Scaling Your Controllers when they are Connected

 Sometimes when you are working on a rig, you may need to go back and adjust your controllers size a little bit.  This is possible without breaking them but you cannot simply just go in and scale them as this would cause the controller to break and it can make your character or asset manipulate when you try to scale which is not what you want.  

To start off, one important method you need to know about is going into component mode.  This will allow us to scale our controllers without breaking them or having them manipulate our asset/character.  This method also won't put a scale value on our controller.  If you don't know where component mode is, it is always towards the top right under the windows tab.  It's icon looks like this .  Once in component mode, you need to select all of the vertices and then you can scale and adjust the controller as much as you like without breaking it's functionality.  

Component Mode Example

Another important setting you need to remember is object and world space.  This can affect your controller if you try to scale it and on the wrong setting.  It can cause your pivot to move especially if you are grabbing multiple controllers.  To make sure you are on the right setting, you can double click on your scaling tool and make sure that the Scale Center is at Object. 

Scaling Tool Settings

Now there is another way to actually open these settings if you are someone who likes to know how to open settings and windows multiple ways.  The second way to open this window is to push the Toggle Tool Settings Icon.  This icon is located in the top right corner of your maya window under Workspace.  It looks a little bit like a hammer.  When you click on this icon, you need to be using scale.  It will open the scale settings then.  If you are on rotate or translate it will open those settings.  You can switch to scale while the window is open and it will update.  

Toggle Tools Settings

Resetting Transformations, Freezing Transformations, and Matching Transformations in Autodesk Maya

 When working in maya you may use several transformation tools to help with your workflow.  The three translation tools I want to talk about are the resetting transformations, freezing transformations and matching transformations.  These three tools are very powerful and help you work in maya in many different ways.  I used these tools in my school days a lot and still do on the daily.  

Resetting Transformations is a tool that put your manipulator tool back at the origin in maya.  So back on the center of the grid.  

How to reset transformations:

1. Select an object you want to reset the transformations on
2. Go up to Modify 
3. Select Reset Transformations

Autodesk Maya 2022 Reset Transformations Tool

Freezing Transformations tells maya that the point where the object is, is the origin.  So if you move the object you can zero out the transformation, scale, and rotation and it will go back to where you froze.

How to freeze transformations:

1. Select an object you want to freeze transformations on
2. Go up to Modify
3. Select Freeze Transforms. 

Autodesk Maya 2022 Freeze Transformations Tool

Matching Transforms is a tool that I learned recently from a friend of mine at work.  Matching transforms copies the translations from one object to another.

How to match transformations:

1. Select the object you want to transform and then the target you want your object to match.
2. Go up to Modify and scroll down to Match Transforms.
3. On the side pop-up you can select a variety of ways you can have your object copy the transforms
1. Match all Transforms
2. Match Translations
3. Match Rotation
4. Match Scale
5. Match Pivot

Autodesk Maya 2022 Match Transformation Tool.

Each of these tools are incredibly powerful and helpful when working in maya.  If you are a tech artist, you may recognize that each of these tools utilizes different matrix. 

Maya 2022: Unable to Playblast using Quicktime and H.264

If you are someone who has used maya for a few years you may have noticed some changes to maya 2022 and maya 2020.  One of the changes I have come across when playblasting my dance animation to Kiss and Make Up, is that QuickTime is no longer an option in the playblasting options.  If you are newer, you would find the quick time option under format in the playblast settings and H.264 disappears from the encoding setting.  These settings are easy to get back but it does require installing QuickTime.  Quick note, I have found this issue on both PC and Mac computers.

To get the QuickTime option back is very simple.

For a PC:

1. Start off with maya closed.  It needs to be closed because we need to install quicktime.  
2. You need to visit the Download Quick Time page.  This download is on an apple support page and is only for PC.
3. Push the big download button on this page and install quick time.  
4. Open maya and check both your playblast settings format and your render settings

For a Mac:

• You need to follow the same steps above but you need to visit Quicktime Downloads by Apple support.

Maya 2022 Playblast Settings with QuickTime and H.264

Naming Conventions in Autodesk Maya

 When I was first learning maya, my classmates and I messed up the naming conventions a lot.  Especially when we were leaning animation and tried to bring reference into the maya scene.  I have spent hours troubleshooting why my reference won't appear in maya to learn that it was simply because it did not like what I named all of my tiffs. 

So what does maya not like in naming conventions? It's very simple once you know what to use and what not to use. 

1. DO NOT have slashes.  PC and One Drive do not like slashes and it will not sync
2. ONLY use underscores!
1. Quick note about underscores, some maya naming conventions cannot have underscores either such as bringing in an image sequence.
1. For image sequences use something like this: Project1ref
3. NEVER name an objects or cameras Render.  This is more for in your actual maya scene but if you name something Render and you go to render your scene it will crash.  This happens because the code to render gets confused since it uses render to render.

Troubleshoots for Having Your Blendshapes from ZBrush work on a Hero Head in Maya

 This week while working on my facial rig for the pink haired girl, I ran into an interesting problem.  When importing my blendshapes for my rig I found that the blendshapes imported in pieces when exported as an obj.  This completely breaks my blendshapes when I hook them up to my hero head.  I tried a couple of ways to fix this problem and I'm going to talk about all of them.

