Re: Hard edges from Maya to Softimage

[Tim Leydecker]

Hi Martin,

thanks for the info.

I had only checked for the case of getting hard edges from Maya into 
Softimage
and keeping those edges selectible and displayed blue, I didn´t check 
for what

successively setting egdes to hard would do to a mesh´s clusters.

Good to know.

Last time I had to deliver Softimage files directly, I´d manually tidy 
up (along the

lines you describe for clean final data). That´s a while ago.

Regarding Substance Designer&Painter, I use it for it´s mask generators 
mostly.
Typical scratched metal blended materials masks, a dirt&dust pass over 
clean materials,
that kind of thing. It´s pretty good at that and beats having no masks 
due to time/task anyway...



Cheers,

tim

Am 14.04.2015 um 05:45 schrieb Martin Yara:
I wanted to convert normal clusters because sometimes I don't have the 
original Maya file, but that's ok. I'll just have to get the Maya file 
or make them use Smoothing Groups in the FBX export options in the 
future.


About clusters, I always freeze and delete all clusters. I work mainly 
in game assets production so I try to keep my final data as clean as 
possible to avoid any possible export problem. I never keep points or 
edge clusters (the only point cluster is the envelope one), lattice or 
any deformer besides envelope.


If you keep adding hard edges you'll end up with tons of edge 
clusters. That's why I wrote something to automatically freeze Mark 
Edges op and delete the edge cluster.


You don't really need clusters at all for hard edges. Just freeze and 
delete the cluster. The same for any other deformer that you don't 
need to be alive.


Softimage should have a clean cluster option. Any studio that I've 
been or work with uses a custom tool for that.


You can easily script something for hard edges selections with 
ICEAttributes if you need, or you can use crease filter selection 
because hard edges in Softimage are also creased by default.


I don't have much experience with Substance so I can't say anything 
about it.


cheers,

Martin


On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 8:12 PM, Tim Leydecker > wrote:


I don´t know about converting normal clusters because I can´t really
see what you´d want to convert them to?

In general, they are useful to assing different materials or is it
because
of the clusters that you have problems using the mesh in Quixel Suite
or Substance Designer because each cluster will generate a separate
material there, even if that cluster was just meant for hard eges?

Afaik, the clusters are needed inside softimage, you´d want that
cluster
to be able to select the hardened edges inside softimage, using RMB
"select components".

When facing problems with meshes generating multiple material entries
inside Substance Designer/Painter, I like to resort to exporting
an *.obj
file, making sure I have only the actual UVset I need as "map1"
merging
all elements into a new mesh I want to have share one texture set.

If that fails, I delete the *.mtl file that´ll be generated along
with the *.obj.

If I can, I´ll also assign the default lambert Maya material,
especially when
I want to salvage stuff from an existing Substance Tree.

In a nutshell, I´ll try to do *.obj exports from Maya, avoiding
Softimage Clusters.

tim

P.S: When I´m refering to *.fbx in a 2014 build version, it´s
because that´s what a
Unreal Engine 4 expects to get, afaik they don´t support the fbx
2015 fully officially.




Am 13.04.2015 um 11:58 schrieb Martin Yara:

It worked ! Thanks!

It was the "Smoothing Groups" in Maya, it wasn't checked.

I still wish there was a way to convert that normal cluster though :P

Martin

On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 6:33 PM, Tim Leydecker mailto:bauero...@gmx.de>> wrote:

In the Softimage FBX import options, there is a checkbox
under "Include":

Hard Edges - that´s off by default, you want this on.

I´m setting this to on and then I get a MarkHardEdge/Vertex op
floating in the Modeling Stack on import of the *.fbx

Those egdes are indentical to what I selected as Hard edges
in Maya and
they show up blue as one would expect inside Softimage.

Unless you had triangulate on while exporting from Maya,
that´ll create
extra
hardened edges, due to the triangulate option doing it´s thing.

Unreal4engine would like to have Tri´s for import of *.fbx
files but in
terms
of full control, it´s not adviseable to have *.fbx decide on
triangulation.

It´s better to do that manually based on the desired result
and have *.fbx
not triangulate automatically, which can lead to unwanted
shading errors.

For best I/O between Softimage and Maya, autotriangulation
should definitely
be off.


Cheers,


   

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Jason S]

  
  
Well it was a 27" actually,  enough to
  think we should be good until 8k HiDPI 35" become commonplace,
  or until when hopefully some of us would be happily working in
  BProd,  or Vodoo by then.
  
  
  On 04/13/15 23:22, Raffaele Fragapane wrote:


  On a 4k 30+ maybe, I've seen it on an ultraHD 27"
(and ZB on a 5k 27") and good chunks of the UI were practically
useless.
Zbrush was pretty much a throw away (the x y z modifiers
  over sliders were almost impossible to hit with a pen on
  tablet), and  Maya 2014's text was an utter and complete mess.
  
  
  On my SP3, which isn't even 3.8 or 4k over 15"
kind of DPI, a lot of older UIs become useless when you
factor in the (lack of) precision when handling a pen on
screen interaction.



Regardless, vectorized and properly scaled UIs are
  a pain in the arse to put together, but they are a necessity
  now that form factors aren't just 1080p over 24" for 90% of
  the user base.
  
  
On Tue, Apr 14, 2015 at 1:13 PM, Jason
  S 
  wrote:
  

  Actually I've seen Soft (or any other non-hi DPI app)
on a 4k display and it's like having a dual screen in
one.

It's when it's 4k on a 15 inch screen where there are
issues.

  



On 04/13/15 23:01, Raffaele Fragapane wrote:
  

  
  

  
The main point of the new UI isn't to
  make it prettier, it's largely that it now
  responds to high density DPI properly. If you ever
  tried using older software, including Soft, on a
  4k display or on an ultra HD 10-12" tablet you'll
  know what that's like.

  On Tue, Apr 14, 2015 at
11:02 AM, Sylvain Lebeau 
wrote:

  
You point is still good Sven. 


Of course Maya’s Gui is far from
  getting to the point Xsi is… I profoundly
  think that Xsi got the best Gui in all
  softwares that ever existed.  The new aqua
  icons are not a revolution of course.
  Still good to the eye to paint the old car
  with a fresh clear coating. :-) 


We’ve had Autodesk at our studio a
  couple of times and I must admit they
  we’re very opened to listen to us
  softimage users. And they we’re taking
  good notes. I think they are doing good
  efforts to keep Xsi users happy in the
  transition while at the same time not
  frustrate good old Maya users.  It will
  take time to blend the two. 




About ICE.  Maya is node based all
  around and I cannot imagine AD to own
  these (ICE) pattents and not create the
  same workflow inside of Maya. With new
  operops, and merging all of it’s tools
  inside of a new unified workflow node UI.
  Of course this will take time to make
  everything talk togheter. But to me, it
  should be the priority for AD to implement
  this.  


I barely see any other futur ventures
  that could bring back Maya as the top
  contender in the 3D world. Houdini is
  pushing hard. And it’s doing just that at
  it’s roots.  So if they want to compete in
  the long term, it really should be in the
  oven.  Well I hope so for them. 

Re: Hard edges from Maya to Softimage

[Martin Yara]

I wanted to convert normal clusters because sometimes I don't have the
original Maya file, but that's ok. I'll just have to get the Maya file or
make them use Smoothing Groups in the FBX export options in the future.

About clusters, I always freeze and delete all clusters. I work mainly in
game assets production so I try to keep my final data as clean as possible
to avoid any possible export problem. I never keep points or edge clusters
(the only point cluster is the envelope one), lattice or any deformer
besides envelope.

If you keep adding hard edges you'll end up with tons of edge clusters.
That's why I wrote something to automatically freeze Mark Edges op and
delete the edge cluster.

You don't really need clusters at all for hard edges. Just freeze and
delete the cluster. The same for any other deformer that you don't need to
be alive.

Softimage should have a clean cluster option. Any studio that I've been or
work with uses a custom tool for that.

You can easily script something for hard edges selections with
ICEAttributes if you need, or you can use crease filter selection because
hard edges in Softimage are also creased by default.

I don't have much experience with Substance so I can't say anything about
it.

cheers,

Martin


On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 8:12 PM, Tim Leydecker  wrote:

>  I don´t know about converting normal clusters because I can´t really
> see what you´d want to convert them to?
>
> In general, they are useful to assing different materials or is it because
> of the clusters that you have problems using the mesh in Quixel Suite
> or Substance Designer because each cluster will generate a separate
> material there, even if that cluster was just meant for hard eges?
>
> Afaik, the clusters are needed inside softimage, you´d want that cluster
> to be able to select the hardened edges inside softimage, using RMB
> "select components".
>
> When facing problems with meshes generating multiple material entries
> inside Substance Designer/Painter, I like to resort to exporting an *.obj
> file, making sure I have only the actual UVset I need as "map1" merging
> all elements into a new mesh I want to have share one texture set.
>
> If that fails, I delete the *.mtl file that´ll be generated along with the
> *.obj.
>
> If I can, I´ll also assign the default lambert Maya material, especially
> when
> I want to salvage stuff from an existing Substance Tree.
>
> In a nutshell, I´ll try to do *.obj exports from Maya, avoiding Softimage
> Clusters.
>
> tim
>
> P.S: When I´m refering to *.fbx in a 2014 build version, it´s because
> that´s what a
> Unreal Engine 4 expects to get, afaik they don´t support the fbx 2015
> fully officially.
>
>
>
>
> Am 13.04.2015 um 11:58 schrieb Martin Yara:
>
> It worked ! Thanks!
>
>  It was the "Smoothing Groups" in Maya, it wasn't checked.
>
>  I still wish there was a way to convert that normal cluster though :P
>
>  Martin
>
> On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 6:33 PM, Tim Leydecker  wrote:
>
>> In the Softimage FBX import options, there is a checkbox under "Include":
>>
>> Hard Edges - that´s off by default, you want this on.
>>
>> I´m setting this to on and then I get a MarkHardEdge/Vertex op
>> floating in the Modeling Stack on import of the *.fbx
>>
>> Those egdes are indentical to what I selected as Hard edges in Maya and
>> they show up blue as one would expect inside Softimage.
>>
>> Unless you had triangulate on while exporting from Maya, that´ll create
>> extra
>> hardened edges, due to the triangulate option doing it´s thing.
>>
>> Unreal4engine would like to have Tri´s for import of *.fbx files but in
>> terms
>> of full control, it´s not adviseable to have *.fbx decide on
>> triangulation.
>>
>> It´s better to do that manually based on the desired result and have *.fbx
>> not triangulate automatically, which can lead to unwanted shading errors.
>>
>> For best I/O between Softimage and Maya, autotriangulation should
>> definitely
>> be off.
>>
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>>
>> tim
>>
>> Am 12.04.2015 um 11:09 schrieb Martin:
>> > I only get a normal cluster, so visually it is the same but the edges
>> are not marked (no blue edges).
>> >
>> > I'll try different options and FBX versions just in case. Maybe
>> something had changed in newer versions.
>> >
>> > Although it is visually the same, the problem with this normal cluster
>> is that it is very fragile if you need to change topology and do some other
>> things after that. Also any script reading hard edges won't work. Also you
>> can't add hard edges because this cluster overrides everything. I'm not
>> sure how much this could affect the output to a game data format but the
>> biggest problem is that my client just won't accept a normal cluster
>> instead normal hard edges.
>> >
>> > The easiest solution I found was to disconnect hard edges in Maya, and
>> in SI, select border edges, mark them as hard and merge. Easily scriptable.
>> Not quite the same but close enough.
>> >
>> > The problem is when I don't have th

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Sylvain Lebeau]

I am emotional too Sven, But i am also realist, 

By saying putting a new coating on the old car was a bit sarcastic dood. Take 
it easy smooth. 

I hear you…And I am with you if you didnt catch it. 

You’ve never heard about a company blending 2 softwares togheter because there 
was no existing one that needed to do so. Ever! Pretty normal.  Of course! 
Newtek never had to blend 2 softwares togheter per exemple.  Nor does SideFx. 

It’s not about blending 2 softwares togheter. Its about blending workflows 
togheter.  Its a bit different. I mean workflow things. Wich I hope will come 
more and more.  The best from Xsi inside of Maya. When you hit H shortchut….it 
hide’s the object….if you hit H again…it shows up the object back.  Simple.  
Multiple selection property changes for example… The list can go on and on.   

