Problem with character animation (.dsq) with LOD using Maya.
by Shay Leary · in Artist Corner · 01/25/2006 (1:15 am) · 3 replies
Hi All,
I'm having trouble animating a character (creating a .dsq file) using Maya 6.5. The problem arises when I try to add level of detail (LOD) to the character, and then create a .dsq file (i.e. animate it).
I have created the .dts file which seems to work correctly. The character displays OK and the LOD works properly when viewed in the show pro tool.
However, when I view the sequence (.dsq) file only the animation for the top detail (detail128) level mesh displays correctly, the other detail (detail 64 to 2) level meshes all seem to be distorted, although they look fine when tested in Maya.
I have noticed in Maya that the weights for the lower detail level meshes seem to be painted incorrectly. However, the animation seems to work OK, and if I do try to repaint the weights then the animation messes up.
I have tried various combinations, but still cannot find a solution. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Below shows the set-up for the character. All the character meshes are connected to the skeleton and seem to animate correctly in Maya. To create the sequence file I removed all the lower level meshes before animating.
Here's a screenshot which illustrates the problem. The left image shows the top level of detail and the right shows the next one down. All the other lower details are also distorted. This distortion only happens in the dqs file (during animation) not the dts file, where the LOD works fine.
Thanks,
Shay Leary
I'm having trouble animating a character (creating a .dsq file) using Maya 6.5. The problem arises when I try to add level of detail (LOD) to the character, and then create a .dsq file (i.e. animate it).
I have created the .dts file which seems to work correctly. The character displays OK and the LOD works properly when viewed in the show pro tool.
However, when I view the sequence (.dsq) file only the animation for the top detail (detail128) level mesh displays correctly, the other detail (detail 64 to 2) level meshes all seem to be distorted, although they look fine when tested in Maya.
I have noticed in Maya that the weights for the lower detail level meshes seem to be painted incorrectly. However, the animation seems to work OK, and if I do try to repaint the weights then the animation messes up.
I have tried various combinations, but still cannot find a solution. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Below shows the set-up for the character. All the character meshes are connected to the skeleton and seem to animate correctly in Maya. To create the sequence file I removed all the lower level meshes before animating.
Here's a screenshot which illustrates the problem. The left image shows the top level of detail and the right shows the next one down. All the other lower details are also distorted. This distortion only happens in the dqs file (during animation) not the dts file, where the LOD works fine.
Thanks,
Shay Leary
#2
01/25/2006 (10:18 am)
In what order are you doing everything? Did you reduce the poly count before binding the mesh? Or did you reduce the mesh after is was already smooth skinned?
#3
That was the problem. I had the mesh already skinned to the skeleton (as I'd already weighted the high level mesh). I was then duplicating the mesh, reducing the polygon count, and then smooth skinning the mesh with the reduced poly count (lower detail level).
What I needed to do was create all the reduced polygon meshes before doing any skinning. Then skin each one separately, which seems to work perfectly.
Thanks alot for your help,
Shay
01/25/2006 (4:59 pm)
Hi Danny,That was the problem. I had the mesh already skinned to the skeleton (as I'd already weighted the high level mesh). I was then duplicating the mesh, reducing the polygon count, and then smooth skinning the mesh with the reduced poly count (lower detail level).
What I needed to do was create all the reduced polygon meshes before doing any skinning. Then skin each one separately, which seems to work perfectly.
Thanks alot for your help,
Shay
Torque Owner Shay Leary
On the Maya modeling menu I've simply been using Polygons->Reduce. To reduce the polygon count by a specified percentage. I think that this method may be causing the problem as the weights for each joint seem to be all over the place. Although, the animation seems to work OK (which is confusing).
Another method would be to collapse the joints (Edit Polygon->Collapse), after which the weights still seem ok. However this method takes quite some time and the resulting mesh doesn't look any better than the one created using the above method.
Has anyone any idea which is the best method to use for reducing the polygon count using Maya.
Thanks,
Shay