To describe the problem I had,  when I originally brought in the blendshapes they were multiple groups.  When I selected the faces to check the the flow of the typology I also found that it was chopped up into pieces.  

Maya 2022 Checking the Edge Flow on Blendshape

When I tried to attach the blendshape to the head and manipulated it, Half of the head cripples.

Maya 2022 Crippled Blendshape

After doing some research I found three ways to fix this for exporting from Zbrush, if that doesn't work then there are a few things to check in maya. 

The first setting I would check is your export settings.  Turning off group and turning on Qud, Txr, and Mrg.

ZBrush Export Settings

Besides looking in your tools, you can actually look for solutions in the Zplugin tab.  Exporting your blendshapes as an FBX also fixes the problem.  

ZBrush FBX Import/Export

Another cool way to export is to use the blendshape exporter Zbrush has built in.  It is also in the ZPlugin.  It saves a lot of time since it does export all the blendshapes and then opens them all in a maya scene.  I have found that it looks like it works.  Always make sure on your actual rigging head that it is actually working.  

ZBrush Blendshapes Export

Another setting I have heard of but haven't looked into is the Polygroups setting in your tools if these options do not work.  

For connecting your blendshapes to the head in Maya if exporting is not the issue is to check:

• Frozen Transformations
• Deleted History
• Check to make sure your heads are the same because blendshapes move based on vertices points.  If the verticie points do not match up it will break the blendshapes.  

Renderman Buckets in Maya

 I learned about Renderman in my undergrad when working on Delivery.  It has become one of my favorite renderers to use in Maya because of how it works but also because it's what Pixar uses to render their films.  I'm very inspired by Pixar.  In this post I just wanted to talk about buckets.  You often see buckets when you are rendering an animation and it takes a long time.  They have a big impact on how quickly and the order of where the scene will start to render.  In this post I'm going to talk about how to change the bucket size and how to change the bucket order.  

How to change bucket size:  First you need to know that the bucket size effects the blue boxes on the IPR if you have them visible.

The first step to changing your bucket size is to open your Renderman Settings, this could also be your rendering settings.  In the popup click on the Renderman tab next to the Common Tab.

Maya 2022 Render Settings Renderman Tab

In the Advanced tab in the Render Options tab you will find Bucket Size. Click the down arrow to select a size.  The reason you want to change the size is because for certain outputs it makes a difference.  It takes longer for a scene that is large with a small bucket size to render.  Changing this also has an effect on Batch Renders and Final Renders.  

Maya 2022 Renderman Bucket Size

Since we understand how to change the bucket size when we need to,  how do we change the order?  Changing the order of your rendered scene does not effect your rendering, it's more so for your own preference.  

To start this, you need your Renderman settings open.  If you already have it open, then you're good.  Then in the popup just click Renderman next to the Common tab.  In the Render Options tab you will find Bucket Order.  Click the down arrow and select your preference.  

Maya 2022 Renderman Settings Bucket Order

Maya Vs Houdini Vs Motion Builder Manipulation Hotkeys

 As someone who has used many different programs for different projects, I just wanted to talk about the different hotkeys between Maya, Houdini, and Motion Builder. I am someone who lives in maya so the hotkeys are very natural to use.  When I go to different programs, it can be hard at first to use because the hotkeys are different.  Often times without thinking about it, I automatically start using the maya hotkeys while in different programs and it doesn't always work so well.  I call this maya brain.

In maya there are many hotkeys but I'm just going to mention the hot keys for the manipulation tool (translate, rotate, scale).  These are the keys I use most often, so depending on what you work on there are other hotkeys you may use.

The big three hotkeys are:

W: Transform Tool

E: Rotate Tool

R: Scale Tool

You may hear of the Q hotkey, it's the selection tool.

For Houdini, the manipulation tool is a bit different.  It's been a while since I have used Houdini, but when I did some projects in this program getting the manipulation keys is what was hardest for me to get used to.

E: Scale Tool

R: Rotate Tool

T: Translate Tool

R and T are easy to remember because R for rotate and T for translate

Motion Builder also has different hotkeys.  I haven't been in this program for a while but it is a program I want to know more about.  It's hotkeys are easy to remember.

T: Translate Selection

R: Scale Uniform

S: Rotate Selection

How to see Poly Count in Maya

 This is a very simple setting that allows modelers to see the poly count on their model while they are working on them in Maya.  I was shown this setting by the Prop Modeling Lead on my undergrad project Delivery.  This setting does get turned off if you reset the Maya preferences.  

To turn on this setting, go up to Display and scroll down to Heads Up Display.

Maya 2022 Display - Heads Up Display - Poly Count

Then select Poly Count and it will appear in the top left corner of the scene. 

