exporting smoothgroups and UV´s (maya/max)

bugo

Alright guys, I´m tired of having to remake everytime my smoothgroups, or sometimes having to make in max/maya my uv´s and getting problems when exporting.

I usually export between Max -> Maya and Maya -> Max. My version of Max is 9 and Maya 2008.

When exporting OBJ from Max to Maya I get some wrong smooth edges and when I need to change them, I CAN´T, doesnt work when I smooth an edge. In older versions I would just unlock normals and then I adjust, but not sure why this is not happening anymore.

Also when exporting from maya to max i also get smoothing group problems when I have an edge that doesnt close a group. Some times this is useful and I am very sure Unreal works with that with no problem.

This 2009.1 version of FBX doesnt work ok when going from Max -> Maya, simply all edges comes hard! Wouldn´t be better if AUTODESK could create a simple export type of file that could accept non rigged/skinned/deformed meshes and simply work exactly the same between the 2 softwares?

I´m just tired. It´s not always that this bugs happens, but 50% of the time i get wrong results with smoothgroups/hard/soft edges

Another thing that pisses me of is, WHY THE HELL WE CANT EXPORT IN OBJ A SECOND UVSET? I am also tired of having to create a set in each software and load the uv´s in there. We lose too much time doing that.

Please someone give me some tips or plugin/software, I´m trying to achieve better results since 2003 and still no one told me a good one.

Chai

Ye I had the same problem in my modo->max workflow, but then I decided to write my own modo obj exporter which supports smoothgroups.

Also sounds like you're using latest version of FBX, if you don't - autodesk site always have updated ones.

3ds max uses smoothgroups, maya uses hard edges (which I'd say is more innovative, though I hardly use maya).
I don't know which end screws up for you, the 3dsmax export or the maya import - guruware has nice obj plugins for 3ds max which you are worth giving a go (it also imports highpolys 10x faster !)
http://www.guruware.at/main/index.html

OBJ is an old format and only supports one UV set I'm afraid, but the file format is so easy you might look into making your own exporter like I did.

Good luck with speeding up your workflow !

EarthQuake

If i have a mesh that is really a pain to re-set up smoothing in maya, i'll just forcibly split the edges in modo. There really isnt any different doing this manually, to the engine its the same thing, when you set a hard edge the engine has to duplicate the verts on the edge to give you that result.

MoP

I always just have hard edges on UV seams if i'm going to have any at all, so smoothing is easy since I have a script to do set that in both Max and Maya.
Anything else is just 1 smooth group or all soft edges.

bugo

MoP wrote: »

I always just have hard edges on UV seams if i'm going to have any at all, so smoothing is easy since I have a script to do set that in both Max and Maya.
Anything else is just 1 smooth group or all soft edges.

Yes, that´s what I do to not have any problems, but I don´t have such a script, could you share it with us MoP? or PM to me. Thanks!

bugo

Thing is, sometimes i have to bake things in Maya, and I´m a Maya user, I wonder if I´m able to get import/export better someday and doesnt kill my time redoing things.

bugo

Hey Chai, I already tested guruware year ago and now it seems testing their plugin again with the new version its working quite nice! Smoothing groups come ok and also editable, uv´s too, I´m going to see if I find some bugs, until now I got none.