Half of my character is rotated upside down, not sure why
by Danner Jones · in Artist Corner · 02/17/2006 (11:43 pm) · 7 replies
I did a number of searches on 3ds, rotate, etc. to see if this has come up, but I haven't found anything in my searches.
I have custom 3D mesh in 3DS Max 7. It's broken into 2 chunks, Torso3 and Legs3. I used the Skin modifier to attach the meshes to a Biped character. In a test scenario, I successfully got a custom mesh (much like the Blue Guy sample) to attach to a Skin modifier and export correctly, using starter.fps example as a guideline for "success".
On my custom 3D mesh, the export works fine and there are no errors loading the player.dts in the console but the model appears flipped upside down - all except for one leg which remains on the ground. The following test page shows 2 images - one of the character standing still and one jumping (the jump looks a bit better, but still bad):
www.freewebs.com/battlemagic/druid.htm
Here is a zip of the relevant files:
www.freewebs.com/battlemagic/data/player.zip
It contains:
.MAX file I used to export
.CFG customized for my needs (mostly listing out all AlwaysExport nodes)
.JPG images used by the model (2 files)
.DMP of my latest export dump
.DTS of my latest export attempt
.ENV the envelope file I use, in case anything fancy needs to be done
Loading up the DTS in the Torque Show Tool Pro, the model looks fine. It's in the basic daVinci pose (as it appears in 3DS max) and the bones and nodes all look correct.
I've checked the modifier stack on each of the "Bip" objects and there aren't any errant rotations.
I'm using the precompiled max2dtsExporter.dle file from Alex S's website (file dated 1/3/2006).
The attached MAX file is about my 20th attempt at an export. All have the same results. For the MAX file attached, I did attempt to use the "box" trick on each of my two meshes. I then reapplied the ENV envelope file (after adding the skin modifer and re-adding the bones).
I'm willing to try just about anything. I could always start from scratch and re-skin/re-attach everything. I'd really like to learn what's wrong so that if/when other things go wrong I know where to start looking.
Thanks,
Nerseus
I have custom 3D mesh in 3DS Max 7. It's broken into 2 chunks, Torso3 and Legs3. I used the Skin modifier to attach the meshes to a Biped character. In a test scenario, I successfully got a custom mesh (much like the Blue Guy sample) to attach to a Skin modifier and export correctly, using starter.fps example as a guideline for "success".
On my custom 3D mesh, the export works fine and there are no errors loading the player.dts in the console but the model appears flipped upside down - all except for one leg which remains on the ground. The following test page shows 2 images - one of the character standing still and one jumping (the jump looks a bit better, but still bad):
www.freewebs.com/battlemagic/druid.htm
Here is a zip of the relevant files:
www.freewebs.com/battlemagic/data/player.zip
It contains:
.MAX file I used to export
.CFG customized for my needs (mostly listing out all AlwaysExport nodes)
.JPG images used by the model (2 files)
.DMP of my latest export dump
.DTS of my latest export attempt
.ENV the envelope file I use, in case anything fancy needs to be done
Loading up the DTS in the Torque Show Tool Pro, the model looks fine. It's in the basic daVinci pose (as it appears in 3DS max) and the bones and nodes all look correct.
I've checked the modifier stack on each of the "Bip" objects and there aren't any errant rotations.
I'm using the precompiled max2dtsExporter.dle file from Alex S's website (file dated 1/3/2006).
The attached MAX file is about my 20th attempt at an export. All have the same results. For the MAX file attached, I did attempt to use the "box" trick on each of my two meshes. I then reapplied the ENV envelope file (after adding the skin modifer and re-adding the bones).
I'm willing to try just about anything. I could always start from scratch and re-skin/re-attach everything. I'd really like to learn what's wrong so that if/when other things go wrong I know where to start looking.
Thanks,
Nerseus
#2
Cool character BTW.
B--
02/18/2006 (7:10 am)
I took a look at your file, and I think that is the problem. You have 2 editable mesh objects and 2 skin modifiers. I've never actually tried that to see what the results would be, but I think that is your problem. Merge the mesh together, and only have one skin modifier for it.Cool character BTW.
B--
#3
If your not using Biped then somthing could be wrong in your rig. Maybe you didn't freeze the rotation of somthing. Its hard to tell with out the file.
I have never had problem with 2 skin modifiers, and 2 mesh's in one dts shape under the same detail. In fact I do it quite a bit but I usually select both or all the mesh's and apply one skin modfier to them, Then when I am done I right click the Modifier menu and use "Make Unique". This would be good in your case. It allows for the Vert blending to run into both mesh's.
02/18/2006 (7:41 am)
Well I can't get your file so who knows. But make sure your not exporting Bip01. And make sure you reset the Xform of your shapes before you skin them. Especially if you did any scaling prior to that. If your not using Biped then somthing could be wrong in your rig. Maybe you didn't freeze the rotation of somthing. Its hard to tell with out the file.
I have never had problem with 2 skin modifiers, and 2 mesh's in one dts shape under the same detail. In fact I do it quite a bit but I usually select both or all the mesh's and apply one skin modfier to them, Then when I am done I right click the Modifier menu and use "Make Unique". This would be good in your case. It allows for the Vert blending to run into both mesh's.
#4
02/18/2006 (7:47 am)
@Matthew: Just copy the link, and paste it into your browser URL to get the file. 
#5
It would work just fine if you were to make your own animations, it's just that it's messing up when you apply the stock torque ones. Try it out, open the DTS in showtool pro and load one of the default torque DSQs and you'll see exactly what goes wrong. I'm not really sure how to fix this though, I always make my own animations.
02/18/2006 (10:02 am)
I don't think it's a mesh issue (there are issues with this mesh though, but I don't think those are what's causing this particular problem). It would work just fine if you were to make your own animations, it's just that it's messing up when you apply the stock torque ones. Try it out, open the DTS in showtool pro and load one of the default torque DSQs and you'll see exactly what goes wrong. I'm not really sure how to fix this though, I always make my own animations.
#6
02/18/2006 (11:52 am)
@Magnus: Wasn't there a tool created to allow different characters to use the same dsq animations? I can't seem to remember what it was though.
#7
Also if your using Orc animations you probably need to pose the character in some root pose first. You could save the Orc Biped pose then import it to yours. Most likely thats the cause of your problem.
There is no Blend animation from "Devinchy" (?spelling?) to root pose (Orc) so the engine does not have any idea how to correctly interpolate the the animation data and things get screwed up.
Make sure to take Biped outa Skin Pose mode before you import the root pose from the ORC. That way you can make needed (if needed) skin adjustments
If you are posing your model before you export Post that model and we'll look at it. The current one really isn't ready to export for animation.
Could be other things too but that would be my best guess. Never make the engine make descisions, your asking for it if you do.:)
Matt
02/18/2006 (4:39 pm)
OK for starters you need a bigger bounding box. The bounding Box should encompass your model and its animations. Import the bounds from the ORC model if your using those animations.Also if your using Orc animations you probably need to pose the character in some root pose first. You could save the Orc Biped pose then import it to yours. Most likely thats the cause of your problem.
There is no Blend animation from "Devinchy" (?spelling?) to root pose (Orc) so the engine does not have any idea how to correctly interpolate the the animation data and things get screwed up.
Make sure to take Biped outa Skin Pose mode before you import the root pose from the ORC. That way you can make needed (if needed) skin adjustments
If you are posing your model before you export Post that model and we'll look at it. The current one really isn't ready to export for animation.
Could be other things too but that would be my best guess. Never make the engine make descisions, your asking for it if you do.:)
Matt
Torque 3D Owner Brandon Maness
B--