(UT2k4) Char Problem: Model IMPLODES? help!

[Sa74n]

hey guys.

got a problem with my character.

i build him in maya 5 rigged him using the standart HumanMaleA skeleton. after importing the model to ued some vertices break apart. strangely its not the whole model but some special spots (i.e. the right arm, helmet)

heres a shot of the imported (broken) model:
http://www.sa74n-design.de/problem/ued.jpg


what i already did is checking if every vertex has an influence and that the weights are normalized. also there are NO leaks in the mesh (unwelded vertices) and all face normals are pointing in the right direction.

i once succeeded to import the model WITHOUT breaking apart. what i did was resetting the vertex normals so that they point in the correct direction. but when i imported the model to unreal it looked like every edge was hardshaded.

a shot of the working model with hard shaded edges:
http://www.sa74n-design.de/jin-roh7.jpg

now i want the model to be smoothshaded. when i the edges of the model in maya and import it afterwards into ued3.0 it ****s up the model again.

i'm getting slightly insane already thats why i posted here in desperate need for help. also i'm not an expert on the effect of vertex normals and how to correctly use/manipulate them. if anyone of you uses maya and knows what could be the problem.. dont hesitate to answer please /images/graemlins/smile.gif

greetings,
Sa74n

[notman]

I'm not too familar with Maya, and I've never tried importing into UT (yet), but if you'll allow me to guess, it almost looks like there is an extra point behind the character somewhere near the bottom that Maya is trying to include. If you notice in that image, all your lines are going to the same point.
I use GMax (most of the time) and it has a habit of creating a point when you are off by a hair while creating new faces. Then when you undo, the face goes away, but the new point stays :/ I don't know if this kind of condition exists in Maya though.

[Scott Ruggels]

Did you delete non-skin hostory before exporting him? are ALL the verts welded?

Scott

[Sa74n]

there is no "point" behind the character. the vertices indeed go down to a certain point which is the 0x 0y 0z position in the maya grid.

i`m pretty sure all verts are merged but where do i delete non-skin history? because i guess i didnt do that.

[Scott Ruggels]

Go to the [Skin] menu item and pick "edit" Smooth Skin, and at the bottom is "Delete Non Skin History. It was a revelation when I found that one.

Scott

[Sa74n]

hope it works..
i tried to export skinweightmaps, delete history, smoothbind again and import the skinweight maps.. but the skinweight maps were really fucked up and blurry. so that was no option.

[Sa74n]

damn.. deleting non skin history is a maya 6 feature .. i got maya 5 /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Jeff Parrott]

Get bonus tools for Maya 5. It's in there.