maya question

[ebns72 0]

Is it possible to create vertices and link them to create a face, or do I have to make absolutely everything out of prims?

If so, how would I got about doing it?

If not, any tips for making models that don't look like...well..prims stacked together? And whats a good way to apply textures?

btw, I have PLE.

[nephilim 0]

wrong forum but ill answere ur quesstion

maya suxx at modelign and i really hard to use...(maya use me )

as far as i knwo u cant insert singel vertexes no

but u can connet loose ones i think via append polygon tool

anyways

better stick to oxygen the importign stuff is really crap..

cheers

[teacup 2]

You can create pseudo vertices with the "CV Curve Tool" (press Enter after each click - that will create single-point curves). You can use the "Create Polygon Tool" to unite these points into a poly face (by using snap-to-point). Well, almost. They are not really united, but the vertices of the newly created polygon are practicly duplicates of your initial points. But if you want to start modeling in Maya, better forget the O2 practices. I suggest you pick up a tutorial, or read the help file to learn how to model "the Maya way". The learning curve is not that steep, and once you master it, i promise you will model or texture twice as fast & easy, compared to O2.

I dare anyone to learn modelling in Maya, and then tell me it "sux". And when i say "learn", i don't mean just stick your nose in it for a few seconds, and then run off when you encounter the first obstacle. :P

[nephilim 0]

i model with maya since version 3

[teacup 2]

Darn! It looks like my intimidating macho shit wasnt intimidating enough

Fair enough. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

And i can respect you not liking Maya as a modeler, but your verdict pisses me off. "[it] suxx". Isn't that a bit harsh?

I don't think you're giving those Alia programmers enough credit. You see, i've ben making a living doing mainly animation in Maya for the past 5+ years (since v2). And i've heared people complain about Maya's software renderer, or the poor integration of RenderMan, but never about modeling. And i've known quite a few modelers working almost exclusively with Maya. None of them comitted suicide And haven't traded Maya in for O2 either. It may not be hyped the best modeler around, but i really don't think it deserves the trashing.

[nephilim 0]

hehe can be i still use maya a lot its realyl jus the model that freaks me out a bit

maya is really powerfull no doubt

anyway lets stop argueing :P and be more constructive

[teacup 2]

Agreed.

To answer the second part of ebns72's question: to avoid the "prims stacked together" look, you can use "Create Polygon Tool" to "draw" poly faces. You can, for instance, use it to trace the contours of your reference images (if you have such things in the scene). It would ensure not only accurate proportioning, but it's also an easy technique to quickly obtain the main profiles of your model. The resulting face can then be extruded into a 3d shape.

But in principle, starting from a simple cube, you should be able to create any shape using only a few tools like "Split Polygon" and "Extrude". Plus component level transformations.

Texturing is also pretty simple. First you would create an initial projection. You can choose between Planar, Cylindrical, Spherical and Automatic - whichever suits your model best. Then you might want to fine tune the mapping in the "UV Texture Editor".

Now i have a question of my own: how are you planning to export the geometry from PLE? Just curious..

[DBR_ONIX 0]

better stick to oxygen the importign stuff is really crap..

*Looks at, what.. 10, or 12 or something models imported from various games into O2*

Doom3, Far Cry, Counter Strike Source, HL, all converted with textures..

Anyway, I think the modeling in Maya can be to powerfull for its own good, can be *slightly* difficult at times

Anyway.. again.. *shuts up*

- Ben

[Victor_S. 0]

Eh I use o2 fine. It is easy and I can work quickly in it. Plus I can connect 4 points into a plane instead of just 3 , and I dont have to worry about importing anything.

[DBR_ONIX 0]

I never said O2 wasn't great, oposite acctualy

- Ben

[general 0]

lol to me o2 sux if you compares it with maya. I had even problems with making a cube in o2 and in maya I was able to create a house in a few minutes (the extrude face tool really rocks)

o2 is a great inporting program. but when it comes to modeling it's almost as simple as ofp-anim compared with other programs. like if you wanna make model with a flesh wound from an already existing model you just need to move a few vertexes in the arm invards the body and you got your flesh wound. in o2 you gotta redo half the arm. showed 3 of my friends that used o2 to make small stuf before maya. I got'em to download it and after 2 days they said that it was imposible to model and animate in it, like some of you do. so what did you expect? it's 1 of the best digital art programs in the world right now. and if you wanna become something in the game industry you gotta come away from the "create every vertex myself" stuff. for example in modern games. do you think they create every vertex and face by hand?

I mean try to do this with o2 and see how long it takes

http://www.residentevilfan.ws/largeimages/gallery/artleon1.jpg

[blackjack-VS- 0]

hey all! i'll give my 2cents here, and give my opinion, based on my own experience of addon modeling/scripting for ofp.

my learning curve started from the nule point, so i had all the troubles possible to imagine (like all noobies). i had autocad and solidworks experience from collegue, but thats precise mechanical drawings...not the ofp style.

the day i wanted to make my 1st addon for ofp, i installed o2. it was and still is the only tool that gives life to a 3d file, that i know.

after doing three lessons (install o2+bulldozer;make a box;make a car) i was confortable with the creat vertice+face, rotate view, name a selection, hide/unhide selections/faces, face properties,etc.

all this options are easly done with lmb,rmb,alt,shift,ctrl. so no big deal with that...its a matter of get used like everything new.

so after few months of persistance i had all the lods working,faces texturized,config working. about the end result...its great for a 1st addon, but not satisfied me.

i just wanted to have a more powerfull texturizing tool. so i had max installed and start reading some really basic tutorials. i learned the unwrap lessons well, and then yes...i had total control of my model faces! now i can texturize EXACTLY how i want. then a problem came up....i would need to draw the textures to!!! so i start learning photoshop basics, made my experiments, had some GREAT help from addon makers, and finally i can creat a decent texture for what i need on my models.

so as u see, i stilll model with o2, but i agree its not the most powerfull tool for drawing. ALL the others mentioned are better in all ways possible. its just a case of knowing how to use them.

the learning curve between o2 and any other software is not comparable. o2 is very fast, and all the others take a lot of time.

my next and last step i hope is modelling medium quality with max. i can model many things, but still have not all the control over it.

when i reach that level i will ONLY use o2 for named properties, named selections and few others details. and lod selection of course!

so as u see it all depends in how persistant u are, how far u wana go, and how many time u have for learning all this. for me it started last july. the tools are all valid here, so doesnt matter if its 3dmax,cinema4d,maya,rhino,bryce for modeling/texturizing. maya only wins because u can make the animations work with ofp. but that's not my area. i use animat8r for anims.

cya all and keep modeling! armed assault is otw!!

[nephilim 0]

ok look stop this maya/oxy sucks thingy....

both progs have their advantages and disadvantages

oxygen is a simpel lowpoly modelign program

while maya is a CGI tool

u cant really compare both in their functions

besides

its always difficult to work with a program u just started and and are used to a diffrent program

blender for example was pretty difficult to learn for me at first

but u get used to

same with oxy... or maya...