.FBX model not exported from Maya properly

Finardi

Hello!
I have a rigged model that I'm trying to export from Maya but the model is appearing black and not skin weighted when I import it. The model is being referenced from another file. I tried to export both from the 'File > Export' method and the Game Exporter method.
The curious thing is: the animations that I export from Game Exporter work properly and the model is exported correctly. But when I export only the rigged model this mistake happens.
Any ideas of what's going on and how to export properly?

Alex_J

where are you exporting to. what are the export and import settings. what is the export selection?

Finardi

The export and import section are standard, just with 'bake animation' off. It's for Unity, but it's re-importing in Maya with this glitch also.

Alex_J

Did you try exporting a non-referenced version for the skinned mesh definition?

Finardi

Yes, same thing happens

Alex_J

Next thing I would do is duplicate the problem mesh, delete history, do a humanIK quick bind and then export that and test it in engine.

If that works correctly, then you know the problem has to do with the mesh itself rather than the import/export process. If this is true, then I'd probably start by copy the current skin weights, duplicate a new mesh, bind it, transfer the weights, and try again.

Can also delete the bind poses and make a single one.

The steps for resetting bind pose are:

1. Ensure your character is at desired bind pose
   
2. Delete all bind poses from outliner
   1. set show DAG only = false and then search for bind pose, delete them
      
3. select all the joints of your 3D model - select root then Select>hierarchy
   
4. Mel script = dagPose -s -bp

if this is done correctly you should see a single bind pose in the outliner

Finardi

wow, and how to do to prevent this massive workaround? 

Alex_J

this should only take a minute to complete. I don't know how things got borked in the first place, this is basically an unplug and plug back in fix. It's the quickest thing to do.

Finardi

So, know it's not exporting black anymore but still without skin weights. In the file I followed these steps and it has skin weights.

Finardi

Solved! I exported successfully with Game Exporter without the model have been locked inside a layer. I simply unlocked the layer. It's weird because Game Exporter asks for what content should it export, but the locked layer causes this rubbish to the model.

Alex_J

funny i was just having some issues with game exporter and found this thread on first page from google search, so i'll update with solution to a similar problem but different reason: 
using export selection with the skeleton reference group selected works properly, but using the game exporter with same selection does not. 

solution: 
it seems the game exporter makes some assumptions about selection, not sure what exactly, but it is adding other parts of the referenced file even if you are only exporting by selection. 
If you create an object set from the skeleton group that will work, or if you select the skeleton hierarchy (click the root node then select->hierarchy) rather than the group, this will also work.