Complex UV Layout in Maya
Over the last couple of years UV layout in Maya has changed for the better. In this course we're going to be taking a look at some of those changes as we UV map an entire character
# 1 28-06-2007 , 06:34 PM
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Robot Toy (mods move to WIP?)

so I'm trying to make this robot head here user added image

and I've created a cube for the head, set the xy subdivisions to about 20 per side, beveled the edges and added the ears. I want to make circular indents for the eyes with booleans by cutting with cylinders into the beveled cube, but it deletes both objects.

What's the best way to do this? is there a way to get a ring of verts into a perfect circle on the surface of a poly cube?
:headbang:

would it be easier to do the whole thing in NURBS?

EDIT: also,yes I did delete the construction history on the cube


Last edited by tgage; 29-06-2007 at 01:53 AM.
# 2 29-06-2007 , 12:03 AM
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Not sure what's causing your geometry to dissappear. You should be able to create a cube and then a couple of cylinders to do a boolean difference with. Here I created a cube, did a bevel, and then a boolean difference with two cylinders.

Maybe you've got some normals going the wrong direction.

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# 3 29-06-2007 , 12:41 AM
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also, how would you go about working on the arms?

# 4 29-06-2007 , 01:32 AM
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Here's a little something I threw together for you to give you an idea of one method. I just took a cylinder and applied a bevel. then I extruded the sides about half the distance between two joints. Then after all cylinders were extruded, I merged all the joints together. Then I used the cut face tool to cut two lines down the center (length of arm). I selected all the faces in between the two lines and then extruded outward to create the seam.

This is just to get you started in the right direction. There are other ways to model the arms but this is probably the easiest way. If you have trouble with extruding, then you could probably just create the three joints. Then create two cubes for the lower and upper arm and just have them sticking into the joints. Instead of one piece of geometry, you would have 5 pieces.

Good luck tgage!

P.S. I recommend moving this to the WIP section.

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# 5 29-06-2007 , 01:50 AM
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OK got this so far. is it possible to move the thread myself or should I just start over in that thread. Thanks for the tips on the arms.

actually, I tried to do the booleans again from scratch and it worked. I think it had something to do with an extra border edge I'd made

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Last edited by tgage; 29-06-2007 at 01:53 AM.
# 6 29-06-2007 , 02:04 AM
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Hey looks like a pretty good start. I look forward to seeing the finished model.

You could just start a new thread in the WIP section. I think you'll get more responses in the long run.


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# 7 08-07-2007 , 03:55 PM
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hey perfecto - so what did you use to merge the joints together? merge vertices tool?

# 8 08-07-2007 , 04:36 PM
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I'll select the vertices I want to merge and then if I remember right (at work right now), I hold the Shift key and the right mouse button down (to pull up a hot box) and then I select "Merge Vertices" and then I select "Merge to Center".

Then I select the next vertices to merge and this time I press the letter "g" to repeat the merge command.

Another way is to select all the vertices and then use a merge tolerance to merge everything at once but I think if you do that way you risk some not getting merged. I like to merge them one at a time because then I'm in total control.

Hope that makes sense to you.

Edit: I usually change to wireframe mode to do my merging so that I don't accidentally select any vertices I don't want merged.

Edit#2: Most of the time I will try and get inside my model (looking out) to do my merging. It just makes it easier and quicker for me to see what I'm selecting.


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Last edited by Perfecto; 08-07-2007 at 04:40 PM.
# 9 09-07-2007 , 06:21 AM
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thanks. putting this in my wip thread as well

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