Character_ReVisited - Page 2 - Simply Maya User Community

# 16 05-10-2007 , 12:43 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Hey Steve

Well, it a yes and no answer for that one.

My basic workflow for blends is to so ALL blend shapes on the base level geometry in Maya first, this way its easier to jump into a Subd or even poly smooth just to see how the facial expression will look pretty much in the final output.

Once Im happy with the base expressions in Maya I'll then convert all the shapes to a higher res poly, either 8k or 12k res depending on the importance of the model, whether its a hero model or secondary to background model.

I'll then export each 'shape' to a Zbrush folder as an obj, remembering to put the model at zero coords for reimporting back to Maya, other wise you'll get a double transform when feeding the shapes back into the default model. Also worth noting is that ZB will reorder point values too, so All the heads (including the default) must be imported and exported finally otherwise again a double tranny will occur or your blendshapes wont work...period.

Once in Zb I tend to tweak character expressions to more of a 'realistic' state and only usually divide it once more so it still remains manageable in Maya. Think of your system resources too at the end of the day, no point having a several characters in once scene with zillions of polys, its just not going to work. But thats wher the joy of dis maps come in so you can keep a fairly workable amount of polys going on (Im talking about back in Maya) and with displacement maps keyed in a certain blendshape it all works out pretty well

On an end note, I found that doing shapes in ZB from scratch a bit more work than point pulling as you cant grab selective points as such as in maya and move them. I found that repeating masking and sculpting a bit more of a longer process than actually selecting points and adding a cluster to smooth, plus softmod tool does a pretty good job too.

Hope this helps

cheers
Jay

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# 17 05-10-2007 , 02:15 PM

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Join Date: May 2005

Location: Manchester Uk

Posts: 6,300

Cheers for the insight Jay!!

Steve

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 18 05-10-2007 , 04:06 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004

Location: Tunbridge Wells, UK

Posts: 354

Herre here on the earlier comment regarding efficient edge flow on base models. You have to have a good foundation to build on.

As for blend shapes, I also do most of my blend shapes in maya at the base level, then import them as layers in Zbrush, that way I have one file in Z that contains my head from base level and all the way up to level 7, plus some eyes and teeth as sub-tools to give some reference for sculpting, and then all the blends on seperate layers, so I can export all the blends at whatever level I decide on at the end and put them all together in Maya.

I did have a go at doing a yell blend in Z with a mask and transpose, but it's still easier and quicker to grab the point in maya as you can see what you are doing and it's quicker.

Gio

Gio

Creator of The Talos Project

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# 19 05-10-2007 , 04:19 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Oh yeah, its all swings and roundabouts for sure

thanks for the 'backup' G

_J

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# 20 05-10-2007 , 04:25 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004

Location: Tunbridge Wells, UK

Posts: 354

Ha, You are a funny c*nt

G

Gio

Creator of The Talos Project

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# 21 05-10-2007 , 04:27 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

LOL oh yeah!!

_J

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# 22 08-10-2007 , 05:03 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Tweaking away...

Jay

user added image

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# 23 08-10-2007 , 05:40 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004

Location: Tunbridge Wells, UK

Posts: 354

He's got more attitude than the old 'Richter' version.

Only crit is the lower eyelids look a little droopy and jut out a fair bit from the eye. Maybe your eyes have been moved back a bit or something.

Gio

Gio

Creator of The Talos Project

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# 24 08-10-2007 , 05:47 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Hey G

Yeah I noticed the eyeballs are too far back just after I posted. not a prob as I'd modelled the sockets with them forward so Im safe there. My only grip really right now is that if you look at the lower lid at the tear duct it sticks out too far in comparison to the upper part...

A five minute tickle should sort that. Cheers for the crit......you have passed the test

Jay

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# 25 08-10-2007 , 06:04 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004

Location: Tunbridge Wells, UK

Posts: 354

Eyes forward soldier!

Eyes are tricky, 'lids an all.

G

Gio

Creator of The Talos Project

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# 26 08-10-2007 , 06:46 PM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Yeah Ive been doing them long enough, theres always something.

'Your eyes can decieve you, dont trust them' - Obi wan to Luke Skywalker.

Just did some tute, gotta redo it, sound went gagagaga...

Jay

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# 27 08-10-2007 , 06:50 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004

Location: Tunbridge Wells, UK

Posts: 354

what's going on with the dates on here. it's a day behind at the mo, I have to scroll back a page in my email to see the thread updates. It thinks it's yesterday.

G

Gio

Creator of The Talos Project

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