Paint Weights Not Functioning, Model Clipping/Breaking Constantly

[Anonymous]

For clarity, I am basically relearning how to do everything in Maya after a year of being away, I may be missing something obvious or might be out of the loop.

Story(can be skipped): So, the paint weights on my model are beyond broken. Some of the vertices don't even move anymore regardless of the strength of the value I paint them with meanwhile some vertices refuse to be unbound no matter how much I paint a value of 0 over them. The controls I created for the face just stopped functioning at an unknown point and nothing even appears to be wrong with any of the driven keys I applied. Everything animation-wise on this model just keeps breaking non-stop because I can't wrangle this **** tool. I just want to finish or salvage this model but everything animation related keeps breaking and I am out of patience. I'm not even really sure what to ask on how to fix it but here goes. I'll attach pictures, please forgive some of the lackluster aspects of my work, I'm still learning.

1. How do I FORCE the paint weight tool to apply values I use when it is currently unresponsive when select vertices are edited? (See the attached ProofOfValue.PNG & ProofOfError.PNG to get an idea what I'm talking about) 

2. With how many errors this has, is it worth salvaging? Is there a better way to rig this humanoid?

3. Are there any solid resources for something akin to a "philosophy of how to use paint weights properly" someone can point me towards? Because I know how to use the tool but I can't find anyone to teach me how to use it right if this model is any evidence.

I'll gladly attach more things in the replies you guys request (I can't figure out how to attach the maya file from here) , I just want to get this project of my to a point I'm happy with so I can move on to the next with all I learned from the mistakes I made on this one.

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

This is an attempt to attach the Maya file of the project

[hamsterHamster · Accepted solution]

Yes, because you were editing the model after skinning with construction history kept, Maya probably displays old values.

Edit>DeleteByType>Non-DeformerHistory .. since then PSW tool will show correct values.

P.S. Next time provide MA file instead.

[javor_alex]

Get the NG skin tools. Its free and makes skin weighting 100% easier.

[Anonymous]

Ah, allow me to help clarify some stuff now that I’m a bit more awake and have a wider vocabulary.

Firstly, the first reply to this post has a zip file of the model. For some reason the original post wouldn’t let me attach it. Not sure why. Sorry for the hassle.

Second, I think I may have used the word “edited” by mistake on my first question. What I said should have been more like, “Why are certain vertices unresponsive despite me changing their values to 1.0000?” I did not edit any part of the model displayed here.

Now with that said...

Third, I did delete a piece of lingering geometry while the skin was bound. I don’t know how the program reacts to that, so that was probably it. I guess I’ll have to redo the skeleton then. Sucks, but I guess that’s how it goes. I’ll test this later today and mark this as the answer if it works.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I’ll look into it! It seems like I need to redo the skeleton anyway, so I guess I can learn about this tool before proceeding.

[hamsterHamster]

ZIP is fine, just inside it was MB file, not MA.

I tried myself, after deleting nondef history the model become manageable. One thing that just came into mind is, you could try to export skin weight maps before deleting the history; not sure what will be exported there, still you have chance of getting back the weights on a working model spending just several clicks. For the same reason, weight maps also will be of value after you re-do the skeleton.

[Anonymous]

Thanks a ton for the help, I tried this and after two minutes of repainting it, it's already beginning to behave again. Gonna take a lot more work still, but it looks like I can finish this project now.