Workflow in Maya to copy bone weights?

[dagobaking]

Does anyone know of a workflow using Maya (or 3DSMax would be ok as well) to copy bone weights from one mesh to another in a way that survives import into FO4?

 

I tried following Nightasy's tutorial here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCW8BYqMR7Ei21WahZciSqRATOEfjw8H6

 

However, following that tutorial results in a mesh that is completely scrambled.

 

I was able to achieve an "unscrambled" mesh by exporting from Maya as .obj instead of .fbx. However, that leaves the mesh without any bone weights. I then tried to use Outfit Studio to copy bone weights. That sort of works. Except that the quality of the copy is very bad. In other words, the mesh with copied bones has big ripples and other distortions when the skeleton is moved in game.

 

If I make a bone weight copy within Maya, the quality of the copy is much better and no distortions are seen when moving the skeleton. However, of course, that bone weight info is lost if exported as an .obj. And it breaks the mesh into a scramble if exported from Maya as .fbx.

 

The ideal would be if someone knows how to export .fbx from Maya in a way that imports into Outfit Studio without making the meshes scrambled in game (they look ok in OS but blow up in game).

[Thirdstorm]

as far as I know, unless the mesh is a 1-1 match, vertex by vertex, the weighting will always be "scrambled" when copied over.

Don't know a process for exporting from Maya and keeping the bones, but it is possible from 3DSMax 2013

[dagobaking]

hm. You can copy weights from a completely different outfit and it re-maps to different outfits. This works within OS. But, for some reason, FBX exported from Maya look ok in OS. But, are broken in game.

 

What process do you use from 3DSMax? That could work for me as well...

[Thirdstorm]

been a while, but I :

-Import Target skeleton, very important step many skip.

-Import "Source" Nif (weights on it)

-import a non-weighted BSTrishape (Not BSSubindexedTriShape).

-Save (3ds likes to crash)

-Copy over skin and adjust

-Save (Strongly suggest "Filename_VX, X=Number and increment)

-Add BSSubIndesing, and properly subindex.

[dagobaking]

Thank you. I was able to accomplish the goal this way:

 

- Use the method from Nightasy to bring meshes into Maya and copy bones (link above).

- Select the skeleton and new mesh and export selection as FBX.

- Load that FBX into 3DSMax.

- Save that FBX from 3DSMax.

- Import the FBX into bodyslide and use it as a reference to copy bone weights to the original version of the mesh.

 

Doing the above, you get the benefit of the improved bone weight copying that Maya does. No distortion that I can see.

 

Apparently, saving from 3DSMax does something to fix the FBX so that it works properly in FO4 while just saving from Maya does not work. I guess it could be some setting that I'm overlooking in the Maya export dialogue... Would love to know from someone what that might be.

 

Follow up question:

 

What is the BSSubIndexing and subindex step needed for? I've seen these types of node-adding steps in previous tutorials. But, the mesh appears to work for me without ever having to do that. Is it possible that outfit studio now adds that for you or something? Or, is it some kind of effect needed that I haven't noticed yet in game?

[Thirdstorm]

Very cool!

BSSubindexing is required for outfits and armor, it is what controls the "Targeting" (Body part locations) and dismemberment.

Missing or Invalid BSSubindex data will result in CTD's in combat