topic Re: Maya 2017 Update 4 Xgen Default Spline to Interactive Groom Conversion Issue in Maya Forum

Maya 2017 Update 4 Xgen Default Spline to Interactive Groom Conversion Issue

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 10:04:47 GMT

Hi There,

I've run into a problem using Xgen in Maya 2017 Update 4 with latest Arnold 2.0.2.4.

Firstly, at least with Arnold 2.0.2.4 the render density multiplier attribute is broken. It doesn't seem to have any effect on the density of the fur at render time.

Secondly, the density attribute of an interactive groom description which has been converted from an xgen default spline description doesn't have any effect on increasing or decreasing the density of the fur.

The density attribute affects density of a fresh interactive groom description created via the generate -> Create Interactive Groom Splines method.

This is incredibly frustrating.

Terence Lam

Re: Maya 2017 Update 4 Xgen Default Spline to Interactive Groom Conversion Issue

sean.heasley — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 17:02:42 GMT

Hi @Anonymous and welcome to the community!

I'm having a little trouble recreating your issue.

When you get a chance, can you please zip and attach the scene file here or via dropbox/google drive or another file sharing program so I can take a look at it or make a video showing your issue?

If you need a video capturing program, Screencast is a great option that we use here at Autodesk

Please let me know if anything changes!

Re: Maya 2017 Update 4 Xgen Default Spline to Interactive Groom Conversion Issue

Michael_Todd — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 22:35:15 GMT

Interactive grooms converted from XGen descriptions are basically baked down to the primitives and as such have no 'Density' which is why the density mask has no effect. The hairs are not being generated by the base node, they have been converted from XGen splines.

You CAN however use the converted groom as an interpolation source for a new, empty (0 density) groom. It's much as the same as outlined in this thread about adding faces to a description

Using one description as an interpolation source for another

Afterwards, the density mask and multiplier will work as normal as the hairs are being generated by the base node.

Cheers

Re: Maya 2017 Update 4 Xgen Default Spline to Interactive Groom Conversion Issue

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 01:21:55 GMT

This is great advice. Thank you. I will definitely try this out. However, the issue with the render density multiplier still exists with Arnold 2.0.2.4. I'm going to try to unroll back onto earlier versions to see if it is an issue with just this version of Arnold.

Re: Maya 2017 Update 4 Xgen Default Spline to Interactive Groom Conversion Issue

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 01:24:07 GMT

It's kind of hard to do because of all the xgen folders. However, the issue seems to have been addressed by the XGEN guy in the post below, so now only the issue with Arnold 2.0.2.4 remains.

Thanks,

Terence

Re: Maya 2017 Update 4 Xgen Default Spline to Interactive Groom Conversion Issue

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 02:50:26 GMT

Upon Further testing and some needless rolling back of versions, it seems the render density multiplier is working with a fresh interactive groom even with arnold 2.0.2.4. The thing was that I needed to hit the update full scene option in the Arnold Renderview in order to see the change in the render density multiplier being reflected on the renderview.

It's only the converted groom that doesn't respond to the multiplier. This would possibly mean that the groom interpolation method would work on this too.. need to test further.

Re: Maya 2017 Update 4 Xgen Default Spline to Interactive Groom Conversion Issue

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 06:50:51 GMT

The method prescribed to link the converted groom to a fresh groom works. I was having a bit of trouble getting it to work initially as after linking it and using the density brush to flood the density, I could only see default ungroomed hairs. I had to actually change the value of the density in the base node of the new groom to 0 and then back to 1 to refresh the groom.