MAYA Topology technique/script
Hi!
I need to add edge loops to a low poly mesh to make a high poly one
only in specific areas following curvature / keeping volume.
Is there any tool/option in Maya to do it quickly (I didn't find it yet)?
Or a plug-in?
I found EPHERE that does exactly what I want, but it's for 3DS.
Max
http://3dhit.co.uk/index.php?app=core&module=attach§ion=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=33319
I need to add edge loops to a low poly mesh to make a high poly one
only in specific areas following curvature / keeping volume.
Is there any tool/option in Maya to do it quickly (I didn't find it yet)?
Or a plug-in?
I found EPHERE that does exactly what I want, but it's for 3DS.
Max
http://3dhit.co.uk/index.php?app=core&module=attach§ion=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=33319
Replies
But from yer description I assume u want to insert edges in Max like flow?
( the flow of the curvature )
In Maya the same principle I call gesture. I assume that the energy is present in the low rez polygon shorthand is gestural. And that smoothing and adding complexity should respect that curvature.
In which case from a low poly mesh. you can insert a row of edges and have the result follow that organic curvature with the following add-on tool. ( the current iteration of the tool works on almost every edge action/tools result as a modifier action, But I have been to lazy to upload since the insert edge gesture seems to fit 90% of most needs for an interactive tool. )
download
1. from low poly mesh... 2. insertEdgeGesture placement results in... 3. intended curvature...
Applied at once as a "smooth" operation preserves low poly model's original energy instead of melting the model: ( assuming organic modeling )
that's exactly what I was looking for.
I just noticed if you're not careful your script destroy the mesh,
especially if you try to edit/tune the resulting PolySplitRing with the AttributeEditor.
Your script improve the InsertEdgeLoop Tool following the curvature/keeping the volume but does not support the multi divisions options, which is really useful when you are building a high poly from a low poly, otherwise it takes ages.
I tried to edit the PolySplitRing resulting from your script with the Att.Editor setting SplitType = Multi and increasing the number of divisions,
but this makes a mess in the mesh.
It's a very good script, and would be a petty to leave it to draft.
It would be great if you will develop it further more...
However, that is not something easily plugged in as a simple modifier that applies smoothing to the result. The calculation would have to be rewritten to account for rows instead of the assumed averages calculated for a single bicubic division.
In which case, if I have time...
I will look into it. ( if I am not mistaken, the requirement in the script was for "not using rows" although it should be on the "to do list" and I thought the tool had disabled it's usage from the ui? but that was Maya 2008? The option might have creeped back in since then? )
in InsertEdgeLoop tool you have several options, all really useful,
especially the multiple edge loop one, which allows to insert even distanced loops.
Your script pushed in that direction would save lot of time to everybody.
Keep me up to date.