They didnt changed it’s look… just the icons.  A simple refresh at the UI.  I 
know!!!


I could write a bitching novel on Maya that would take me years to write. But 
since my old email rant (wich you probably all remember)  on how much i was 
upset on the desmise of XSI and then after our switch to Maya to test the 
waters, …. i can say that I have find positives things in Maya. While I still 
miss so many things from Xsi.   Render passes in front of the line. But we got 
a powerfull pre render script that encompass this. Thanks to Laurent.  

Still Maya make’s us able to deliver our jobs. It’s not as funny as before, of 
course. 


it’s not the end of the world.  




sly


Sylvain Lebeau // SHED
V-P/Visual effects supervisor
1410, RUE STANLEY, 11E ÉTAGE MONTRÉAL (QUÉBEC) H3A 1P8
T 514 849-1555 F 514 849-5025 WWW.SHEDMTL.COM  
>

VFX Curriculum 03: Compositing Basics
mail to: s...@shedmtl.com




> On Apr 13, 2015, at 9:02 PM, Sylvain Lebeau  wrote:
> 
> You point is still good Sven. 
> 
> Of course Maya’s Gui is far from getting to the point Xsi is… I profoundly 
> think that Xsi got the best Gui in all softwares that ever existed.  The new 
> aqua icons are not a revolution of course. Still good to the eye to paint the 
> old car with a fresh clear coating. :-) 
> 
> We’ve had Autodesk at our studio a couple of times and I must admit they 
> we’re very opened to listen to us softimage users. And they we’re taking good 
> notes. I think they are doing good efforts to keep Xsi users happy in the 
> transition while at the same time not frustrate good old Maya users.  It will 
> take time to blend the two. 
> 
> 
> About ICE.  Maya is node based all around and I cannot imagine AD to own 
> these (ICE) pattents and not create the same workflow inside of Maya. With 
> new operops, and merging all of it’s tools inside of a new unified workflow 
> node UI. Of course this will take time to make everything talk togheter. But 
> to me, it should be the priority for AD to implement this.  
> 
> I barely see any other futur ventures that could bring back Maya as the top 
> contender in the 3D world. Houdini is pushing hard. And it’s doing just that 
> at it’s roots.  So if they want to compete in the long term, it really should 
> be in the oven.  Well I hope so for them. 
> 
> 
> Does 2016 finally got the node based UI for Bitfrost? Would be a good start. 
> I was on beta but never got the time to play with it. 
> 
> 
> We’ll see in a week or two. But so far nothing about this in the videos. 
> 
> sly
> 
> Sylvain Lebeau // SHED
> V-P/Visual effects supervisor
> 1410, RUE STANLEY, 11E ÉTAGE MONTRÉAL (QUÉBEC) H3A 1P8
> T 514 849-1555 F 514 849-5025 WWW.SHEDMTL.COM  
> >
> 
> VFX Curriculum 03: Compositing Basics
> mail to: s...@shedmtl.com 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Apr 13, 2015, at 8:26 PM, Sven Constable > > wrote:
>> 
>> sry, didn’t want to adress the developers of course. But the company behind 
>> them. Marketing means something. The more overwhelming positive it is, the 
>> more it turns me towards other directions. Same with Newtek and lightwave 
>> years ago.
>>   <>
>> From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
>>  
>> [mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
>> ] On Behalf Of Sven Constable
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 2:18 AM
>> To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com 
>> Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>>  
>> I had a look at the vids and must say the whole GUI looks as sturdy and 
>> antique like before. Besides this, if a developer says something is the 
>> "biggest thing ever"…I'll take it as a  warning sign.
>>  
>> sven 
>>  
>> From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
>>  
>> [mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
>> 

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Raffaele Fragapane]

On a 4k 30+ maybe, I've seen it on an ultraHD 27" (and ZB on a 5k 27") and
good chunks of the UI were practically useless.
Zbrush was pretty much a throw away (the x y z modifiers over sliders were
almost impossible to hit with a pen on tablet), and  Maya 2014's text was
an utter and complete mess.

On my SP3, which isn't even 3.8 or 4k over 15" kind of DPI, a lot of older
UIs become useless when you factor in the (lack of) precision when handling
a pen on screen interaction.

Regardless, vectorized and properly scaled UIs are a pain in the arse to
put together, but they are a necessity now that form factors aren't just
1080p over 24" for 90% of the user base.

On Tue, Apr 14, 2015 at 1:13 PM, Jason S  wrote:

>  Actually I've seen Soft (or any other non-hi DPI app) on a 4k display
> and it's like having a dual screen in one.
>
> It's when it's 4k on a 15 inch screen where there are issues.
>
>
>
>
> On 04/13/15 23:01, Raffaele Fragapane wrote:
>
> The main point of the new UI isn't to make it prettier, it's largely that
> it now responds to high density DPI properly. If you ever tried using older
> software, including Soft, on a 4k display or on an ultra HD 10-12" tablet
> you'll know what that's like.
>
> On Tue, Apr 14, 2015 at 11:02 AM, Sylvain Lebeau  wrote:
>
>>  You point is still good Sven.
>>
>>  Of course Maya’s Gui is far from getting to the point Xsi is… I
>> profoundly think that Xsi got the best Gui in all softwares that ever
>> existed.  The new aqua icons are not a revolution of course. Still good to
>> the eye to paint the old car with a fresh clear coating. :-)
>>
>>  We’ve had Autodesk at our studio a couple of times and I must admit
>> they we’re very opened to listen to us softimage users. And they we’re
>> taking good notes. I think they are doing good efforts to keep Xsi users
>> happy in the transition while at the same time not frustrate good old Maya
>> users.  It will take time to blend the two.
>>
>>
>>  About ICE.  Maya is node based all around and I cannot imagine AD to
>> own these (ICE) pattents and not create the same workflow inside of Maya.
>> With new operops, and merging all of it’s tools inside of a new unified
>> workflow node UI. Of course this will take time to make everything talk
>> togheter. But to me, it should be the priority for AD to implement this.
>>
>>  I barely see any other futur ventures that could bring back Maya as the
>> top contender in the 3D world. Houdini is pushing hard. And it’s doing just
>> that at it’s roots.  So if they want to compete in the long term, it really
>> should be in the oven.  Well I hope so for them.
>>
>>
>>  Does 2016 finally got the node based UI for Bitfrost? Would be a good
>> start. I was on beta but never got the time to play with it.
>>
>>
>>  We’ll see in a week or two. But so far nothing about this in the
>> videos.
>>
>>  sly
>>
>>   *Sylvain Lebeau // SHED*
>> V-P/Visual effects supervisor
>> 1410, RUE STANLEY, 11E ÉTAGE MONTRÉAL (QUÉBEC) H3A 1P8
>> T 514 849-1555 F 514 849-5025 WWW.SHEDMTL.COM  <
>> http://WWW.SHEDMTL.COM >
>>  VFX Curriculum 03: Compositing Basics
>> mail to: s...@shedmtl.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  On Apr 13, 2015, at 8:26 PM, Sven Constable 
>> wrote:
>>
>>  sry, didn’t want to adress the developers of course. But the company
>> behind them. Marketing means something. The more overwhelming positive it
>> is, the more it turns me towards other directions. Same with Newtek and
>> lightwave years ago.
>>
>>  *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [
>> mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
>> ] *On Behalf Of *Sven Constable
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, April 14, 2015 2:18 AM
>> *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
>> *Subject:* RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>>
>> I had a look at the vids and must say the whole GUI looks as sturdy and
>> antique like before. Besides this, if a developer says something is the
>> "biggest thing ever"…I'll take it as a  warning sign.
>>
>> sven
>>
>>  *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [
>> mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
>> ] *On Behalf Of *adrian wyer
>> *Sent:* Monday, April 13, 2015 6:32 PM
>> *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
>> *Subject:* RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>>
>> looks like a biog step in the right direction, kudos to the devs
>>
>> now, about ICE...
>>
>> a
>>
>>  --
>> *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [
>> mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
>> ] *On Behalf Of *Luc-Eric
>> Rousseau
>> *Sent:* 13 April 2015 17:11
>> *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
>> *Subject:* Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>>
>>
>> The node editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow
>> you to remember multiple graphs.
>>  On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  wrote:
>>  What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your
>> network graph lay out. This should just be 

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Jason S]

  
  
Actually I've seen Soft (or any other
  non-hi DPI app) on a 4k display and it's like having a dual screen
  in one.
  
  It's when it's 4k on a 15 inch screen where there are issues.
  
  
  
  On 04/13/15 23:01, Raffaele Fragapane wrote:


  The main point of the new UI isn't to make it
prettier, it's largely that it now responds to high density DPI
properly. If you ever tried using older software, including
Soft, on a 4k display or on an ultra HD 10-12" tablet you'll
know what that's like.
  
On Tue, Apr 14, 2015 at 11:02 AM,
  Sylvain Lebeau 
  wrote:
  

  You point is still good Sven. 
  
  
  Of course Maya’s Gui is far from getting to the point
Xsi is… I profoundly think that Xsi got the best Gui in
all softwares that ever existed.  The new aqua icons are
not a revolution of course. Still good to the eye to
paint the old car with a fresh clear coating. :-) 
  
  
  We’ve had Autodesk at our studio a couple of times
and I must admit they we’re very opened to listen to us
softimage users. And they we’re taking good notes. I
think they are doing good efforts to keep Xsi users
happy in the transition while at the same time not
frustrate good old Maya users.  It will take time to
blend the two. 
  
  
  
  
  About ICE.  Maya is node based all around and I
cannot imagine AD to own these (ICE) pattents and not
create the same workflow inside of Maya. With new
operops, and merging all of it’s tools inside of a new
unified workflow node UI. Of course this will take time
to make everything talk togheter. But to me, it should
be the priority for AD to implement this.  
  
  
  I barely see any other futur ventures that could
bring back Maya as the top contender in the 3D world.
Houdini is pushing hard. And it’s doing just that at
it’s roots.  So if they want to compete in the long
term, it really should be in the oven.  Well I hope so
for them. 
  
  
  
  
  Does 2016 finally got the node based UI for Bitfrost?
Would be a good start. I was on beta but never got the
time to play with it. 
  
  
  
  
  We’ll see in a week or two. But so far nothing about
this in the videos. 
  
  
  sly
  
  

  
Sylvain Lebeau // SHED
V-P/Visual effects supervisor
  1410, RUE STANLEY, 11E ÉTAGE
MONTRÉAL (QUÉBEC) H3A 1P8
T 514 849-1555 F 514 849-5025 WWW.SHEDMTL.COM 

VFX
  Curriculum 03: Compositing Basics
mail
  to: s...@shedmtl.com




  

  

  

  On Apr 13, 2015, at 8:26 PM, Sven Constable

wrote:
  
  

  sry,
  didn’t want to adress the developers of
  course. But the company behind them.
  Marketing means something. The more
  overwhelming positive it is, the more it
  turns me towards other directions. Same
  with Newtek and lightwave years ago.
  
   
  

  From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
  [mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On
Behalf Of Sven
  Constable
  Sent: Tuesday,
  April 14, 2015 2:18 AM
 

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Raffaele Fragapane]

Bear with me here, I still can't say I find Maya enjoyable to use, but in
first place making the whole UI scalable is non trivial and with the
current move to high density display being well in effect more than just
cosmetics.

On top of that they have, at this point, shown the addition of parallel
evaluation in the scene graph, sculpting and high poly handling in viewport
(probably about a third of the sculpting part of mudbox ported over),
revamped the surfacing considerably, the addition of gas solvers and guided
sims in bifrost, and a number of other things (some admittedly useless to
most or patching over until they can be replaced with less dead horses,
e.g. XGen).

How is that just a coat of polish?
Does AD as a company in general suck? Yeah, in the same way most of those
corps seem to these days.

Can I honestly say Maya 2016 is a shit release? No, you're being overly
emotional and have decided to hate it for the sake of hating it IMO. They
could have added another 15 features and my guess is you probably would
have still decided to give it crap on account of the facelift, despite the
fact it was actually a functional one.

I used 2016 beta a fair bit on a Surface Pro 3. I used it because XSI and
Maya 2015 were F'ing useless on 2.5k on that screen. You can pick on it as
much as you want, but there was strong request for it.

