Weird Smoothing problem with Transfer Utility

FMM_UWF_6b886030db

So I've been doing basic Transfer Utility rigging to some boots, with the Smoothing Modifier option checked.
When the thing is finished, there are gaps (generally between the Material Zones if I applied separate ones) when the Smoothing is set anywhere above 0 (which results in the appearance of the original model itself, which isn't the problem).

What can I do to eliminate these gaps?

Richard Haseltine

Are the surfaces welded together or are they separate pieces of mesh?

FMM_UWF_6b886030db

They should be welded together.
Usually, the split happens between the Mat zones.
Here's some screencaps/renders for reference of what I mean.

The ones with the split are with Smoothing set to anything above 0.
The ones without the split are with Smoothing set to 0.

Richard Haseltine

What happens if you select one surface zone in the modeller and move it - does it stretch out the join, or does it just separate cleanly? I know some modellers separate the mesh rather than applying the surface as a polygon tag to a welded mesh, and I would suspect that that is what is happening here. What are you modelling in? Another way to test for welding is to switch to the Geometry Edit tool, select one polygon, then press ctrl * (cmd * on a Mac) which should select all connected polygons - does it get the whole boot, or does it stop at the surface boundary?

FMM_UWF_6b886030db

I'm just taking models someone provided me and trying to rig them in DS (it basically works if I turn off Smoothing, but then it looks kinda blocky, obviously); I haven't run them through any modelers yet to tweak them yet because I just wanted to get the base stuff down first.

I'll likely be using Maya or Metasequoia to tweak models themselves until I get the hang of Hexagon (I'm running the Hex 2.5 that I got for free during that free promotion Daz held a few years back where Bryce 7, Hex 2.5, and I think some older version of Carrara were made free for a limited time).

I'll try the "select connected polygons" thing (I didn't even know it existed!) tonight and see if it does the whole boot.
I'll get back to you on that as early as tomorrow.

mjc1016

Metalitia said:

They should be welded together.
Usually, the split happens between the Mat zones.
Here's some screencaps/renders for reference of what I mean.

The ones with the split are with Smoothing set to anything above 0.
The ones without the split are with Smoothing set to 0.

They aren't welded...

Probably also happens with Subdivision on them, too...and if both smoothing and SubD are applied it will totally come apart. Which is what some of those pics look like is happening, anyway.

What were they originally for?

There is a chance, that if they are old enough (V3/M3 and earlier) they are not going to be constructed in a way to take advantage of things like smoothing or subdivision, without totally reworking them...and then remapping them and re-rigging them.

FMM_UWF_6b886030db

They're straight-up OBJ files from scratch, no specific figure having been set.

mjc1016

Metalitia said:

They're straight-up OBJ files from scratch, no specific figure having been set.

If they a from scratch items, there shouldn't be any problems making sure they are properly welded. Most modelers will preserve the UV mapping and groups when welding them.

FMM_UWF_6b886030db

That's an issue I would have to take up with the modelers themselves then. *ahem* <.<</p>

Anyways, doing the Ctrl-* showed that the boot is one piece, the top of the boot is another, the sole bottom is another, and the outside and inside of the sole-sides are separate pieces.
I guess I'm just gonna have to deal with what I'm working with, because taking them into the modeler to weld the vertices together, and then back into DS is more work than I wanted to put into this.

So I guess setting Smoothing above 0 is gonna be off the table unless I model the stuff myself. :P

mjc1016

Metalitia said:

That's an issue I would have to take up with the modelers themselves then. *ahem* <.<</p>

Anyways, doing the Ctrl-* showed that the boot is one piece, the top of the boot is another, the sole bottom is another, and the outside and inside of the sole-sides are separate pieces.
I guess I'm just gonna have to deal with what I'm working with, because taking them into the modeler to weld the vertices together, and then back into DS is more work than I wanted to put into this.

So I guess setting Smoothing above 0 is gonna be off the table unless I model the stuff myself. :P

This program is primarily a viewing program for obj and several other formats...but it can do some simple repairs, weld vertices and even some format conversions.

http://www.sharecg.com/v/47407/browse/10/Software-and-Tools/PropViewer-3.2

Not as detailed or as much control as a modeler, but for welding the boots together it should work...

Just open the obj for the boots in it, then hit the Weld button and resave (I'd save as a different name...something like boot_welded or something like that). Quick and simple.