mudbox import as layer problem.. help!

rooster

I've used mudboxs import as layer fuction with max loads, but I'm trying it for the first time with maya 8.5. each time the mesh imports completely mangled

Im pretty sure the vert orders are getting rejigged, but there are bugger all options in mayas obj export. Surely someone else has used this with maya before- any clues?

edit: I unchecked all the export options and it went through kinda, half of the mesh was fubard..

CheeseOnToast

I remember having the same problem with Zbrush. First off, try unticking all the options for OBJ export before exporting (maybe with the exception of "normals"). If that fails, try exporting the .obj from maya, re-importing it, then re-exporting it again. That used to be the fix for Zbrush. Maya seems to flip the vertex order when you import an obj, but it's pretty inconsistant. I haven't found a sure-fire way to sort it yet, but I mostly use Silo so haven't needed to worry about it much.

edit: Just did a quick test, either "groups" or "point groups" seems to be the problem in the export options. Unticking everything bar "normals" worked for me.

rooster

thanks man, unchecked boxes but I just can't seem to get it working properly. crap. tried the import export import thing but nope :[

I tried changing uvs in silo and importing as layer, but the export from mudbox shows that uvs are unchanged. eh.
if I could set up the uvs decently I could use the match uvs command but since it just had a planar mapping applied half the model smushes into the other half

any mudbox/maya users out there with info?

tacit math

vert reordering is still such a significant problem. especially when moving a mesh between apps like this. you would've thought somebody might've developed a solution by now. http://www.uvmapper.com/index.html has a vert reorder feature that might be worth a look

CheeseOnToast

I just tried it again, and it worked fine. Here's my exact steps to reproduce.

1. Select the mesh in Mudbox with the "object" tool.
2. File>Export Selection
3. In Maya, load the obj (as opposed to importing it)
4. Make an obvious tweak, like a big head, for example. I also UV mapped it with automatic mapping. Delete history, freeze transforms. Dont add or remove any verts (obviously)
5. File>export selection>OBJ options - untick all but normals, make sure to also untick "default file extensions".
6. Export the obj.
7. Back in mud, with the mesh still selected, File>import as layer.
8. Shazam, new non-fubared layer.

I wouldn't be surprised if this still doesn't work, and you've tried it already. Just making sure though. It's a royal pain in the arse when this happens.

rooster

cheers man I'll give that another try. in the mean time I have access to zbrush too so I managed to get a workaround, by exporting the top level into zbrush, recreating the lower levels, uving the lowest level with auto uvs, exporting that and the high level.

Back in mudbox, import the low level, subdivide to the high level, import as layer using uvs. now for future changes the import to layer using uvs will work

MoP

Yeah rooster, I found recently I had to send my mesh through ZBrush if I wanted to UV it and have the vert order match up with the mudbox version out of max... very irritating.

rooster

I'm a bit surprised at that, I never had the same problem out of max. Kind of frustrating it doesn't seem exactly the same in every case