On Tue, Apr 14, 2015 at 12:22 PM, Sven Constable 
wrote:

> I never heard of a company that "blended" two 3D animation softwares
> successfully, sorry dude. That will never happen. What I was told the last
> 24 month talking to 3ds max users was: "Hell, they changed the GUI again in
> this release! WTF!"
>
> They (the ppl I talked to) did not even mention new feature or something.
>
> Ok, now ADSK says the icons are now good. But they did say this in the
> last release when they changed the fucking icons!
>
> It's all about cosmetics and polishing. It's of no use to change the
> coating on a dead horse every fucking single release. I would not have
> worked with softimage the last decade if they changed the GUI in every
> release just to distract from missing functionality.
>
>
>
> If you want to make sure you're working with a strong and solid software,
> the best indication is its not changing its look.
>
> Sorry for the f-words and beeing emotional.
>
>
>
> sven
>
>
>
>
>

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Raffaele Fragapane]

The main point of the new UI isn't to make it prettier, it's largely that
it now responds to high density DPI properly. If you ever tried using older
software, including Soft, on a 4k display or on an ultra HD 10-12" tablet
you'll know what that's like.

On Tue, Apr 14, 2015 at 11:02 AM, Sylvain Lebeau  wrote:

> You point is still good Sven.
>
> Of course Maya’s Gui is far from getting to the point Xsi is… I profoundly
> think that Xsi got the best Gui in all softwares that ever existed.  The
> new aqua icons are not a revolution of course. Still good to the eye to
> paint the old car with a fresh clear coating. :-)
>
> We’ve had Autodesk at our studio a couple of times and I must admit they
> we’re very opened to listen to us softimage users. And they we’re taking
> good notes. I think they are doing good efforts to keep Xsi users happy in
> the transition while at the same time not frustrate good old Maya users.
> It will take time to blend the two.
>
>
> About ICE.  Maya is node based all around and I cannot imagine AD to own
> these (ICE) pattents and not create the same workflow inside of Maya. With
> new operops, and merging all of it’s tools inside of a new unified workflow
> node UI. Of course this will take time to make everything talk togheter.
> But to me, it should be the priority for AD to implement this.
>
> I barely see any other futur ventures that could bring back Maya as the
> top contender in the 3D world. Houdini is pushing hard. And it’s doing just
> that at it’s roots.  So if they want to compete in the long term, it really
> should be in the oven.  Well I hope so for them.
>
>
> Does 2016 finally got the node based UI for Bitfrost? Would be a good
> start. I was on beta but never got the time to play with it.
>
>
> We’ll see in a week or two. But so far nothing about this in the videos.
>
> sly
>
> *Sylvain Lebeau // SHED*
> V-P/Visual effects supervisor
> 1410, RUE STANLEY, 11E ÉTAGE MONTRÉAL (QUÉBEC) H3A 1P8
> T 514 849-1555 F 514 849-5025 WWW.SHEDMTL.COM  <
> http://WWW.SHEDMTL.COM >
> VFX Curriculum 03: Compositing Basics
> mail to: s...@shedmtl.com
>
>
>
>
> On Apr 13, 2015, at 8:26 PM, Sven Constable 
> wrote:
>
> sry, didn’t want to adress the developers of course. But the company
> behind them. Marketing means something. The more overwhelming positive it
> is, the more it turns me towards other directions. Same with Newtek and
> lightwave years ago.
>
> *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [
> mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
> ] *On Behalf Of *Sven Constable
> *Sent:* Tuesday, April 14, 2015 2:18 AM
> *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
> *Subject:* RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>
> I had a look at the vids and must say the whole GUI looks as sturdy and
> antique like before. Besides this, if a developer says something is the
> "biggest thing ever"…I'll take it as a  warning sign.
>
> sven
>
> *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [
> mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
> ] *On Behalf Of *adrian wyer
> *Sent:* Monday, April 13, 2015 6:32 PM
> *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
> *Subject:* RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>
> looks like a biog step in the right direction, kudos to the devs
>
> now, about ICE...
>
> a
>
> --
> *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [
> mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
> ] *On Behalf Of *Luc-Eric
> Rousseau
> *Sent:* 13 April 2015 17:11
> *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
> *Subject:* Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>
>
> The node editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow
> you to remember multiple graphs.
> On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  wrote:
> What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your
> network graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it
> out every time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important,
> but its just shabby.
>
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves 
> wrote:
> yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when
> making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version
>
> They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...
>
>
>
>
>
> Simon Reeves
> London, UK
> *si...@simonreeves.com *
> *www.simonreeves.com *
> *www.analogstudio.co.uk *
>
> On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson 
> wrote:
> Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016,
> However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about
> the hypershade finally getting some much needed love.
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0
>
>
>
>
> This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential.
> If you have received this communication in error, please notify us
> immediately and destroy the ori

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Jason S]

  
  
Shader editor looks good at least at
  first glance,
  
  Dont know about the extra parallelism in rigs, open subdivs also
  had intro clip showing "great performance increases",
  
  Otherwise We've often been highlihting diferences, but Maya can
  also be a lot like XSI in many ways, 
  but it's when under fire or when making solutions to solve things
  or to make things work where the differences come out.
  
  Try duplicating a rig or a setup in Maya (for instance)
  
  In any event, I'm sure these steps can make it less bad but
  there's just so many things,
  and this is while solely talking about the software, which even if
  it can also have it's strengths ...
  I'd personally be anxious for the coming of other players in this
  league, weather using Maya or not 
  
  
  On 04/13/15 21:02, Sylvain Lebeau wrote:


  
  You point is still good Sven. 
  
  
  Of course Maya’s Gui is far from getting to the
point Xsi is… I profoundly think that Xsi got the best Gui in
all softwares that ever existed.  The new aqua icons are not a
revolution of course. Still good to the eye to paint the old car
with a fresh clear coating. :-) 
  
  
  We’ve had Autodesk at our studio a couple of times
and I must admit they we’re very opened to listen to us
softimage users. And they we’re taking good notes. I think they
are doing good efforts to keep Xsi users happy in the transition
while at the same time not frustrate good old Maya users.  It
will take time to blend the two. 
  
  
  
  
  About ICE.  Maya is node based all around and I
cannot imagine AD to own these (ICE) pattents and not create the
same workflow inside of Maya. With new operops, and merging all
of it’s tools inside of a new unified workflow node UI. Of
course this will take time to make everything talk togheter. But
to me, it should be the priority for AD to implement this.  
  
  
  I barely see any other futur ventures that could
bring back Maya as the top contender in the 3D world. Houdini is
pushing hard. And it’s doing just that at it’s roots.  So if
they want to compete in the long term, it really should be in
the oven.  Well I hope so for them. 
  
  
  
  
  Does 2016 finally got the node based UI for
Bitfrost? Would be a good start. I was on beta but never got the
time to play with it. 
  
  
  
  
  We’ll see in a week or two. But so far nothing about
this in the videos. 
  
  
  sly
  
  

  
Sylvain Lebeau // SHED
V-P/Visual
effects supervisor
  1410, RUE STANLEY, 11E ÉTAGE
MONTRÉAL (QUÉBEC) H3A 1P8
T 514 849-1555 F 514 849-5025 WWW.SHEDMTL.COM 

VFX
  Curriculum 03: Compositing Basics
mail
  to: s...@shedmtl.com




  

  
  

  On Apr 13, 2015, at 8:26 PM, Sven Constable 
wrote:
  
  

  sry,
  didn’t want to adress the developers of course. But
  the company behind them. Marketing means something.
  The more overwhelming positive it is, the more it
  turns me towards other directions. Same with Newtek
  and lightwave years ago.
  
   
  

  From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
  [mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Sven
  Constable
  Sent: Tuesday,
  April 14, 2015 2:18 AM
  To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
  Subject: RE: OT:
  Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

  
   
  I had a
  look at the vids and must say the whole GUI looks as
  sturdy and antique like before. Besides this, if a
  developer says something is the "biggest thing
  ever"…I'll take it as a  warning sign.
   
  sven 
   
  

  From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of adrian
  wyer
 

RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Sven Constable]

I never heard of a company that "blended" two 3D animation softwares 
successfully, sorry dude. That will never happen. What I was told the last 24 
month talking to 3ds max users was: "Hell, they changed the GUI again in this 
release! WTF!" 

They (the ppl I talked to) did not even mention new feature or something.

Ok, now ADSK says the icons are now good. But they did say this in the last 
release when they changed the fucking icons!

It's all about cosmetics and polishing. It's of no use to change the coating on 
a dead horse every fucking single release. I would not have worked with 
softimage the last decade if they changed the GUI in every release just to 
distract from missing functionality.

 

If you want to make sure you're working with a strong and solid software, the 
best indication is its not changing its look. 

Sorry for the f-words and beeing emotional.

 

sven 

 

 

 

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Sylvain Lebeau
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 3:03 AM
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

 

You point is still good Sven. 

 

Of course Maya’s Gui is far from getting to the point Xsi is… I profoundly 
think that Xsi got the best Gui in all softwares that ever existed.  The new 
aqua icons are not a revolution of course. Still good to the eye to paint the 
old car with a fresh clear coating. :-) 

 

We’ve had Autodesk at our studio a couple of times and I must admit they we’re 
very opened to listen to us softimage users. And they we’re taking good notes. 
I think they are doing good efforts to keep Xsi users happy in the transition 
while at the same time not frustrate good old Maya users.  It will take time to 
blend the two. 

 

 

About ICE.  Maya is node based all around and I cannot imagine AD to own these 
(ICE) pattents and not create the same workflow inside of Maya. With new 
operops, and merging all of it’s tools inside of a new unified workflow node 
UI. Of course this will take time to make everything talk togheter. But to me, 
it should be the priority for AD to implement this.  

 

I barely see any other futur ventures that could bring back Maya as the top 
contender in the 3D world. Houdini is pushing hard. And it’s doing just that at 
it’s roots.  So if they want to compete in the long term, it really should be 
in the oven.  Well I hope so for them. 

 

 

Does 2016 finally got the node based UI for Bitfrost? Would be a good start. I 
was on beta but never got the time to play with it. 

 

 

We’ll see in a week or two. But so far nothing about this in the videos. 

 

sly

 

Sylvain Lebeau // SHED
V-P/Visual effects supervisor
1410, RUE STANLEY, 11E ÉTAGE MONTRÉAL (QUÉBEC) H3A 1P8
T 514 849-1555 F 514 849-5025   WWW.SHEDMTL.COM < 
 http://WWW.SHEDMTL.COM>



VFX Curriculum 03: Compositing Basics

mail to: s...@shedmtl.com

 






 

On Apr 13, 2015, at 8:26 PM, Sven Constable  wrote:

 

sry, didn’t want to adress the developers of course. But the company behind 
them. Marketing means something. The more overwhelming positive it is, the more 
it turns me towards other directions. Same with Newtek and lightwave years ago.

 

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Sven Constable
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 2:18 AM
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

 

I had a look at the vids and must say the whole GUI looks as sturdy and antique 
like before. Besides this, if a developer says something is the "biggest thing 
ever"…I'll take it as a  warning sign.

 

sven 

 

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of adrian wyer
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2015 6:32 PM
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

 

looks like a biog step in the right direction, kudos to the devs

 

now, about ICE...

 

a

 

  _  

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Luc-Eric Rousseau
Sent: 13 April 2015 17:11
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

 

The node editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow you to 
remember multiple graphs.

On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  wrote:

What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your network 
graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it out every time 
you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important, but its just 
shabby.

 

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves  wrote:

yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when making 
connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version

 

They could hav

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Sylvain Lebeau]

You point is still good Sven. 

Of course Maya’s Gui is far from getting to the point Xsi is… I profoundly 
think that Xsi got the best Gui in all softwares that ever existed.  The new 
aqua icons are not a revolution of course. Still good to the eye to paint the 
old car with a fresh clear coating. :-) 

We’ve had Autodesk at our studio a couple of times and I must admit they we’re 
very opened to listen to us softimage users. And they we’re taking good notes. 
I think they are doing good efforts to keep Xsi users happy in the transition 
while at the same time not frustrate good old Maya users.  It will take time to 
blend the two. 