Maya 2022 Poly Count in Upper Left Corner

Maya and userSetup Codes Part 1

 If you're familiar with userSetup codes in maya then you understand just how powerful they really are.  It is a code that maya looks for every time it opens and updates any changes to any tools you created for working in Maya.  It also doesn't disappear every time you reset your maya preferences.  I created a userSetup code that loads in my rigging controller generator tool on both a shelf and on a menu that I can select.  I need to update that tool.  But anyways while starting my new facial rigging class, I needed to create a new userSetup code for a tool to use in the class.  As you can guess, it confuses maya when there is two userSetup codes.  However, you can have two userSetup codes as long as the extension is different.  Currently I have two userSetup Codes for Maya 2022.  One is in python and the other is MEL.  I still need to learn my C++ basics but it might be possible to even have three userSetup codes if you can create one using C++.  Personally I would have only one but that will be done at a later time.  

Maya with Two UserSetUp Codes

How to Reroot a Rig in Maya

 Sometimes when you are working on a rig, you realize that the direction of the bone hierarchy is going in the wrong direction but the placement of the joints is correct.  In my experience I haven't had this happen often.  There is a way to fix this however, this does take a lot of work depending on the situation.  There are two ways to reroot joints in Maya.  

The first method is using a lot of parenting and un-parenting.  

1. The first step is to un-parent the joint you want to be the root and then un-parent the next joint over.
2. Select the joint you want to be the child and then shift select the parent joint and push P
3. Repeat all of this for the other joints that need to be rerooted.

Maya 2022 Gif of Parenting and Unparenting Method Gif

The second method of rerooting uses the reroot skeleton button in Maya

1. Select the joint you want to be the root
2. Go up to Skeleton - Reroot Skeleton
3. Repeat this for all the joints that need to be rerooted. 
4. You can use G after the first time you push the Reroot button, it repeats the last command so it makes the process quicker!

Maya 2022 Reroot Skeleton Button

Maya 2022 Rerooting Skeleton Button Gif

How To Get All View Ports to Update At The Same Time In Maya

 This is a problem that my team and I faced when working on Delivery.  The animators used this quite a bit to animate the characters especially when it came to animating the face.  This problem is a very simple problem but often times it is forgotten on how to set up your view ports to all update.  

To start off setting up your view ports to update, keep in mind that when you reset preferences this setting goes back to the default setting "Active" where only view port you are using will update.  To change this setting, in your maya scene go to the running man in the right conner.

Maya 2022 Interface with Running Man in Right Corner

Maya 2022 Running Man Icon

The next step is very easy as a new preferences window pops up.  You should be in Time Slider under Categories.  Then under Playback you will see a section called Update View.  In Update View select All and push Save!

Maya 2020 Running Man Preferences

How to Fix a Broken Perspective Camera in Maya

 This is an issue I came across while at FIEA.  As someone who lives in maya, it can get very difficult to work when your perspective camera isn't working as expected.  It's especially difficult when you literally can't find anything in your scene.  You could add another perspective camera, but that can make your scene confusing if other team members have to use your maya scene.  I have found that this problem seems to occur more when the scale in the maya scene is bigger.  There's a couple ways to fix this problem depending on the situation but here are three solutions I have found.

• The first way you could fix this problem is to try and reset your preferences.  This does not always work but in some situations it will solve the problem.  If this does not work it's going to be a scene issue.  

• If the first solution did not work, in your maya scene itself check to make sure that everything is not hidden.  Sometimes when you're working you accidentally hide all of the work in your scene.  This step is more to make sure that everything is visible in your scene.  You can check by looking in the outliner and checking in the show tab. If everything is checked in show and the texted isn't greyed out in the outliner then everything is visible in your scene.  

Maya 2022 Outliner

Maya 2022 Show

Maya 2022 Show Settings

• If resetting preferences and everything is visible in your scene, then your perspective camera itself is lost in space. This is an easy fix.  In your outliner, select your perspective camera just like you would for any asset you select.  Go into it's channel box and look at the translations and rotations.  If they are crazy wild numbers you need to zero them out.  Then also in the channel box go under the Shapes section and and find the Center of Interest tab.  Once you find it, change the number because more than likely when you are scrolling it's based on the Center of Interest.  

Maya 2022 Perspective Camera Channel Box

A Solution to Maya's Performance Lag and Freezing

 This is a problem I have come across both in at my time at FIEA and in work life.  Sometimes when using Maya it can lag behind or freeze.  This happens especially when trying to first open Maya, opening export settings, switching between different interface modes, and trying to save.  There can be many causes for this to be happening, but one solution I have come across is that Maya is using an unsupported UI rendering engine.  What this means is that the machine is not fully supported for the rendering UI engine that is currently being used.  Luckily this is a very easy fix!  

To begin fixing this problem have Maya open and navigate to Windows at the top and scroll down to Settings and Preferences.  On the side bar, select Preferences.

Autodesk Maya 2022 Windows / Settings Preferences /  Preferences

After selecting Preferences, a new window should appear.  Under Categories, select Display.  Scroll down to the very bottom where you will see a section called Viewport 2.0.  Change the Rendering Engine to OpenGL - Legacy.

Maya 2022 Preferences / Display / Rendering Engine = OpenGL - Legacy

Click Save and close Maya.  The next time you open Maya it should be working a lot faster!