importing character issues
by Paul Yoskowitz · in Torque 3D Professional · 08/23/2014 (9:24 am) · 5 replies
i had gotten this question earlier from our Art Lead and thought id forward it on to the GG community:
when we import characters into torque we have to flip the animations 180 degrees as torque has its characters set up at 180degrees to the way they are modelled - however this makes our normals look really bad at the joins - is there a way we can use the characters and animations as they are modeled?
when we import characters into torque we have to flip the animations 180 degrees as torque has its characters set up at 180degrees to the way they are modelled - however this makes our normals look really bad at the joins - is there a way we can use the characters and animations as they are modeled?
About the author
http://winterleafentertainment.com/
#2
In some instances you make be able to resolve this with inverting the Green Channel in the Normal map using Photoshop, however, there are other times where this will not work - particularly where there are seam in your uv map that are exposed when reversing the model 180 degrees.
Here it the workaround that we have established.
Import your mixamo character into Studio Max and use the Mixamo autobiped script. You now have the biped setup
In character mode spin the model 180 degrees.
Now hide all bones and helpers so you have just the mesh.
Extract the mesh as an obj file
Import into another 3D package
Export from the mesh from that other 3D package as an obj file again.
Import the mesh back into Studio Max
apply the skin wrap modifier to your new imported mesh and skin wrap it to the previous skinned character. Tick the weight all vertices option and convert to skin.
Hide the original mesh for now.
unhide all the bones
Export to Torque as DAE file.
Now you have a reversed facing model with the normals all facing the right way. When you import the obj file back into Max it brings it in with the normals corrected from the other 3D package.
To finalize the skin - unhide the original mesh. Save the skin envelope weights from that model and delete the mesh. Select the new mesh and load in the skin envelope weights from the original mesh and this should bring in the previous skin weights perfectly to match the original skinning set up.
You can now animate and bring into Torque without having to adjust your normal maps etc.
Have fun.
08/24/2014 (5:20 am)
We have been having issues importing characters rigged in Mixamo into Torque because of the Y axis problem - Torque requires it facing forward, whereas Mixamo has it facing the other direction. When you therefore import your character into Torque spun at 180 degrees you have problems with the normal maps being inverted.In some instances you make be able to resolve this with inverting the Green Channel in the Normal map using Photoshop, however, there are other times where this will not work - particularly where there are seam in your uv map that are exposed when reversing the model 180 degrees.
Here it the workaround that we have established.
Import your mixamo character into Studio Max and use the Mixamo autobiped script. You now have the biped setup
In character mode spin the model 180 degrees.
Now hide all bones and helpers so you have just the mesh.
Extract the mesh as an obj file
Import into another 3D package
Export from the mesh from that other 3D package as an obj file again.
Import the mesh back into Studio Max
apply the skin wrap modifier to your new imported mesh and skin wrap it to the previous skinned character. Tick the weight all vertices option and convert to skin.
Hide the original mesh for now.
unhide all the bones
Export to Torque as DAE file.
Now you have a reversed facing model with the normals all facing the right way. When you import the obj file back into Max it brings it in with the normals corrected from the other 3D package.
To finalize the skin - unhide the original mesh. Save the skin envelope weights from that model and delete the mesh. Select the new mesh and load in the skin envelope weights from the original mesh and this should bring in the previous skin weights perfectly to match the original skinning set up.
You can now animate and bring into Torque without having to adjust your normal maps etc.
Have fun.
#3
Thanks for reporting it back to here!
08/24/2014 (5:42 am)
Clever workaround @Tim, that must have taken some time to figure out :SThanks for reporting it back to here!
#4
08/24/2014 (7:34 am)
Yes it was a head scratcher - would be interested to know if it works for you.
#5
Will let you know if we find anything!
08/24/2014 (6:50 pm)
We'll be looking for a different solution first. If nothing works we'll certainly use this workaround.Will let you know if we find anything!
Torque Owner Nils Eikelenboom
Studio DimSum
No good solution found yet.