About ICE.  Maya is node based all around and I cannot imagine AD to own these 
(ICE) pattents and not create the same workflow inside of Maya. With new 
operops, and merging all of it’s tools inside of a new unified workflow node 
UI. Of course this will take time to make everything talk togheter. But to me, 
it should be the priority for AD to implement this.  

I barely see any other futur ventures that could bring back Maya as the top 
contender in the 3D world. Houdini is pushing hard. And it’s doing just that at 
it’s roots.  So if they want to compete in the long term, it really should be 
in the oven.  Well I hope so for them. 


Does 2016 finally got the node based UI for Bitfrost? Would be a good start. I 
was on beta but never got the time to play with it. 


We’ll see in a week or two. But so far nothing about this in the videos. 

sly

Sylvain Lebeau // SHED
V-P/Visual effects supervisor
1410, RUE STANLEY, 11E ÉTAGE MONTRÉAL (QUÉBEC) H3A 1P8
T 514 849-1555 F 514 849-5025 WWW.SHEDMTL.COM  
>

VFX Curriculum 03: Compositing Basics
mail to: s...@shedmtl.com




> On Apr 13, 2015, at 8:26 PM, Sven Constable  wrote:
> 
> sry, didn’t want to adress the developers of course. But the company behind 
> them. Marketing means something. The more overwhelming positive it is, the 
> more it turns me towards other directions. Same with Newtek and lightwave 
> years ago.
>   <>
> From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
> [mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Sven Constable
> Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 2:18 AM
> To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
> Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>  
> I had a look at the vids and must say the whole GUI looks as sturdy and 
> antique like before. Besides this, if a developer says something is the 
> "biggest thing ever"…I'll take it as a  warning sign.
>  
> sven 
>  
> From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
>  
> [mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
> ] On Behalf Of adrian wyer
> Sent: Monday, April 13, 2015 6:32 PM
> To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com 
> Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>  
> looks like a biog step in the right direction, kudos to the devs
>  
> now, about ICE...
>  
> a
>  
> From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
>  
> [mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
> ] On Behalf Of Luc-Eric 
> Rousseau
> Sent: 13 April 2015 17:11
> To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com 
> Subject: Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>  
> The node editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow you 
> to remember multiple graphs.
> 
> On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  > wrote:
> What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your network 
> graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it out every 
> time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important, but its 
> just shabby.
>  
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves  > wrote:
> yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when 
> making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version
>  
> They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...
>  
>  
> 
> 
> 
> Simon Reeves
> London, UK
> si...@simonreeves.com 
> www.simonreeves.com 
> www.analogstudio.co.uk 
>  
> On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson  > wrote:
> Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016, 
> However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about 
> the hypershade finally getting some much needed love. 
>  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0 
> 
>  
>  
>  
>  
> This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential. If 
> you have received t

RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Sven Constable]

sry, didn't want to adress the developers of course. But the company behind
them. Marketing means something. The more overwhelming positive it is, the
more it turns me towards other directions. Same with Newtek and lightwave
years ago.

 

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Sven Constable
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 2:18 AM
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

 

I had a look at the vids and must say the whole GUI looks as sturdy and
antique like before. Besides this, if a developer says something is the
"biggest thing ever".I'll take it as a  warning sign.

 

sven 

 

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of adrian wyer
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2015 6:32 PM
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

 

looks like a biog step in the right direction, kudos to the devs

 

now, about ICE...

 

a

 

  _  

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Luc-Eric
Rousseau
Sent: 13 April 2015 17:11
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

 

The node editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow you
to remember multiple graphs.

On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  wrote:

What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your network
graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it out every
time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important, but its
just shabby.

 

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves  wrote:

yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when
making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version

 

They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...

 

 






Simon Reeves

London, UK

si...@simonreeves.com
www.simonreeves.com

www.analogstudio.co.uk

 

On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson  wrote:

Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016,
However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about
the hypershade finally getting some much needed love. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0

 

 

 

 



This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential.
If you have received this communication in error, please notify us
immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or
disseminate this communication without the permission of the University.
Only authorised signatories are competent to enter into agreements on behalf
of the University and recipients are thus advised that the content of this
message may not be legally binding on the University and may contain the
personal views and opinions of the author, which are not necessarily the
views and opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All
agreements between the University and outsiders are subject to South African
Law unless the University agrees in writing to the contrary. 


 

 

 

RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Sven Constable]

I had a look at the vids and must say the whole GUI looks as sturdy and
antique like before. Besides this, if a developer says something is the
"biggest thing ever".I'll take it as a  warning sign.

 

sven 

 

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of adrian wyer
Sent: Monday, April 13, 2015 6:32 PM
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

 

looks like a biog step in the right direction, kudos to the devs

 

now, about ICE...

 

a

 

  _  

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Luc-Eric
Rousseau
Sent: 13 April 2015 17:11
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

 

The node editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow you
to remember multiple graphs.

On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  wrote:

What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your network
graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it out every
time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important, but its
just shabby.

 

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves  wrote:

yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when
making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version

 

They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...

 

 






Simon Reeves

London, UK

si...@simonreeves.com
www.simonreeves.com

www.analogstudio.co.uk

 

On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson  wrote:

Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016,
However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about
the hypershade finally getting some much needed love. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0

 

 

 

 



This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential.
If you have received this communication in error, please notify us
immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or
disseminate this communication without the permission of the University.
Only authorised signatories are competent to enter into agreements on behalf
of the University and recipients are thus advised that the content of this
message may not be legally binding on the University and may contain the
personal views and opinions of the author, which are not necessarily the
views and opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All
agreements between the University and outsiders are subject to South African
Law unless the University agrees in writing to the contrary. 


 

 

 

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Sebastien Sterling]

Also can we safely assume that the addition of a camera sequencer means
that 3DS MAX's days are numbered ?

On 14 April 2015 at 00:16, Sebastien Sterling 
wrote:

> ICE is dead but at least we can now make foam in Bifrost...
>
>
>
> On 13 April 2015 at 17:50, Andi Farhall  wrote:
>
>> ...titter
>>
>>
>> ...
>> http://www.hackneyeffects.com/
>> https://vimeo.com/user4174293
>> http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andi-farhall/b/496/b21
>>
>>
>> http://www.flickr.com/photos/lord_hackney/
>> http://spylon.tumblr.com/
>>
>> This email and any attachments to it may be confidential and are intended
>> solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or
>> opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
>> represent those of Hackney Effects Ltd.
>>
>> If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you must neither
>> take any action based upon its contents, nor copy or show it to anyone.
>>
>> Please contact the sender if you believe you have received this email in
>> error.
>> 
>>
>>
>> --
>> From: adrian.w...@fluid-pictures.com
>> To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
>> Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>> Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2015 17:31:47 +0100
>>
>>
>>  looks like a biog step in the right direction, kudos to the devs
>>
>>
>>
>> now, about ICE...
>>
>>
>>
>> a
>>
>>
>>  --
>>
>> *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto:
>> softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] *On Behalf Of *Luc-Eric Rousseau
>> *Sent:* 13 April 2015 17:11
>> *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
>> *Subject:* Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>>
>>
>> The node editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow
>> you to remember multiple graphs.
>>
>> On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  wrote:
>>
>> What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your
>> network graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it
>> out every time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important,
>> but its just shabby.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves 
>> wrote:
>>
>> yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when
>> making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version
>>
>>
>>
>> They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Simon Reeves
>>
>> London, UK
>>
>> *si...@simonreeves.com *
>> *www.simonreeves.com *
>>
>> *www.analogstudio.co.uk *
>>
>>
>>
>> On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson 
>> wrote:
>>
>> Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016,
>> However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about
>> the hypershade finally getting some much needed love.
>>
>>
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is
>> confidential. If you have received this communication in error, please
>> notify us immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or
>> disseminate this communication without the permission of the University.
>> Only authorised signatories are competent to enter into agreements on
>> behalf of the University and recipients are thus advised that the content
>> of this message may not be legally binding on the University and may
>> contain the personal views and opinions of the author, which are not
>> necessarily the views and opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand,
>> Johannesburg. All agreements between the University and outsiders are
>> subject to South African Law unless the University agrees in writing to the
>> contrary.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Sebastien Sterling]

ICE is dead but at least we can now make foam in Bifrost...



On 13 April 2015 at 17:50, Andi Farhall  wrote:

> ...titter
>
> ...
> http://www.hackneyeffects.com/
> https://vimeo.com/user4174293
> http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andi-farhall/b/496/b21
>
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/lord_hackney/
> http://spylon.tumblr.com/
>
> This email and any attachments to it may be confidential and are intended
> solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or
> opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
> represent those of Hackney Effects Ltd.
>
> If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you must neither take
> any action based upon its contents, nor copy or show it to anyone.
>
> Please contact the sender if you believe you have received this email in
> error.
> 
>
>
> --
> From: adrian.w...@fluid-pictures.com
> To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
> Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
> Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2015 17:31:47 +0100
>
>
>  looks like a biog step in the right direction, kudos to the devs
>
>
>
> now, about ICE...
>
>
>
> a
>
>
>  --
>
> *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto:
> softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] *On Behalf Of *Luc-Eric Rousseau
> *Sent:* 13 April 2015 17:11
> *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
> *Subject:* Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
>
>
> The node editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow
> you to remember multiple graphs.
>
> On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  wrote:
>
> What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your
> network graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it
> out every time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important,
> but its just shabby.
>
>
>
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves 
> wrote:
>
> yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when
> making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version
>
>
>
> They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Simon Reeves
>
> London, UK
>
> *si...@simonreeves.com *
> *www.simonreeves.com *
>
> *www.analogstudio.co.uk *
>
>
>
> On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson 
> wrote:
>
> Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016,
> However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about
> the hypershade finally getting some much needed love.
>
>
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential.
> If you have received this communication in error, please notify us
> immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or
> disseminate this communication without the permission of the University.
> Only authorised signatories are competent to enter into agreements on
> behalf of the University and recipients are thus advised that the content
> of this message may not be legally binding on the University and may
> contain the personal views and opinions of the author, which are not
> necessarily the views and opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand,
> Johannesburg. All agreements between the University and outsiders are
> subject to South African Law unless the University agrees in writing to the
> contrary.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Re: OT: Lab for 3DSMax

[Mario Reitbauer]

I was working with Max years ago. And I liked the operator stack somehow.
But back then it was just way to slow.
How's the general operator speed now ?
They did a looot in the viewport over the years but the operators themself
were still slow when I stopped using it.

2015-04-13 17:52 GMT+02:00 Chris Johnson :

> I've been working in Max now since around the time that Soft went end of
> life. It's not that bad. I'd say once I day I shake my head at something
> and other days I'm surprised how easy some things are?
>
> The UI does feel like it's been put together with years and years of
> layers of dirty tape. However, they're addressing that aggressively...so
> I'm told.
>
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 7:35 AM, Cesar Saez  wrote:
>
>> There's no need to trash 3dsmax, this new version finally bring something
>> interesting for their users.
>> Of course there's a long way to go yet, but this is definitely a step
>> forward.
>>
>
>

RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Andi Farhall]

...titter
...
http://www.hackneyeffects.com/https://vimeo.com/user4174293http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andi-farhall/b/496/b21

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lord_hackney/
http://spylon.tumblr.com/
This email and any attachments to it may be confidential and are intended 
solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or 
opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily 
represent those of Hackney Effects Ltd.If you are not the intended recipient of 
this email, you must neither take any action based upon its contents, nor copy 
or show it to anyone.Please contact the sender if you believe you have received 
this email in error.

From: adrian.w...@fluid-pictures.com
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2015 17:31:47 +0100


















looks like a biog step in the right
direction, kudos to the devs

 

now, about ICE...

 

a

 









From:
softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Luc-Eric Rousseau

Sent: 13 April 2015 17:11

To:
softimage@listproc.autodesk.com

Subject: Re: OT: Hypershade
changes in Maya 2016



 

The node
editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow you to
remember multiple graphs.




On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  wrote:



What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your
network graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it out
every time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important, but its
just shabby.





 



On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves 
wrote:



yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive
when making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old
version



 





They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...





 





 




















Simon Reeves

London, UK

si...@simonreeves.com

www.simonreeves.com

www.analogstudio.co.uk











 



On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson 
wrote:



Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si
2016, However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited
about the hypershade finally getting some much needed love. 



