Well I need to keep some amount of hierarchy - there are 4700+ parts in the model which I dont fancy floating around in the scene root :)
I exported the whole model earlier as fbx and had to shade each subpart/section individually and save them out as models then ref them back in to the Parent Model in order to hold it in Softimage 2013. The models combined are 3,5 GB so it is above save and load scene file size for my good old Soft. The ref way is the only way I can handle them and I dont much fancy shading the alembic geometry all over again. Unfortunately this also means that troubleshooting via trial and error takes a loong time, so it is a slow proces trying out the various options in Crate. I will give it another go and see how I can apply your suggestions. Morten Den 22. april 2015 kl. 13:37 skrev Oscar Juarez <[email protected]>: > I agree with Simon, if it's only for rendering I would export just the > geometry with flattened hierarchy and transforms, will be a light cache > that way if you don't have any deformations. > > On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 1:34 PM, Simon Reeves < [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > How much rig are you keeping in XSI for your render model? > > > > Personally I would prefer to only export the meshes from maya, without > > hierarchy (and have none in xsi). > > > > Doing that with crate doesn't only export deforming point caches, it will > > export kinematics if the object is being animated in a hierarchy > > > > I did a simple test like that > > > > - Null (animated) > > - Null (animated) > > - Geo <-- export without hierarchy as point cache only > > > > [Inline images 2] > > > > XSI: > > Model > > - Geo > > > > Select the Model import alembic with these settings > > > > [Inline images 1] > > That should attach the cache to any objects in the selected model (import > > root selection) that match the object names in the .abc file > > > > strip namespaces (likely you need to) > > add the time control to the model rather than scene root (optional) > > > > And that attached cache to the kinematics so the object is rotating not > > just deforming. > > > > I hope that's helpful! Sorry if it's too simplistic! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Simon Reeves > > London, UK > > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > > www.simonreeves.com <http://www.simonreeves.com> > > www.analogstudio.co.uk <http://www.analogstudio.co.uk> > > > > On 22 April 2015 at 09:23, Morten Bartholdy < [email protected] > > <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote: > > > I have a complex vehicle which is animated in Maya and needs to be > > > exported > > > to Softimage for shading and rendering. I am using Crate for export and > > > import, having a shaded Master model in Softimage and attaching animation > > > only to the existing geometry. There are some snags though, and the Crate > > > documenTation is kind of slim on this, so I thought I would ask the > > > Alembic > > > savvy people here. > > > > > > The model is rigged so rigid geometry is constrained to a hierarchial rig > > > which is then animated. Hierarchial meaning for instance a crane arm with > > > several hinged parts. There are deformed tubes which are part of the crane > > > arm, so eventually I need pointcache as well as SRT exported. > > > > > > When I use the built in Maya alembic exporter I get almost all of the > > > animation, but it seems certain constraints are nok baked and exported, > > > plus a few parts jump to wrong positions where identically named parts > > > (with individual numbering) are positioned. Using Crate I can export the > > > geometry with animation and import the whole thing fine, but when I try > > > attaching the same file animation to existing geometry (the shaded master > > > model) I only get the top hierarchy controllers SRT. The naming is > > > identical and I strip Maya namespaces, so that should not be a factor. > > > > > > How do you guys manage a Crate workflow similar to this and are there any > > > particular pitfalls, or do's and don'ts? Specifically I fail to find the > > > various export options comprehensively documented, so it is a bit unclear > > > how to be sure to export pointcache for deformed objects and SRT for rigid > > > ones. > > > > > > Any insight in this wil be much appreciated - thanks! > > > > > > Cheers > > > Morten > > >
