"Wobbly" FBX Imports

[catch22]

So, I've downloaded a couple Mixamo models, and I've noticed importing them into Leadwerks, the faces and fingers look really unusual. Wobbly is the best way to describe it. Maybe wavy?

 

It's most noticable when you kind of walk around them and look at their fingers, for example, they look wavy.

 

I got a custom made model and rigged it and animated and what not, and I noticed the same issue with the non-Mixamo model. This one was an export from Blender.

 

I know I should get some screen shots, but has anyone else noticed this? I can't say on the Mixamo models, but for the custom model, she has a subsurf modifier.

 

The mixamo one is easy to reproduce, you can go on their website and download it (Mia is the free female model name), or even on TurboSquid or other free model sites. Anyway her face looks like she got beaten with the ugly stick, and her fingers look broken.

 

I thought it was a normal map issue, but I inspected the normals on my custom model and they were all correct, she has a similar distorted looking face and wavy fingers.

 

Sooo, am I doing something wrong?

 

Photos soon, if you need them.

[Josh]

Post the FBX files?

[catch22]

Sorry it took me a minute, couldn't figure out how to post files or anything on the site.

 

I made it public on my google drive, you should be able to download it here... I hope...

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4w96eDYKGuKRG9SRjlFcElQNFU

[catch22]

Was this reproducible? Did the file work ?

[YouGroove]

I just tested, FBX model import in Blender 2.69 and is working good with no problems.

Only problem i don't have any armature and bones, so no animations also.

[catch22]

The problem is in Leadwerks, not blender.

 

Did...you try importing it into Leadwerks 3.1?

[YouGroove]

There is a problem with your model structure.

Importing in LE3, yes it is some wave/wobble problems on vertexs.

Applying "recalculate normals" with treshold in LE3 model editor, vertices are moved on space, os i assume your model is problematic as this should not happen.

[YouGroove]

Importing your FBX model in Blender than exporting it to FBX from Blender, all is fine.

So the problem is Original FBX model format you downloaded.

This is not some LE3 bug.

[catch22]

Okay. I didn't think to try re-importing / re-exporting between Blender.

 

If anything, it shows not all FBX formats are equal -- Blender handles it fine as a FBX and exports it fine as an FBX. Leadwerks requires the in between with Blender, for some reason.

 

You can say it's not a bug, but obviously Blender recognizes it and handles it fine, and whatever Blender re-exports it as works fine in LE. The Mixamo site must use an older FBX version (there's several), but it's not clear.

 

In any event, thanks. Simple solution I should have tried first

 

EDIT: Considering the popularity of Mixamo, their free rigging and models, it might be LE's interest to figure out the discrepancy. I can't be the only who has tried importing the FBX directly to LE...

[YouGroove]

You tried Maximo FBX to LE3, that's different from FBX export from Blende or other model editor. There is lot of Maximo stuff in Unity store, i wonder if it is same version ? Perhaps there is some hidden conversion ?

I'll try if i have time to catch some MAximo working in Unity and try it in LE3.

I'm pretty sure it's MAximo issue or model old version , not LE3.

[alrusdi]

Autodesk providing a FBX Converter - great free tool to convert between some formats (binary <-> ascii, collada -> fbx) and different versions of fbx http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?siteID=123112&id=10775920

[Bolt]

It's a vertex-weight issue. Not all of the vertex weights sum to 255 after conversion, so the vertices

get deformed incorrectly. There's a float-to-byte conversion routine when exporting weights. Perhaps some

accuracy is lost after the conversion, so the converted sum doesn't add up to 255 anymore.

 

GMF Vertex Dump:

[4192] bweights: 133, 121, 0, 0 (sum: 254)
[4193] bweights: 216, 18, 18, 1 (sum: 253)
[4194] bweights: 104, 90, 55, 4 (sum: 253)
[4195] bweights: 110, 94, 49, 0 (sum: 253)
[4196] bweights: 156, 94, 4, 0 (sum: 254)
[4197] bweights: 143, 66, 44, 0 (sum: 253)
[4198] bweights: 111, 103, 22, 16 (sum: 252)
[4199] bweights: 127, 91, 33, 1 (sum: 252)
...

 

Even a small discrepancy of 1 or 2 will cause distortion. All converted weights must sum to 255.

 

I added a fix to my GMF exporter, and everything looks ok now.

The fbx2mdl converter will have to be updated too. Note to Josh.

[Admin]

Brad, you might want to update that to export "Leadwerks Model File (*.mdl)" since GMF is not used anymore.