 





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0





 





 



 





 








 
  
  
   

This
communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential. If
you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately
and destroy the original message. You may not copy or disseminate this
communication without the permission of the University. Only authorised
signatories are competent to enter into agreements on behalf of the
University and recipients are thus advised that the content of this message
may not be legally binding on the University and may contain the personal
views and opinions of the author, which are not necessarily the views and
opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All 
agreements between the
University and outsiders are subject to South African Law unless the
University agrees in writing to the contrary. 

   
   

 

   
  
  
  
 




 









 





  

RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[adrian wyer]

looks like a biog step in the right direction, kudos to the devs

 

now, about ICE...

 

a

 

  _  

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Luc-Eric
Rousseau
Sent: 13 April 2015 17:11
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

 

The node editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow you
to remember multiple graphs.

On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  wrote:

What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your network
graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it out every
time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important, but its
just shabby.

 

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves  wrote:

yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when
making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version

 

They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...

 

 






Simon Reeves

London, UK

si...@simonreeves.com
www.simonreeves.com

www.analogstudio.co.uk

 

On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson  wrote:

Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016,
However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about
the hypershade finally getting some much needed love. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0

 

 

 

 



This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential.
If you have received this communication in error, please notify us
immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or
disseminate this communication without the permission of the University.
Only authorised signatories are competent to enter into agreements on behalf
of the University and recipients are thus advised that the content of this
message may not be legally binding on the University and may contain the
personal views and opinions of the author, which are not necessarily the
views and opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All
agreements between the University and outsiders are subject to South African
Law unless the University agrees in writing to the contrary. 


 

 

 

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Luc-Eric Rousseau]

The node editor remembers the last graph when you reopen it.  Tabs allow
you to remember multiple graphs.
On Apr 13, 2015 11:02 AM, "Ognjen Vukovic"  wrote:

> What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your
> network graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it
> out every time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important,
> but its just shabby.
>
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves 
> wrote:
>
>> yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when
>> making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version
>>
>> They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Simon Reeves
>> London, UK
>> *si...@simonreeves.com *
>> *www.simonreeves.com *
>> *www.analogstudio.co.uk *
>>
>> On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson 
>> wrote:
>>
>>>  Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016,
>>> However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about
>>> the hypershade finally getting some much needed love.
>>>
>>>  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is 
>>> confidential. If you have received this communication in error, please 
>>> notify us immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or 
>>> disseminate this communication without the permission of the University. 
>>> Only authorised signatories are competent to enter into agreements on 
>>> behalf of the University and recipients are thus advised that the content 
>>> of this message may not be legally binding on the University and may 
>>> contain the personal views and opinions of the author, which are not 
>>> necessarily the views and opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand, 
>>> Johannesburg. All agreements between the University and outsiders are 
>>> subject to South African Law unless the University agrees in writing to the 
>>> contrary.
>>>
>>>
>>
>

Re: OT: Lab for 3DSMax

[Chris Johnson]

I've been working in Max now since around the time that Soft went end of
life. It's not that bad. I'd say once I day I shake my head at something
and other days I'm surprised how easy some things are?

The UI does feel like it's been put together with years and years of layers
of dirty tape. However, they're addressing that aggressively...so I'm told.

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 7:35 AM, Cesar Saez  wrote:

> There's no need to trash 3dsmax, this new version finally bring something
> interesting for their users.
> Of course there's a long way to go yet, but this is definitely a step
> forward.
>

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Simon Reeves]

yeah that would be great, if you unplug something temporarily you have to
go and find it again to add it (without the aid of a lovely xsi explorer)

so annoying



Simon Reeves
London, UK
*si...@simonreeves.com *
*www.simonreeves.com *
*www.analogstudio.co.uk *

On 13 April 2015 at 16:01, Ognjen Vukovic  wrote:

> What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your
> network graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it
> out every time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important,
> but its just shabby.
>
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves 
> wrote:
>
>> yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when
>> making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version
>>
>> They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Simon Reeves
>> London, UK
>> *si...@simonreeves.com *
>> *www.simonreeves.com *
>> *www.analogstudio.co.uk *
>>
>> On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson 
>> wrote:
>>
>>>  Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016,
>>> However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about
>>> the hypershade finally getting some much needed love.
>>>
>>>  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is 
>>> confidential. If you have received this communication in error, please 
>>> notify us immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or 
>>> disseminate this communication without the permission of the University. 
>>> Only authorised signatories are competent to enter into agreements on 
>>> behalf of the University and recipients are thus advised that the content 
>>> of this message may not be legally binding on the University and may 
>>> contain the personal views and opinions of the author, which are not 
>>> necessarily the views and opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand, 
>>> Johannesburg. All agreements between the University and outsiders are 
>>> subject to South African Law unless the University agrees in writing to the 
>>> contrary.
>>>
>>>
>>
>

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Ognjen Vukovic]

What irkes me is the fact that you need to create tabs to save your network
graph lay out. This should just be default instead of drawing it out every
time you decide you to graph it... Its not really that important, but its
just shabby.

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Simon Reeves  wrote:

> yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when
> making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version
>
> They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...
>
>
>
>
>
> Simon Reeves
> London, UK
> *si...@simonreeves.com *
> *www.simonreeves.com *
> *www.analogstudio.co.uk *
>
> On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson 
> wrote:
>
>>  Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016,
>> However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about
>> the hypershade finally getting some much needed love.
>>
>>  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is 
>> confidential. If you have received this communication in error, please 
>> notify us immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or 
>> disseminate this communication without the permission of the University. 
>> Only authorised signatories are competent to enter into agreements on behalf 
>> of the University and recipients are thus advised that the content of this 
>> message may not be legally binding on the University and may contain the 
>> personal views and opinions of the author, which are not necessarily the 
>> views and opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All 
>> agreements between the University and outsiders are subject to South African 
>> Law unless the University agrees in writing to the contrary.
>>
>>
>

RE: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Angus Davidson]

On the plus side it should hopefully work with whatever render you have 
installed. So yeah Baby steps.

The new color coding for icons for various tasks, wonder where they got that 
idea ;)



From: Simon Reeves [si...@simonreeves.com]
Sent: 13 April 2015 04:41 PM
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when making 
connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version

They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...





Simon Reeves
London, UK
si...@simonreeves.com
www.simonreeves.com
www.analogstudio.co.uk

On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson 
mailto:angus.david...@wits.ac.za>> wrote:
Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016, However 
must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about the 
hypershade finally getting some much needed love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0





This communication is intended
 for the addressee only. It is confidential. If you have received this 
communication in error, please notify us immediately and destroy the original 
message. You may not copy or disseminate this communication without the 
permission of the University. Only authorised
 signatories are competent to enter into agreements on behalf of the University 
and recipients are thus advised that the content of this message may not be 
legally binding on the University and may contain the personal views and 
opinions of the author, which
 are not necessarily the views and opinions of The University of the 
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All agreements between the University and 
outsiders are subject to South African Law unless the University agrees in 
writing to the contrary.






This communication is 
intended for the addressee only. It is confidential. If you have received this 
communication in error, please notify us immediately and destroy the original 
message. You may not copy or disseminate this communication without the 
permission of the University. Only authorised signatories are competent to 
enter into agreements on behalf of the University and recipients are thus 
advised that the content of this message may not be legally binding on the 
University and may contain the personal views and opinions of the author, which 
are not necessarily the views and opinions of The University of the 
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All agreements between the University and 
outsiders are subject to South African Law unless the University agrees in 
writing to the contrary. 

Re: OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Simon Reeves]

yeah it's much better, the node editor is much improved, responsive when
making connections much more rendertree/ice like than the clumsy old version

They could have improved the horrible shaderball area though...





Simon Reeves
London, UK
*si...@simonreeves.com *
*www.simonreeves.com *
*www.analogstudio.co.uk *

On 13 April 2015 at 10:47, Angus Davidson  wrote:

>  Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016,
> However must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about
> the hypershade finally getting some much needed love.
>
>  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0
>
>
>
>
>This communication is intended for the addressee only. It is confidential. 
> If you have received this communication in error, please notify us 
> immediately and destroy the original message. You may not copy or disseminate 
> this communication without the permission of the University. Only authorised 
> signatories are competent to enter into agreements on behalf of the 
> University and recipients are thus advised that the content of this message 
> may not be legally binding on the University and may contain the personal 
> views and opinions of the author, which are not necessarily the views and 
> opinions of The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All agreements 
> between the University and outsiders are subject to South African Law unless 
> the University agrees in writing to the contrary.
>
>

Re: Alembic workflow?

[Angus Davidson]

The problem is in the name.  I found that when brining maya alembics into 
Octane. There seems to be some truncation of the display of the name and 
everything ends up with the name moniker. They are separate materials though.

You should still have more then one material place holder being created.

Kind regards


On 13 Apr 2015, at 1:42 PM, Morten Bartholdy 
mailto:x...@colorshopvfx.dk>> wrote:

It seems alembic does not export materials from Maya. I need the materials in 
the scene because it helps me select the groups of objects that have the same 
material. I have tried exporting the materials as attributes from Maya, but I 
still just get a standard scene_material all across the imported objects in 
Softimage. Does someone know how to export the materials too, or any kind of 
group selection method?



MB



Den 13. april 2015 kl. 13:04 skrev Simon Reeves 
mailto:si...@simonreeves.com>>:

Yes and I think in maya it does warn you that they will be renamed on export, 
but not the best situation if you are reattaching caches!



Simon Reeves
London, UK
si...@simonreeves.com
www.simonreeves.com
www.analogstudio.co.uk

On 13 April 2015 at 12:00, Morten Bartholdy < 
x...@colorshopvfx.dk > wrote:
Well I see there is a strip namespaces functionality in Crate upon import, so 
that could come in handy. Obviously I have to be aware of the naming situation 
you mention here.

MB






Den 13. april 2015 kl. 12:40 skrev Simon Reeves < 
si...@simonreeves.com >:

I have been using that workflow and I like it. Had some trouble in Maya as 
people were using groups, and groups have their own namespaces so allowed 
duplicate names... like this:

Wheel_FR
- Tyre
Wheel_RR
- Tyre

I'm new to maya though but seems to me that groups = bad (but I don't know how 
common it is for people to use lots of groups)






Simon Reeves
London, UK
si...@simonreeves.com
www.simonreeves.com
www.analogstudio.co.uk

On 13 April 2015 at 11:25, Oscar Juarez < 
tridi.animei...@gmail.com > wrote:
Yes that is Softimage to Softimage, but it would also apply from Maya to 
Softimage, you can also get Crate for Maya, the only consideration you must 
have is your naming, and the paths inside the alembic file, with crate you are 
able to flatten the hierarchy and avoid exporting the parent name so you end up 
with an alembic file which only contains your mesh objects in it, so then you 
can apply it relative to any model or container you want.

For example you have this in maya
GroupName
- Mesh1
- Mesh2

You end up with an alembic file which only contains the meshes.
- Mesh1
- Mesh2

Then with crate you can select to which container to apply it and you just have 
to worry about your mesh names.
ModelName
- Mesh1
- Mesh2
We have some tools to avoid doing this manually for several assets, but if you 
keep the same container names in both Maya and Softimage you can export one 
alembic file for diferent assets which include the container name.

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 12:11 PM, Morten Bartholdy < 
x...@colorshopvfx.dk > wrote:
I take it this is a Softimage to Softimage workflow where the rigging and 
animation an notably the alembic export happens from Soft, via Crate!?

The workflow makes good sense and is what I hoped to hear, but I am not quite 
sure how to implement it so I apply Maya alembic animation to a Softimage 
referenced model. I have little experience with alembic workflow as I am on 
2013SP1 so I have just recently picked up Crate for use in production.

MB





Den 13. april 2015 kl. 11:57 skrev Oscar Juarez < 
tridi.animei...@gmail.com >:

What we do with Crate is we have a rigged asset and a render asset, the render 
asset is reading the geometry from an alembic file and we load as a referenced 
model into the lighting scenes, then we apply the alembic cache to that, Crate 
is smart enough to do point cache or transform cache, so even if it's a lot of 
points and they are not deforming they should save the only transformations and 
caches should be small if you do a pure cache file.

So you have two levels of referencing, softimage reference model which will 
hold the objects and shaders, and the alembic files which hold the transforms, 
point caches and geometries. I've had scenes where I have even changed the 
geometry completely of an asset as long as your naming is consistent everything 
should work.

