Animation Issue

Elodin

Hey guys!

I created a lever for udk and animation for it. Nothing too fancy, just up and down. Baked it all, export as FBX with animation checkbox checked in and tried to import it in the UDK but every time I try to, I get an error "import failed" I looked 2 different tutorials in the internet but every time I get same error. http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/FBXAnimationPipeline.html#Creating%20Animations

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGqagU96WSY"]Export Animation Maya Import UDK Tutorial - YouTube[/ame]

I decided to check if I can import a simple box with animation in UDK, but I get same error. Does anybody know what this is and how to fix it?

r4ptur3

There's quite a bit that can go wrong ... try this:

your skelmesh needs to be exported before you can import animations. animations and meshes are different things. A skelmesh is a moveable mesh with bones ... the animation can actually be applied to many different meshes, not just the one it belongs to.

make sure all your bones and meshes are selected. only smooth bound meshes will export correctly. export your selection without animation turned on. import the skelmesh into UDK and make sure import meshes in bone hierarchy is turned on. If your mesh imported, you win If not, go back and debug.

Once the mesh is imported go back to maya and select the root bone. export this selection with animation turned on. This is your animation data. right click on your skelmesh (in UDK) and create a new animset. navigate to file-->import FBX animation and import your animfile. Not much ever goes wrong on this step -- just make sure the time slider is correct.

I posted the steps I take to get skelmeshes and animation in this thread a while back:

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85149

There's some good info in there. I wish epic would be more specific than "import failed". There's so much that can go wrong. Hope this helps!


EDIT:

oh yeah ... after typing all that out i watched your video (face palm). make sure there is a bone in your skelmesh. your meshes need to be smooth bound, even if it is a simple sphere.

Elodin

Hey, thanks for the info, but Im stuck already on the first step. I cant import anything as a skeletal mesh. It constantly says: failed. I dont get why.

One bone, one sphere, thats it =/

Smooth bound

Elodin

Just tried creating 1 box, 1 bone, smooth bound, like you said choose bone and mesh, did the settings you posted in other thread, still FAILED.

r4ptur3

does it say skeletal mesh or static mesh when you have the import dialogue up? we can eliminate a bunch of potential errors depending on what it says.

sorry it is failing so much ... the import process can be a pain

Elodin

Sorry for answering so late.

No, it just says "import failed" and that's it.

r4ptur3

ok, try this -->

sometimes the FBX exporter just effs up for no reason (fun, right?). select both your smooth bound mesh and bone, then go to file --> export selection. select FBX from the drop down menu and look to the right (options). navigate to file type specific options --> presets --> current preset. change this from user defined to autodesk media & entertainment. export your mesh ... then delete it. it's garbage.

this essentially wiped all your settings. i have no idea why, but sometimes the exporter just gets corrupted.

select both your smooth bound mesh and bone, then go to file --> export selection. select FBX from the drop down menu once again. use these settings:

GEOMETRY:
smoothing groups: on
split per-vertex normals: off
tangents and binormals: on
smooth mesh: off
selection sets: off
convert to null objects: off
preserve instances: off (if you have instances turn this on)
referenced asset content: on (still have no clue what this does, but it's never bitten me)
triangulate: off

ANIMATION:
animation: off

if this does not work we can narrow it the smooth bind process. good luck!!