Damn, now that's a detailed shoe. I hope you're building a proxy model for him, otherwise the rigg will be slow. Unless of course, you've got some badass PC at home.

-pod :)

Hey Pod!

Yeah, the shoe has been smoothed. I was planning on controling the hi-res mesh with the base mesh.

Most likely the I won't even have to smooth the shoe ... that is until the dramatic untied shoe lace close up scene ;)

My PC is FAR from badass. Its more like a lard ass.

Dave

If you create simplified "Segmented" geometry commonly known as "proxy" or "canned" geometry, then put the geo in a layer and "parent" them(don't skin) to their corresponding joints and "hide" the skinned mesh while animating. You can avoid having to do "playblasts" which eats up TONS of animation time. Since there is no "skinned" information within the viewport and only simple geometry(like around 1000-2000 quads max), you can get "realtime" playback on even lardass machines...

:)

I've seen and read about the technique to which you refer. I will definately employ your suggestion when the time comes.
:beer:

Dave!!

Yeah thats a tidy shoe man!!

Also with the proxy thang, you could just get primitives and parent those instead of lower versions on the actual model, as long as they correspond well enough with the high res model it will work a treat, we do it at work. No probs.


Yeah good chat bro, now for some heads to crack!!:bandit:

Jay

Yeah, Jay's got the right idea. I would suggest that you still maintain the overall "form" of the character. Sometimes if you stick to strictly 4-sided boxes and cylinders, you lose the "character", making it hard to animate. I like to use cylinders that are still modified and shaped a little to resemble their represented counterpart in the most basic of sense. I guess it's kinda like low-poly modeling in reverse.

if you don't use smooth proxy and therefore you don't have a low poly version of your model to parent to the joints, maybe you could do this. dulicate your hi res model, and then apply Polygons>reduce. this way, you can really reduce your geometry down a lot. of course, your duplicate will be distorted, but, it will still have more or less the shape of your original..

Hi utpal

Yeah, I've read about doing it that way as well. Honestly I'll probably try as many ways as I have time for cuz you never know what technique will feel right to you.

All the techniques mentioned (and more) are covered in the book "Maya the Complete Reference" which is a dandy little tome.

Dave

Dave

Theres a right way, a wrong way and theres my way. My way is the right way!!;)
LOL
Jay

i agree, buddy. i always do it your way...

Cmon Dave

Wanna see the rest!!

Jay:zzz:

Hey Jay!

Well, I kinda entered the Sept/Oct comp. so I'm hangin' out over there right now. I'll post something here soon. I just wanna make it worth posting!

Stay strong my brotha!

Dave

Hey Dave

Will do. I'll check out the comp see what ya doin'. And everyone else too.

Best
Jay