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Morten Bartholdy < 
x...@colorshopvfx.dk > wrote:
Hi there - I am used to ref model workflow where I have a master scene with the 
shaded and rigged model which then refs in to a number of shots where it is 
animated. Now I am importing alemb

Re: Alembic workflow?

[Morten Bartholdy]

It seems alembic does not export materials from Maya. I need the materials
in the scene because it helps me select the groups of objects that have the
same material. I have tried exporting the materials as attributes from
Maya, but I still just get a standard scene_material all across the
imported objects in Softimage. Does someone know how to export the
materials too, or any kind of group selection method?

MB



Den 13. april 2015 kl. 13:04 skrev Simon Reeves :

> Yes and I think in maya it does warn you that they will be renamed on
> export, but not the best situation if you are reattaching caches!
> 
> 
> 
> Simon Reeves
> London, UK
> si...@simonreeves.com 
> www.simonreeves.com 
> www.analogstudio.co.uk 
> 
> On 13 April 2015 at 12:00, Morten Bartholdy < x...@colorshopvfx.dk
>  > wrote:
> > Well I see there is a strip namespaces functionality in Crate upon import,
> > so that could come in handy. Obviously I have to be aware of the naming
> > situation you mention here.
> > 
> > MB
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Den 13. april 2015 kl. 12:40 skrev Simon Reeves < si...@simonreeves.com
> >  >:
> > 
> > > I have been using that workflow and I like it. Had some trouble in Maya as
> > > people were using groups, and groups have their own namespaces so allowed
> > > duplicate names... like this:
> > > 
> > > Wheel_FR
> > > - Tyre
> > > Wheel_RR
> > > - Tyre
> > > 
> > > I'm new to maya though but seems to me that groups = bad (but I don't know
> > > how common it is for people to use lots of groups)
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Simon Reeves
> > > London, UK
> > > si...@simonreeves.com 
> > > www.simonreeves.com 
> > > www.analogstudio.co.uk 
> > > 
> > > On 13 April 2015 at 11:25, Oscar Juarez < tridi.animei...@gmail.com
> > >  > wrote:
> > > > Yes that is Softimage to Softimage, but it would also apply from Maya to
> > > > Softimage, you can also get Crate for Maya, the only consideration you
> > > > must
> > > > have is your naming, and the paths inside the alembic file, with crate
> > > > you
> > > > are able to flatten the hierarchy and avoid exporting the parent name so
> > > > you end up with an alembic file which only contains your mesh objects in
> > > > it, so then you can apply it relative to any model or container you
> > > > want.
> > > > 
> > > > For example you have this in maya
> > > > GroupName
> > > > - Mesh1
> > > > - Mesh2
> > > > 
> > > > You end up with an alembic file which only contains the meshes.
> > > > - Mesh1
> > > > - Mesh2
> > > > 
> > > > Then with crate you can select to which container to apply it and you
> > > > just
> > > > have to worry about your mesh names.
> > > > ModelName
> > > > - Mesh1
> > > > - Mesh2
> > > > We have some tools to avoid doing this manually for several assets, but
> > > > if
> > > > you keep the same container names in both Maya and Softimage you can
> > > > export
> > > > one alembic file for diferent assets which include the container name.
> > > > 
> > > > On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 12:11 PM, Morten Bartholdy < 
> > > > x...@colorshopvfx.dk
> > > >  > wrote:
> > > > > I take it this is a Softimage to Softimage workflow where the rigging
> > > > > and
> > > > > animation an notably the alembic export happens from Soft, via Crate!?
> > > > > 
> > > > > The workflow makes good sense and is what I hoped to hear, but I am
> > > > > not
> > > > > quite sure how to implement it so I apply Maya alembic animation to a
> > > > > Softimage referenced model. I have little experience with alembic
> > > > > workflow
> > > > > as I am on 2013SP1 so I have just recently picked up Crate for use in
> > > > > production.
> > > > > 
> > > > > MB
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > Den 13. april 2015 kl. 11:57 skrev Oscar Juarez <
> > > > > tridi.animei...@gmail.com  >:
> > > > > 
> > > > > > What we do with Crate is we have a rigged asset and a render asset,
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > render asset is reading the geometry from an alembic file and we
> > > > > > load as a
> > > > > > referenced model into the lighting scenes, then we apply the alembic
> > > > > > cache
> > > > > > to that, Crate is smart enough to do point cache or transform cache,
> > > > > > so
> > > > > > even if it's a lot of points and they are not deforming they should
> > > > > > save
> > > > > > the only transformations and caches should be small if you do a pure
> > > > > > cache
> > > > > > file.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > So you have two levels of referencing, softimage reference model
> > > > > > which will
> > > > > > hold the objects and shaders, and the alembic files which hold the
> > > > > > transforms, point c

Re: OT: Lab for 3DSMax

[Cesar Saez]

There's no need to trash 3dsmax, this new version finally bring something
interesting for their users.
Of course there's a long way to go yet, but this is definitely a step
forward.

Re: Hard edges from Maya to Softimage

[Tim Leydecker]

I don´t know about converting normal clusters because I can´t really
see what you´d want to convert them to?

In general, they are useful to assing different materials or is it because
of the clusters that you have problems using the mesh in Quixel Suite
or Substance Designer because each cluster will generate a separate
material there, even if that cluster was just meant for hard eges?

Afaik, the clusters are needed inside softimage, you´d want that cluster
to be able to select the hardened edges inside softimage, using RMB
"select components".

When facing problems with meshes generating multiple material entries
inside Substance Designer/Painter, I like to resort to exporting an *.obj
file, making sure I have only the actual UVset I need as "map1" merging
all elements into a new mesh I want to have share one texture set.

If that fails, I delete the *.mtl file that´ll be generated along with 
the *.obj.


If I can, I´ll also assign the default lambert Maya material, especially 
when

I want to salvage stuff from an existing Substance Tree.

In a nutshell, I´ll try to do *.obj exports from Maya, avoiding 
Softimage Clusters.


tim

P.S: When I´m refering to *.fbx in a 2014 build version, it´s because 
that´s what a
Unreal Engine 4 expects to get, afaik they don´t support the fbx 2015 
fully officially.




Am 13.04.2015 um 11:58 schrieb Martin Yara:

It worked ! Thanks!

It was the "Smoothing Groups" in Maya, it wasn't checked.

I still wish there was a way to convert that normal cluster though :P

Martin

On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 6:33 PM, Tim Leydecker > wrote:


In the Softimage FBX import options, there is a checkbox under
"Include":

Hard Edges - that´s off by default, you want this on.

I´m setting this to on and then I get a MarkHardEdge/Vertex op
floating in the Modeling Stack on import of the *.fbx

Those egdes are indentical to what I selected as Hard edges in
Maya and
they show up blue as one would expect inside Softimage.

Unless you had triangulate on while exporting from Maya, that´ll
create
extra
hardened edges, due to the triangulate option doing it´s thing.

Unreal4engine would like to have Tri´s for import of *.fbx files
but in
terms
of full control, it´s not adviseable to have *.fbx decide on
triangulation.

It´s better to do that manually based on the desired result and
have *.fbx
not triangulate automatically, which can lead to unwanted shading
errors.

For best I/O between Softimage and Maya, autotriangulation should
definitely
be off.


Cheers,


tim

Am 12.04.2015 um 11:09 schrieb Martin:
> I only get a normal cluster, so visually it is the same but the
edges are not marked (no blue edges).
>
> I'll try different options and FBX versions just in case. Maybe
something had changed in newer versions.
>
> Although it is visually the same, the problem with this normal
cluster is that it is very fragile if you need to change topology
and do some other things after that. Also any script reading hard
edges won't work. Also you can't add hard edges because this
cluster overrides everything. I'm not sure how much this could
affect the output to a game data format but the biggest problem is
that my client just won't accept a normal cluster instead normal
hard edges.
>
> The easiest solution I found was to disconnect hard edges in
Maya, and in SI, select border edges, mark them as hard and merge.
Easily scriptable. Not quite the same but close enough.
>
> The problem is when I don't have the original Maya data and only
have an FBX and/or a SI data with user normal cluster. I though it
wouldn't be that hard to convert somehow that cluster to edges,
but it seems it is.
>
> Martin
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On 2015/04/12, at 17:17, Tim Leydecker mailto:bauero...@gmx.de>> wrote:
>>
>> Maybe I don´t get the question properly but for the following,
it seems to work:
>>
>> In Maya, create Polysphere, select some edges, go to
Normals>Harden Edge
>>
>> Export the sphere using *.fbx, in the *.fbx export options
under Geometry, make
>> sure that "Smoothing Groups" is ticked on and Tangents and
Binormals is on, too.
>>
>> IIRC, in the *.fbx export options, those setting can sometimes
be ticked off from a preset.
>>
>> In Softimage, go to File>Import>Import FBX...
>>
>> In my little test using Maya 2014/Softimage2014 and *.fbx
plug-in version 2014.1 (release 214447),
>> the sphere came in fine into Softimage, showing the hard edge
rings created in Maya correctly.
>>
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> tim
>>
>>
>>> Am 12.04.2015 um 00:46 schrieb Matt Lind:
>>> Technically speaking, hard edges is just a special case of
normal cluster where the specific normals

Re: Alembic workflow?

[Simon Reeves]

Yes and I think in maya it does warn you that they will be renamed on
export, but not the best situation if you are reattaching caches!



Simon Reeves
London, UK
*si...@simonreeves.com *
*www.simonreeves.com *
*www.analogstudio.co.uk *

On 13 April 2015 at 12:00, Morten Bartholdy  wrote:

>   Well I see there is a strip namespaces functionality in Crate upon
> import, so that could come in handy. Obviously I have to be aware of the
> naming situation you mention here.
>
>
>MB
>
>
>
>
>
> Den 13. april 2015 kl. 12:40 skrev Simon Reeves :
>
>   I have been using that workflow and I like it. Had some trouble in Maya
> as people were using groups, and groups have their own namespaces so
> allowed duplicate names... like this:
>
>  Wheel_FR
> - Tyre
> Wheel_RR
> - Tyre
>
> I'm new to maya though but seems to me that groups = bad (but I don't know
> how common it is for people to use lots of groups)
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Simon Reeves
>  London, UK
>  * si...@simonreeves.com  *
>  * www.simonreeves.com  *
>  * www.analogstudio.co.uk  *
>
>  On 13 April 2015 at 11:25, Oscar Juarez < tridi.animei...@gmail.com > wrote:
>
>
>  Yes that is Softimage to Softimage, but it would also apply from Maya to
> Softimage, you can also get Crate for Maya, the only consideration you must
> have is your naming, and the paths inside the alembic file, with crate you
> are able to flatten the hierarchy and avoid exporting the parent name so
> you end up with an alembic file which only contains your mesh objects in
> it, so then you can apply it relative to any model or container you want.
>
> For example you have this in maya
> GroupName
> - Mesh1
> - Mesh2
>
> You end up with an alembic file which only contains the meshes.
> - Mesh1
> - Mesh2
>
> Then with crate you can select to which container to apply it and you just
> have to worry about your mesh names.
> ModelName
> - Mesh1
>  - Mesh2
>  We have some tools to avoid doing this manually for several assets, but
> if you keep the same container names in both Maya and Softimage you can
> export one alembic file for diferent assets which include the container
> name.
>
>  On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 12:11 PM, Morten Bartholdy < x...@colorshopvfx.dk
> > wrote:
>
>   I take it this is a Softimage to Softimage workflow where the rigging
> and animation an notably the alembic export happens from Soft, via Crate!?
>
>
>The workflow makes good sense and is what I hoped to hear, but I am
> not quite sure how to implement it so I apply Maya alembic animation to a
> Softimage referenced model. I have little experience with alembic workflow
> as I am on 2013SP1 so I have just recently picked up Crate for use in
> production.
>
>
>MB
>
>
>
>
>
> Den 13. april 2015 kl. 11:57 skrev Oscar Juarez <
> tridi.animei...@gmail.com >:
>
>   What we do with Crate is we have a rigged asset and a render asset, the
> render asset is reading the geometry from an alembic file and we load as a
> referenced model into the lighting scenes, then we apply the alembic cache
> to that, Crate is smart enough to do point cache or transform cache, so
> even if it's a lot of points and they are not deforming they should save
> the only transformations and caches should be small if you do a pure cache
> file.
>
> So you have two levels of referencing, softimage reference model which
> will hold the objects and shaders, and the alembic files which hold the
> transforms, point caches and geometries. I've had scenes where I have even
> changed the geometry completely of an asset as long as your naming is
> consistent everything should work.
>
>  On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Morten Bartholdy < x...@colorshopvfx.dk
> > wrote:
>
>   Hi there - I am used to ref model workflow where I have a master scene
> with the shaded and rigged model which then refs in to a number of shots
> where it is animated. Now I am importing alembic shots from Maya where the
> same vehicle with a gazillion parts has been animated. It is a rigid thing
> with hinges and rotating parts so we are not pointcaching.
>
>
>Is there a clever workflow which will allow me to shade and texture
> this thing once and use for each alembic shot, or will I have to possibly
> script grouping of parts and subsequent shading and texturing per shot? How
> do you guys handle such a scenario?
>
>
>Thanks
>
>  Morten
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Re: Alembic workflow?

