Vertex Color doesn't import correctly into UDK from Maya.

Fingus

I am trying use vertex color to modulate the displacement on a mesh to avoid seams across material groups. I got that to work fine, but my vertex color doesn't import correctly. Does anyone know what causes this?

I'm exporting as fbx and I'm using Maya 2012.

blankslatejoe

Are you REimporting the mesh? If so there's a check box to allow you to override the current mesh's vert colors with the new ones from the import mesh. Easy situation to get into if you import the mesh first to test or something, and then vert color after.

blankslatejoe

In order to bring up that checkbox, choose IMPORT (not reimport) and use the same exact name, then in the options box look for the vert color option (near the bottom iirc?)
goodluck!

Fingus

Ohhh yeah that's probably the problem. Thanks a lot!

I found a workaround though, I just used UDK's Mesh Paint tool to paint the vertex color by hand, and by doing that I can also do fixes and adjustments where the tesselation causes clipping or glitches. But knowing about the vert color option will be very useful when I get to doing foliage.

blankslatejoe

You gotta be careful with the Unreal Vert paint--older UDK installs will wipe that data on reimport of a mesh. Newer installs of UDk have some checks(like the aforementioned option box), but if you add/remove verts to the model it can still screw up the vert ordering iirc... I remember reading somewhere about a vert transfer method, but I can't remember if that was in-editor or in Maya. Anyway, happy vert coloring!