Importing Smoothing Groups Into Mudbox?

Weirdboy

I have a blade like model that I want to bring into Mudbox to do some practice sculpting on but it seems it doesn't support smoothing groups on the import. everything I bring in from 3ds max looks like the smoothing info was reset, even when I checked smoothing groups in the .obj/.fbx exporter window. Anyone experienced this and have a solution?

Also: when I imported a FBX model into mudbox and I got some sort of error that said something about turned edges. Anyone know anything about that?



Inb4 ZBrush.

Weirdboy

What I'm trying to bring into Mudbox:




What It looks like once I get it in Mundbox:

Frankie

I don't think it would work out well even if you could import them. Just subdivide it a few more times before putting into mudbox to keep the hard edges.

oglu

Only the sap version is supporting edge creasing...

passerby

just use the smoothing groups with a mesh smooth modifier, and collapse it down and send the pre-subdivided mesh to mudbox.

Weirdboy

@Frankie and Passerby

That's incredibly helpful. Thank you.

Weirdboy

Okay, so I imported a High Poly mesh into Mudbox but when I try to rebuild the mesh's subdivision levels, it tells me something to the effect of "unable to rebuild levels because it was apparently not created through Catmull-Clark subdivision."

anyone know what causes this? I tried using the same method I did for the weapon on a simple cube primitive and and got it to work....

Frankie

I don't know the answer but this info might help.

Catmull-Clark is one type of subdivision surface algorithm. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catmull%E2%80%93Clark_subdivision_surface )

From the error message you posted it sounds like mudbox is trying to do the reverse of this algorithm to calculate the lowest mesh before subdivision.

The error could have been caused by you subdividing using something other than catmull clark.

Or you used catmull clark but with some strange settings to do with the smoothing groups and its thrown off mudbox.

Or editing the topology after subdividing.

I don't have max installed to check but perhaps try using turbosmooth instead of mesh smooth of vice verse.

oglu

there is no need to rebuild the mesh... just use the high version for sculpting...
import the low version from max and do your baking...

pior

I would think that you might have used an unusual subdivision algorythm in Max. Simply apply a Turbosmooth modifier, set it to smoothing groups as suggested above and import that. I think Mudbox should be able to reconstruct the levels easily from there. You might also have some odd triangulation in your exported mesh preventing Mud to run the reconstruction tool.

My advice would be to keep trying, there might be something obvious missing. Good luck!

sprunghunt

Have you tried importing your low poly then importing the subdivided version from max as a layer?
That might work a bit better.

Weirdboy

@pior

I used either (i forget which) subdivide surfaces in the edit poly modifier or the mesh smooth modifier. I was under the impression they all did the same thing?

@sprunghunt

Could you explain how to do this and what the advantages would be?

sprunghunt

Weirdboy wrote: »

@sprunghunt

Could you explain how to do this and what the advantages would be?

Here's a video that shows how to do this.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaywFGHpe4M"]Mudbox Import as Layer - YouTube[/ame]

It probably won't care so much about the precise topology of the mesh