[Maya] Modifying Topology (i.e. Adding edges) After the Blendshape Set-up? Am I Screwed?

Rigging
#1

Hi,

I have a character that is already blendShaped. The client wants to modify the mesh that requires adding a loop of edges and modifying points.

Now, by default, this will ruin the blendShape system because the point order will not be that same.
That said is there a less painful way to go around it other than modifying the blendShape one by one?

Thank you for looking at the problem

#2

Hello,

If your mesh has solid UVs you can transfer the points of a duplicate of the new mesh to match your blendshapes using the transfer attributes command. ( Make sure sample space is set to UV ).

You would have to either recreate the blendshape node again, or manually replace the connections.

Doesn’t sound like the most fun job, but will be less time consuming then editing each mesh separately.
Maybe somebody else will jump in with an even less time consuming solution though.

Ignore above:
@Randall_Hess’ suggestion of using Bake Topology to Targets works perfectly.

1 Like
#3

Hi @bentraje,

There is a workflow that will support this process and “preserve” your existing blendshapes. Have a look at the following video, it should help you out.

4 Likes
#4

And, if that Autodesk workflow fails you for any reason, another option to consider:

  1. Wrap deform your new geometry to the old geometry
  2. Fire each blendshape one at a time and duplicate the new geo
  3. Store the duplicates as new blendshapes on your new geo

(preferably scripted, of course.)

I often use that technique for transferring blendshapes to objects that have no shared topology. Like transferring face blendshapes to eyebrows, for example.

1 Like
#5

The new Shape editor doesnt care if the topo is new. It will work.

1 Like
#6

Hi

Thanks for all the responses. I appreciate it a lot. In the end, I went ahead with @mudoglu reply.
I didn’t know that there is such an automated feature (updated to 2018.5 for this one).

I guess one thing I’ll add is that you make your additional adjustments on a separate blendshape rather than the original mesh.
As such
(1) Add points on the original mesh
(2) Duplicate original mesh and blendshape it to the original mesh
(3) Perform the changes on the newly duplicated mesh rather than on the original mesh.

That said, I’ll keep your replies @R.Joosten @Randall_Hess @clesage if I need to brute force this problem in the future.

Thanks again! Happy new year to all