.mtl file from MAYA

[SC4R4B]

Ok I am on Maya 2.5 and I can export a .obj with no problem. Although I cannot find the plug-in which allows export of a .mtl (material) file.  I have been to A|W site (which sucks btw) to no avail, I have also done a search on 3dcafe.  Anyone have any ideas on where I might be able to find it?

[verybad]

Polytrans reportedly will do it (don't have that proggie though). For now, a workarround would be to just convert your procedurals to file textures, and avoid having more than one texture per object. The textures should automagically still work fine if you've done your UVs in Maya b4 exporting the obj. Convert the textures to TGAs then reapply them to each individual model in Modeler. Have a big project coming my way this weekend, so I'll be right there in the same boat I'm sure.

Hrm, actually you could still have 3 textures per object, enough for most purposes...

[Admir Elezovic]

I dont have much epxirience with Maya, but when you export from any program (including Maya) to .obj, .mtl file is automatically created if object you are exporting have any mapping defined. In .mtl file all info about materials/mapping and textures is hold, without it you cant load model properly.
You can have 1 texture per model, if model is multipart (created with attachments), every model can have its own texture.

Admir

[SC4R4B]

No luck... I have tried to export multiple files from
Maya 2.5 as .obj's then importing them into Max3 and Milkshape the materials may carry (about 1/3 of the times I tried in Max) but never the materials color nor the textures are ever imported into either.  I have also checked Maya's script editor to see if it is ever creating a .mtl file there is no reference at all.  I must admit that I have been trying to do this for awhile now as I have had this problem with quake3...  I know there are other work arounds I can do like mapping the textures in another program.  It just seems kind of redundant considering I have a program that costs more than the machine it runs on.  I would simply like to see Maya .mb support.

So, verybad you got a link for that Polytrans proggie?

[Admir Elezovic]

Sorry to hear about your problems. Here is link to Polytrans: http://www.okino.com/, hope it will solve your probs.

Admir

[SC4R4B]

Thank you sir.  I will work it out.

[verybad]

Hmm, the files will still have the UV's, thats by far the most important. The other info like specularity, etc doesn't travel with the obj. In max you should be able to make a new texture using your base files and reapply it, should skin properly. I've done this many times.

[SC4R4B]

lol, I do not know Max! I had to get a co-worker to show me how to import an .obj because I needed a plug-in hehe.  If I knew Max I really would'nt care if there was support for Maya.  When was the last time they updated 3D explorer?  when I tried it (about 5 months ago) the program would put my poly's all over the place...Although I feel the proggie is very very worthwhile if they get the bugs out...

[Admir Elezovic]

3d explorer rocks, we are using its library for importing objects into Modeler. You wont have any probs with converting max<>lw<>maya<>si ...... it can save keyframed animations from .3ds and .lws to frames sequence.

Admir

[rico]

I just tried exporting an OBJ file from Maya 3.0 and no luck so far. I think it's gonna come down to someone who knows MEL (Maya's embedded programming language)writing a script in Maya to export models. If anyone reading this knows MEL, please look into a script for this export, thnx!

[Admir Elezovic]

Rico, what is problem ? model wont import at all or ?

Admir

[rico]

I just found out on another thread that Maya has an OBJ plugin that I need to install before I can do any OBJ exports. DOH! I got some weird format that wasn't even recognized by my computer. At least now I know why, thnx anyway Admir! :biggrin:

PS - they should make a smiley face with a sheepish grin!!

[verybad]

the obj plugin should already be installed, it just won't be active. Go to the plugins controls and activate it. Tell it to always load on startup also.

[PainBringer]

Been checking out that problem as well and so far, no MTL file to be found. PolyTrans will export the MTL file, but I'm not too keen on the results as such tho, I've only got the evaluation (strips 5th polygon) version.

AND I'm not in the habit of paying money for stuff when a 3D package that costs a lot in itself can't cut it :(

Admir has helped a lot in trying to figure out where the problem may come from, but somehow it is still not going right.

Few things are certain tho, it -is- the Maya OBJ exporter, 3D Exploration can convert and re-hash a MTL file, but with sometimes unpredictable results, MEL is not going to be a solution and Maya Users are getting pretty frustrated (their coding support troops too)!

*steam*

To Be Continued.

[Yesse]

Just wanna chime in here with my pal Painbringer: this totally sucks. I really don't understand why Maya doesn't export that mtl file. I mean, even Nendo does that and it's texturing capabilities are far from sophisticated (more neanderthal like).

I just spent a few painstaking months learning Maya only to uncover that if I wanna make models for Serious Sam, I'll have to go back to Max. Waht a pain in the ass! Maya costs a gazillion to purchase and then you don't even get a proper exporter? What kind of bullshit is that? You can't even export to 3ds fer chrissakes! Even Lightwave can do that, and I wouldn't say that LW and Max aren't competitors!

And maya people are just a general pain in the ass as well. Like mac users.
So fat chance in finding a Maya expert who will help us mere mortals, cuz they all have their heads up their collective asses.

***extremely frustrated by all this UV shit***