to know why people are so scared to do the tutorials that come with all Maya versions. Press F1 and get on with it. It will tell who to do all the basics.

RTFM is the answer tbh.