referencing workflow issue

[river...@gmail.com]

Hey guys,
I work in a studio environment,I have a workflow issue currently which goes something like this:

I want to reference a model file to rig it (add controls and skinning)
In parallel use the model file in texturing the model
We use the rig file by referencing to animate then geo cache the animation
and try to import geo cache in texture file which goes for lighting

...which is where problems arise the texture file doesnt import the geo cache because the mesh names in model file has changed in rigging(shapeOrig and shapeDeform)

Any one with suggestions on a work around/solution using python scripts to ensure consistent naming.

Any scripts to ensure node name consistency was what I was looking for though
I am completely open to any new workflows.

Thanks in advance

[Neil Roche]

Hi,

Also you will run into problems if the topology changes, it will mean the skin cluster won't evaluate properly and it will break the rig.  Also if the rig is broken it could cause the animation scene to break too. 

You could not reference your geo at all and instead import it and use a skin weights import/export tool - ngSkinTools, or Maya's Export/Import Weight Maps.  Whenever you update your geo you just import the latest skin weights onto it, if the topology changes you can use different mapping methods.

You really need to keep consistent naming throughout especially if you are using Alembic to cache as it's very fussy and will break if the geometry names change.


Thanks,

[Marcus Ottosson]

Any scripts to ensure node name consistency was what I was looking for though

We made Pyblish for just such an occasion.

http://pyblish.com

In practice, it could check names before being published and stop whomever tries to publish the rig with new names, until the names have been corrected.

​

[river bell]

hi Neil,

Thanks for the quick reply.
I'll take note of not referencing the model in the rig file.
But what about texturing department working in parellel.
It will finally mean that we wait for model uv and texture to finish before we push the model in the rig department.
There is also a ambiguity on whether to rig first or uv first.
Will give more thought to it when i come back tomorrow as its almost time to leave.
Truly appreciate your effort in quick response.thanks again.

[river bell]

hello marcus ,

Pyblish looks great in concept and effort Will definitely have a look and get back.
Thanks for the responce.

[river bell]

Hi

Any more suggestions regarding the workflow ?
Because I have come across articles which say that mesh and uv changes can be handled by uv, and skin transfer in cases where model is referenced by rig.
Not sure it works in practice.
Any warnings , dos and don'ts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Simon Payne]

Yeah look, this is just not a sensible workflow. In all production environments we do not generally speaking, reference the model. For updates, you have three basic solutions... 1) manually importing the updated model and copy/import skins. The UV's are generally unimportant to the rig, but should be done prior to releasing the model anyway. 2) scripting a push-button solution to re-importing the model and copying skins etc. 3) automating it entirely via a well developed pipeline.

Ultimately, the whole point is that model changes are just that...changes. So vert order, vert count, shape...all effect the way skin operates and damage blendshapes. So you have to do some re-processing, which asside from being outside of what references will permit, totally defeats the point of teferencing in the first place. Its kot like the brick walls of a house, its wiring and plumbing and everything else can remain the same if the shape of the foundations has to be dug up and changed. It is all fundamentally requiring design adjustment. Not the greatest of analagies I know, but you get what I mean.

As for texturing...either those artists made/requested a UV change and rolled it out to the published model, or the model rrmains consistant with UV's supporting the lookdev team...modeller has no business updating models with changes to UV design (other than fixing stray UV's for exampke) without request or approval from lookdev anyway. You don't as a company, pay for a ton of work on texturing an asset, only for some modeller to say "hey, do it all over again." There has to be a reason for change and tgat us part of texture development, not generalistic model change.

Again, push-buttons and pipelines are key to the smooth, non-destructive workflow, and fast iterations.

Simon

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[river bell]

Again, push-buttons and pipelines are key to the smooth, non-destructive workflow, and fast iterations.

Hi Simon

Thanks for the input. My problem was basically model in rigging and texturing had name changes because of which texture files did not work with geo cache from animation department.And we had to manually correct name changes.
But I get the point now. Will look at push button style transfer of info rather than referencing.

Thanks a lot again for the valuable input.

[Simon Payne]

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[Simon Payne]

Name changes still apply the same logic. And I've generally always designed my auto updates to not be reliant on naming anyway. For example, you could add tags (string attrs) and define geo that way. You can add to selection sets and callb members. You can add a set of defined message attrs to the top of your rig or selection set snd connect geo to it or just a world catch-all. I've even used logic to guess st geo by snalysing its shape and priximity to sets of joints. Theres a lot of ways you automate geo updates in rigs, and its usually best to use multiple solutions in your auto update tools, so that if option A fails....

Simon

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On 9 Dec 2016, at 05:23, river bell <river...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[river bell]

Thank you Simon,

Hi

Now thats an awesome set of leads.

Its the direction I'm going to take now.

Cant thank you enough because though I have quite a few years of experience I am getting back to CG after a couple of years.

This is my new job and also catching up on lost time in CG.

Truly appreciated.

On Fri, Dec 9, 2016 at 1:06 PM, Simon Payne <simo...@gmail.com> wrote:

Name changes still apply the same logic. And I've generally always designed my auto updates to not be reliant on naming anyway. For example, you could add tags (string attrs) and define geo that way. You can add to selection sets and callb members. You can add a set of defined message attrs to the top of your rig or selection set snd connect geo to it or just a world catch-all. I've even used logic to guess st geo by snalysing its shape and priximity to sets of joints. Theres a lot of ways you automate geo updates in rigs, and its usually best to use multiple solutions in your auto update tools, so that if option A fails....

Simon

Sent from my iPhone

On 9 Dec 2016, at 05:23, river bell <river...@gmail.com> wrote:

Again, push-buttons and pipelines are key to the smooth, non-destructive workflow, and fast iterations.

Hi Simon

Thanks for the input. My problem was basically model in rigging and texturing had name changes because of which texture files did not work with geo cache from animation department.And we had to manually correct name changes.
But I get the point now. Will look at push button style transfer of info rather than referencing.

Thanks a lot again for the valuable input.

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Hi,

Warm Regards

River Bell