[Morten Bartholdy]

Well I see there is a strip namespaces functionality in Crate upon import,
so that could come in handy. Obviously I have to be aware of the naming
situation you mention here.

MB





Den 13. april 2015 kl. 12:40 skrev Simon Reeves :

> I have been using that workflow and I like it. Had some trouble in Maya as
> people were using groups, and groups have their own namespaces so allowed
> duplicate names... like this:
> 
> Wheel_FR
> - Tyre
> Wheel_RR
> - Tyre
> 
> I'm new to maya though but seems to me that groups = bad (but I don't know
> how common it is for people to use lots of groups)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Simon Reeves
> London, UK
> si...@simonreeves.com 
> www.simonreeves.com 
> www.analogstudio.co.uk 
> 
> On 13 April 2015 at 11:25, Oscar Juarez < tridi.animei...@gmail.com
>  > wrote:
> > Yes that is Softimage to Softimage, but it would also apply from Maya to
> > Softimage, you can also get Crate for Maya, the only consideration you must
> > have is your naming, and the paths inside the alembic file, with crate you
> > are able to flatten the hierarchy and avoid exporting the parent name so
> > you end up with an alembic file which only contains your mesh objects in
> > it, so then you can apply it relative to any model or container you want.
> > 
> > For example you have this in maya
> > GroupName
> > - Mesh1
> > - Mesh2
> > 
> > You end up with an alembic file which only contains the meshes.
> > - Mesh1
> > - Mesh2
> > 
> > Then with crate you can select to which container to apply it and you just
> > have to worry about your mesh names.
> > ModelName
> > - Mesh1
> > - Mesh2
> > We have some tools to avoid doing this manually for several assets, but if
> > you keep the same container names in both Maya and Softimage you can export
> > one alembic file for diferent assets which include the container name.
> > 
> > On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 12:11 PM, Morten Bartholdy < x...@colorshopvfx.dk
> >  > wrote:
> > > I take it this is a Softimage to Softimage workflow where the rigging and
> > > animation an notably the alembic export happens from Soft, via Crate!?
> > > 
> > > The workflow makes good sense and is what I hoped to hear, but I am not
> > > quite sure how to implement it so I apply Maya alembic animation to a
> > > Softimage referenced model. I have little experience with alembic workflow
> > > as I am on 2013SP1 so I have just recently picked up Crate for use in
> > > production.
> > > 
> > > MB
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Den 13. april 2015 kl. 11:57 skrev Oscar Juarez <
> > > tridi.animei...@gmail.com  >:
> > > 
> > > > What we do with Crate is we have a rigged asset and a render asset, the
> > > > render asset is reading the geometry from an alembic file and we load as
> > > > a
> > > > referenced model into the lighting scenes, then we apply the alembic
> > > > cache
> > > > to that, Crate is smart enough to do point cache or transform cache, so
> > > > even if it's a lot of points and they are not deforming they should save
> > > > the only transformations and caches should be small if you do a pure
> > > > cache
> > > > file.
> > > > 
> > > > So you have two levels of referencing, softimage reference model which
> > > > will
> > > > hold the objects and shaders, and the alembic files which hold the
> > > > transforms, point caches and geometries. I've had scenes where I have
> > > > even
> > > > changed the geometry completely of an asset as long as your naming is
> > > > consistent everything should work.
> > > > 
> > > > On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Morten Bartholdy < 
> > > > x...@colorshopvfx.dk
> > > >  > wrote:
> > > > > Hi there - I am used to ref model workflow where I have a master scene
> > > > > with
> > > > > the shaded and rigged model which then refs in to a number of shots
> > > > > where
> > > > > it is animated. Now I am importing alembic shots from Maya where the
> > > > > same
> > > > > vehicle with a gazillion parts has been animated. It is a rigid thing
> > > > > with
> > > > > hinges and rotating parts so we are not pointcaching.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Is there a clever workflow which will allow me to shade and texture
> > > > > this
> > > > > thing once and use for each alembic shot, or will I have to possibly
> > > > > script
> > > > > grouping of parts and subsequent shading and texturing per shot? How
> > > > > do you
> > > > > guys handle such a scenario?
> > > > > 
> > > > > Thanks
> > > > > Morten
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > 
> > > 

Re: Alembic workflow?

[Simon Reeves]

I have been using that workflow and I like it. Had some trouble in Maya as
people were using groups, and groups have their own namespaces so allowed
duplicate names... like this:

Wheel_FR
- Tyre
Wheel_RR
- Tyre

I'm new to maya though but seems to me that groups = bad (but I don't know
how common it is for people to use lots of groups)






Simon Reeves
London, UK
*si...@simonreeves.com *
*www.simonreeves.com *
*www.analogstudio.co.uk *

On 13 April 2015 at 11:25, Oscar Juarez  wrote:

> Yes that is Softimage to Softimage, but it would also apply from Maya to
> Softimage, you can also get Crate for Maya, the only consideration you must
> have is your naming, and the paths inside the alembic file, with crate you
> are able to flatten the hierarchy and avoid exporting the parent name so
> you end up with an alembic file which only contains your mesh objects in
> it, so then you can apply it relative to any model or container you want.
>
> For example you have this in maya
> GroupName
> - Mesh1
> - Mesh2
>
> You end up with an alembic file which only contains the meshes.
> - Mesh1
> - Mesh2
>
> Then with crate you can select to which container to apply it and you just
> have to worry about your mesh names.
> ModelName
> - Mesh1
> - Mesh2
>
> We have some tools to avoid doing this manually for several assets, but if
> you keep the same container names in both Maya and Softimage you can export
> one alembic file for diferent assets which include the container name.
>
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 12:11 PM, Morten Bartholdy 
> wrote:
>
>>   I take it this is a Softimage to Softimage workflow where the rigging
>> and animation an notably the alembic export happens from Soft, via Crate!?
>>
>>
>>The workflow makes good sense and is what I hoped to hear, but I am
>> not quite sure how to implement it so I apply Maya alembic animation to a
>> Softimage referenced model. I have little experience with alembic workflow
>> as I am on 2013SP1 so I have just recently picked up Crate for use in
>> production.
>>
>>
>>MB
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Den 13. april 2015 kl. 11:57 skrev Oscar Juarez <
>> tridi.animei...@gmail.com>:
>>
>>   What we do with Crate is we have a rigged asset and a render asset,
>> the render asset is reading the geometry from an alembic file and we load
>> as a referenced model into the lighting scenes, then we apply the alembic
>> cache to that, Crate is smart enough to do point cache or transform cache,
>> so even if it's a lot of points and they are not deforming they should save
>> the only transformations and caches should be small if you do a pure cache
>> file.
>>
>> So you have two levels of referencing, softimage reference model which
>> will hold the objects and shaders, and the alembic files which hold the
>> transforms, point caches and geometries. I've had scenes where I have even
>> changed the geometry completely of an asset as long as your naming is
>> consistent everything should work.
>>
>>  On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Morten Bartholdy < x...@colorshopvfx.dk
>> > wrote:
>>
>>   Hi there - I am used to ref model workflow where I have a master scene
>> with the shaded and rigged model which then refs in to a number of shots
>> where it is animated. Now I am importing alembic shots from Maya where the
>> same vehicle with a gazillion parts has been animated. It is a rigid thing
>> with hinges and rotating parts so we are not pointcaching.
>>
>>
>>Is there a clever workflow which will allow me to shade and texture
>> this thing once and use for each alembic shot, or will I have to possibly
>> script grouping of parts and subsequent shading and texturing per shot? How
>> do you guys handle such a scenario?
>>
>>
>>Thanks
>>
>>  Morten
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Re: Alembic workflow?

[Oscar Juarez]

Yes that is Softimage to Softimage, but it would also apply from Maya to
Softimage, you can also get Crate for Maya, the only consideration you must
have is your naming, and the paths inside the alembic file, with crate you
are able to flatten the hierarchy and avoid exporting the parent name so
you end up with an alembic file which only contains your mesh objects in
it, so then you can apply it relative to any model or container you want.

For example you have this in maya
GroupName
- Mesh1
- Mesh2

You end up with an alembic file which only contains the meshes.
- Mesh1
- Mesh2

Then with crate you can select to which container to apply it and you just
have to worry about your mesh names.
ModelName
- Mesh1
- Mesh2

We have some tools to avoid doing this manually for several assets, but if
you keep the same container names in both Maya and Softimage you can export
one alembic file for diferent assets which include the container name.

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 12:11 PM, Morten Bartholdy 
wrote:

>   I take it this is a Softimage to Softimage workflow where the rigging
> and animation an notably the alembic export happens from Soft, via Crate!?
>
>
>The workflow makes good sense and is what I hoped to hear, but I am
> not quite sure how to implement it so I apply Maya alembic animation to a
> Softimage referenced model. I have little experience with alembic workflow
> as I am on 2013SP1 so I have just recently picked up Crate for use in
> production.
>
>
>MB
>
>
>
>
> Den 13. april 2015 kl. 11:57 skrev Oscar Juarez :
>
>
>   What we do with Crate is we have a rigged asset and a render asset, the
> render asset is reading the geometry from an alembic file and we load as a
> referenced model into the lighting scenes, then we apply the alembic cache
> to that, Crate is smart enough to do point cache or transform cache, so
> even if it's a lot of points and they are not deforming they should save
> the only transformations and caches should be small if you do a pure cache
> file.
>
> So you have two levels of referencing, softimage reference model which
> will hold the objects and shaders, and the alembic files which hold the
> transforms, point caches and geometries. I've had scenes where I have even
> changed the geometry completely of an asset as long as your naming is
> consistent everything should work.
>
>  On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Morten Bartholdy < x...@colorshopvfx.dk
> > wrote:
>
>   Hi there - I am used to ref model workflow where I have a master scene
> with the shaded and rigged model which then refs in to a number of shots
> where it is animated. Now I am importing alembic shots from Maya where the
> same vehicle with a gazillion parts has been animated. It is a rigid thing
> with hinges and rotating parts so we are not pointcaching.
>
>
>Is there a clever workflow which will allow me to shade and texture
> this thing once and use for each alembic shot, or will I have to possibly
> script grouping of parts and subsequent shading and texturing per shot? How
> do you guys handle such a scenario?
>
>
>Thanks
>
>  Morten
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Re: Alembic workflow?

[Angus Davidson]

In theory as long as the underlying geometry is the same it shouldn’t matter.

Bring in an alembic of an un animated asset from Maya to Softimage, Texture it 
once. Then you just use the Alembics to drive your textured model.



On 13 Apr 2015, at 12:11 PM, Morten Bartholdy 
mailto:x...@colorshopvfx.dk>> wrote:

I take it this is a Softimage to Softimage workflow where the rigging and 
animation an notably the alembic export happens from Soft, via Crate!?

The workflow makes good sense and is what I hoped to hear, but I am not quite 
sure how to implement it so I apply Maya alembic animation to a Softimage 
referenced model. I have little experience with alembic workflow as I am on 
2013SP1 so I have just recently picked up Crate for use in production.

MB



Den 13. april 2015 kl. 11:57 skrev Oscar Juarez 
mailto:tridi.animei...@gmail.com>>:

What we do with Crate is we have a rigged asset and a render asset, the render 
asset is reading the geometry from an alembic file and we load as a referenced 
model into the lighting scenes, then we apply the alembic cache to that, Crate 
is smart enough to do point cache or transform cache, so even if it's a lot of 
points and they are not deforming they should save the only transformations and 
caches should be small if you do a pure cache file.

