topic Re: Issues exporting model with textures in Maya Forum

Issues exporting model with textures

platinum95 — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 13:14:51 GMT

For an upcoming graphics assignment I'm trying to export this model from Maya into a format usable in my program (obj, collada, fbx are all fine). I can export the mesh perfectly, but I'm having trouble exporting the texture images with it. Exporting to .obj and inspecting the accompanying .mtl file indicates that no maps are being exported at all. When exporting as .dae, the script output says (for each texture) that a "grey lambert" material will be exported in place of the texture image.
I've installed the Mental Ray plugin which the model seems to use, and I can render the model with correct texturing in Maya. When attempting to "bake" the textures, it just generates some black images.

I'm brand new to Maya, so my apologies for lack of experience. I've tried multiple solutions found on the web but none work. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Re: Issues exporting model with textures

sean.heasley — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 16:16:35 GMT

Hi @platinum95 and welcome to the community!

It looks like the issue is that the textures are .tif format. Generally when exporting to game engines the ideal texture format is TGA.

While the model looks fine in Maya, the texture wont carry over because it is in the incorrect format.

Please let me know if this helps or if you need any more information!

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Re: Issues exporting model with textures

platinum95 — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:13:24 GMT

Cheers for the tip, unfortunately converting the source images to jpg (and redirecting the material properties to the new images) produces the same issue: exported models have no link to the texture files, and baking the texture files (in the mental ray scene) produces completely black images.

I don't mind what the output format of the textures are so long as they're actually being linked by the model file, as this is all being fed into my own code which I can adjust to accept whichever format.

Re: Issues exporting model with textures

sean.heasley — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:20:16 GMT

Hi @platinum95

Hmm thats unusual.

When you get a chance, can you try converting them to TGA's and exporting the dragon as an FBX?

Let me know how it goes!

Re: Issues exporting model with textures

mspeer — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 21:22:01 GMT

Hi!

Keep in mind that obj does not support complex shading networks.

Use simple materials (Maya materials like lambert or phong) and texture connections.

For further help, please upload a scene-file.

Re: Issues exporting model with textures

platinum95 — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 22:35:53 GMT

Got stuck into this issue this evening, eventually got it figured out. Went into Hypershade and edited each material to use only Maya nodes, replacing any MentalRay/Arnold nodes. The updated materials could then be reassigned to the respective objects.
This issue was probably caused by what mspeer pointed out: the export plugins don't support whatever material node was being used in the original scene.

So to anyone who may find this after encountering the same problem, make sure your materials are only using nodes supported by your exporter.

Thanks for the help lads, and the dragon sends its thanks too. (Particle system needs some work though)

Re: Issues exporting model with textures

mspeer — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 03:22:29 GMT

Hi!

It's not only a limitation by the exporter but also what can be stored in OBJ.

Glad it works now.

Please mark every answer that solves your problem as solution, so others interested in this thread will get a better overview.