So you have two levels of referencing, softimage reference model which will 
hold the objects and shaders, and the alembic files which hold the transforms, 
point caches and geometries. I've had scenes where I have even changed the 
geometry completely of an asset as long as your naming is consistent everything 
should work.

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Morten Bartholdy < 
x...@colorshopvfx.dk > wrote:
Hi there - I am used to ref model workflow where I have a master scene with the 
shaded and rigged model which then refs in to a number of shots where it is 
animated. Now I am importing alembic shots from Maya where the same vehicle 
with a gazillion parts has been animated. It is a rigid thing with hinges and 
rotating parts so we are not pointcaching.

Is there a clever workflow which will allow me to shade and texture this thing 
once and use for each alembic shot, or will I have to possibly script grouping 
of parts and subsequent shading and texturing per shot? How do you guys handle 
such a scenario?

Thanks
Morten










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outsiders are subject to South African Law unless the University agrees in 
writing to the contrary. 

Re: Alembic workflow?

[Morten Bartholdy]

I take it this is a Softimage to Softimage workflow where the rigging and
animation an notably the alembic export happens from Soft, via Crate!?

The workflow makes good sense and is what I hoped to hear, but I am not
quite sure how to implement it so I apply Maya alembic animation to a
Softimage referenced model. I have little experience with alembic workflow
as I am on 2013SP1 so I have just recently picked up Crate for use in
production.

MB




Den 13. april 2015 kl. 11:57 skrev Oscar Juarez
:

> What we do with Crate is we have a rigged asset and a render asset, the
> render asset is reading the geometry from an alembic file and we load as a
> referenced model into the lighting scenes, then we apply the alembic cache
> to that, Crate is smart enough to do point cache or transform cache, so
> even if it's a lot of points and they are not deforming they should save
> the only transformations and caches should be small if you do a pure cache
> file.
> 
> So you have two levels of referencing, softimage reference model which will
> hold the objects and shaders, and the alembic files which hold the
> transforms, point caches and geometries. I've had scenes where I have even
> changed the geometry completely of an asset as long as your naming is
> consistent everything should work.
> 
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Morten Bartholdy < x...@colorshopvfx.dk
>  > wrote:
> > Hi there - I am used to ref model workflow where I have a master scene with
> > the shaded and rigged model which then refs in to a number of shots where
> > it is animated. Now I am importing alembic shots from Maya where the same
> > vehicle with a gazillion parts has been animated. It is a rigid thing with
> > hinges and rotating parts so we are not pointcaching.
> > 
> > Is there a clever workflow which will allow me to shade and texture this
> > thing once and use for each alembic shot, or will I have to possibly script
> > grouping of parts and subsequent shading and texturing per shot? How do you
> > guys handle such a scenario?
> > 
> > Thanks
> > Morten
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 

Re: Hard edges from Maya to Softimage

[Martin Yara]

It worked ! Thanks!

It was the "Smoothing Groups" in Maya, it wasn't checked.

I still wish there was a way to convert that normal cluster though :P

Martin

On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 6:33 PM, Tim Leydecker  wrote:

> In the Softimage FBX import options, there is a checkbox under "Include":
>
> Hard Edges - that´s off by default, you want this on.
>
> I´m setting this to on and then I get a MarkHardEdge/Vertex op
> floating in the Modeling Stack on import of the *.fbx
>
> Those egdes are indentical to what I selected as Hard edges in Maya and
> they show up blue as one would expect inside Softimage.
>
> Unless you had triangulate on while exporting from Maya, that´ll create
> extra
> hardened edges, due to the triangulate option doing it´s thing.
>
> Unreal4engine would like to have Tri´s for import of *.fbx files but in
> terms
> of full control, it´s not adviseable to have *.fbx decide on triangulation.
>
> It´s better to do that manually based on the desired result and have *.fbx
> not triangulate automatically, which can lead to unwanted shading errors.
>
> For best I/O between Softimage and Maya, autotriangulation should
> definitely
> be off.
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
> tim
>
> Am 12.04.2015 um 11:09 schrieb Martin:
> > I only get a normal cluster, so visually it is the same but the edges
> are not marked (no blue edges).
> >
> > I'll try different options and FBX versions just in case. Maybe
> something had changed in newer versions.
> >
> > Although it is visually the same, the problem with this normal cluster
> is that it is very fragile if you need to change topology and do some other
> things after that. Also any script reading hard edges won't work. Also you
> can't add hard edges because this cluster overrides everything. I'm not
> sure how much this could affect the output to a game data format but the
> biggest problem is that my client just won't accept a normal cluster
> instead normal hard edges.
> >
> > The easiest solution I found was to disconnect hard edges in Maya, and
> in SI, select border edges, mark them as hard and merge. Easily scriptable.
> Not quite the same but close enough.
> >
> > The problem is when I don't have the original Maya data and only have an
> FBX and/or a SI data with user normal cluster. I though it wouldn't be that
> hard to convert somehow that cluster to edges, but it seems it is.
> >
> > Martin
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> >> On 2015/04/12, at 17:17, Tim Leydecker  wrote:
> >>
> >> Maybe I don´t get the question properly but for the following, it seems
> to work:
> >>
> >> In Maya, create Polysphere, select some edges, go to Normals>Harden Edge
> >>
> >> Export the sphere using *.fbx, in the *.fbx export options under
> Geometry, make
> >> sure that "Smoothing Groups" is ticked on and Tangents and Binormals is
> on, too.
> >>
> >> IIRC, in the *.fbx export options, those setting can sometimes be
> ticked off from a preset.
> >>
> >> In Softimage, go to File>Import>Import FBX...
> >>
> >> In my little test using Maya 2014/Softimage2014 and *.fbx plug-in
> version 2014.1 (release 214447),
> >> the sphere came in fine into Softimage, showing the hard edge rings
> created in Maya correctly.
> >>
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >>
> >> tim
> >>
> >>
> >>> Am 12.04.2015 um 00:46 schrieb Matt Lind:
> >>> Technically speaking, hard edges is just a special case of normal
> cluster where the specific normals associated with the edges are not
> smoothed via smoothing/discontinuity/etc... They are left in their original
> raw state (perpendicular to surface).  You do not need to create "hard
> edges" to have the same end result of faceted edges on the mesh.  You only
> need to know which normals in the normal cluster should be interpolated vs.
> not.
> >>>
> >>> Normals live on samples (or 'polygon nodes' for the specific case of
> polygon meshes), which are the original unshared vertices of the mesh.  If
> you want to preserve hard edges coming from Maya, you'll need to keep track
> of the sample indices and make sure they don't change during the
> transition.  If the samples change order, then your backup plan is to
> record the vertex index and polygon index together in Maya and pass that
> along as metadata to Softimage as that'll be needed to identify which
> sample on a vertex should be flagged for hard edges (because each vertex in
> Softimage has multiple samples).
> >>>
> >>> If polygon indices change too, then the only brute force method
> available is to unshared all the edges of the mesh in Maya to force the
> vertices to be unique so when you get them over to Softimage it'll be easy
> to identify and flag...but of course unsharing on it's own will force hard
> edges on all the unshared edges so in some ways will defeat the purpose.
> >>>
> >>> An alternate non brute force method (if all the indices keep shifting
> around) is to apply a vertex color property or UVW texture projection and
> record the edge flags there, then have a plugin in Softimage read that data
> and apply

Re: Alembic workflow?

[Oscar Juarez]

What we do with Crate is we have a rigged asset and a render asset, the
render asset is reading the geometry from an alembic file and we load as a
referenced model into the lighting scenes, then we apply the alembic cache
to that, Crate is smart enough to do point cache or transform cache, so
even if it's a lot of points and they are not deforming they should save
the only transformations and caches should be small if you do a pure cache
file.

So you have two levels of referencing, softimage reference model which will
hold the objects and shaders, and the alembic files which hold the
transforms, point caches and geometries. I've had scenes where I have even
changed the geometry completely of an asset as long as your naming is
consistent everything should work.

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Morten Bartholdy 
wrote:

>   Hi there - I am used to ref model workflow where I have a master scene
> with the shaded and rigged model which then refs in to a number of shots
> where it is animated. Now I am importing alembic shots from Maya where the
> same vehicle with a gazillion parts has been animated. It is a rigid thing
> with hinges and rotating parts so we are not pointcaching.
>
>
>Is there a clever workflow which will allow me to shade and texture
> this thing once and use for each alembic shot, or will I have to possibly
> script grouping of parts and subsequent shading and texturing per shot? How
> do you guys handle such a scenario?
>
>
>Thanks
>
>  Morten
>
>
>
>
>
>

OT: Hypershade changes in Maya 2016

[Angus Davidson]

Makes me somewhat sad that there will be no new features for  Si 2016, However 
must say while I am forced to use Maya I am at least excited about the 
hypershade finally getting some much needed love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRVXXw5NZC0







This communication is 
intended for the addressee only. It is confidential. If you have received this 
communication in error, please notify us immediately and destroy the original 
message. You may not copy or disseminate this communication without the 
permission of the University. Only authorised signatories are competent to 
enter into agreements on behalf of the University and recipients are thus 
advised that the content of this message may not be legally binding on the 
University and may contain the personal views and opinions of the author, which 
are not necessarily the views and opinions of The University of the 
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All agreements between the University and 
outsiders are subject to South African Law unless the University agrees in 
writing to the contrary. 

Alembic workflow?

[Morten Bartholdy]

Hi there - I am used to ref model workflow where I have a master scene with
the shaded and rigged model which then refs in to a number of shots where
it is animated. Now I am importing alembic shots from Maya where the same
vehicle with a gazillion parts has been animated. It is a rigid thing with
hinges and rotating parts so we are not pointcaching.

Is there a clever workflow which will allow me to shade and texture this
thing once and use for each alembic shot, or will I have to possibly script
grouping of parts and subsequent shading and texturing per shot? How do you
guys handle such a scenario?

Thanks
Morten

Re: OT: Lab for 3DSMax

[Artur Woźniak]

Hilarious, thank you for this. I needed this today.

Artur

2015-04-13 3:56 GMT+02:00 Raffaele Fragapane :

> I have to admit to never having got the hang of MAX.
> I produced work professionally with Soft, LW, XSI, Maya, Houdini... MAX I
> never got, it's like it was made for some other species than humans AFAIC.
>
> If MAX tastes like anything, I imagine it would taste like boiled broccoli
> left in the sun for a couple weeks.
>
> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 11:47 AM, pedro santos  wrote:
>
>> That MAX taste right? x)
>> But it touches some soft spots for me. Deformation and topology
>> operations.
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN5NXLDjH1s&feature=youtu.be
>>
>> On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 2:15 AM, Raffaele Fragapane <
>> raffsxsil...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Why would anyone bother when they could use Fabric for free for the same
>>> thing and also have it go across packages?
>>> The "now you can be a programmer too!" video style, complete with
>>> royalty free music loop, also made me throw up a bit in the back of my
>>> mouth :p
>>>
>>>

RE: OT: Lab for 3DSMax

[Graham Bell]

I’d go with that. I too, have never been able to get my head around working in 
Max.

From: softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com 
[mailto:softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] On Behalf Of Raffaele Fragapane
Sent: 13 April 2015 02:57
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Subject: Re: OT: Lab for 3DSMax

I have to admit to never having got the hang of MAX.
I produced work professionally with Soft, LW, XSI, Maya, Houdini... MAX I never 
got, it's like it was made for some other species than humans AFAIC.

If MAX tastes like anything, I imagine it would taste like boiled broccoli left 
in the sun for a couple weeks.

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 11:47 AM, pedro santos 
mailto:probi...@gmail.com>> wrote:
That MAX taste right? x)
But it touches some soft spots for me. Deformation and topology operations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN5NXLDjH1s&feature=youtu.be

On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 2:15 AM, Raffaele Fragapane 
mailto:raffsxsil...@googlemail.com>> wrote:
Why would anyone bother when they could use Fabric for free for the same thing 
and also have it go across packages?
The "now you can be a programmer too!" video style, complete with royalty free 
music loop, also made me throw up a bit in the back of my mouth :p

<>