"DiVE-izing" a Maya File for Virtools:

Before you export a file into Virtools make sure your Maya file meets these requirements:

1: All your Mesh objects consist of Polygons. NURBs Models will not transfer into Virtools. You can Convert NURBs to Polygons using the
Modify>Convert>NurbstoPolys tool, but it is highly unrecommended. It can often create messy, High polygon meshes. It is always better, when building a model, to just start with Polygon meshes to begin with. 

2: All texture should be clear and look good in the Maya workspace, not the Maya Render Window. Both the Maya workspace and
Virtools use OpenGL to render objects. So it's a safe bet that if something looks good in the Maya Workspace, it will look good in
Virtools. All textures brought in using the File node should also be no larger then 512x512. Anything larger then that will slow
Virtools down considerably. Also, any texture files larger then 1056x1056 will not transfer to Virtools at all. Double check all
textures before exporting. I will say it again: Double Check ALL textures before exporting.

3: Have your lighting already set up in the Maya File. the Spotlight and directional lights will transfer to Virtools and already having them set up saves
you a headache trying to get them set up in Virtools.

4: Polygon Count should be as small as possible. The lower your polygon count the smoother your Virtools file will run. There is not
MAX number of polygons Virtools can handle, but the less number of polys, the better

 

5. When you build a model it is fairly common to end up with multiple vertices stacked on top of each other within the mesh.  It's fairly easy to remedy this just by using the Edit Polygon>Merge tool.  If you check the "always merge 2 vertices" box within the tool, that helps even more in ridding your model of unwanted and unneeded vertices. 

 

6. Triangulate your model after all editing of the physical model, UV Maps and textures is done.  This tool is very easy to use and it's found under Polygon>Triangulate.

 

7. Once your model is as clean as you can make it, All textures double checked, all stacked vertices merged, all objects made into polygons, now you just need to delete the history, and you'll be ready to export.  Deleting the history does exactly what it sounds like.  This tool deletes your history of edits made to the model, which is, again, useless information that Virtools doesn't need to read your file.  This tool is found under Edit>Delete by Type>History

After making sure your file meets all these requirements, Export your File to Virtools:

File>Export all>[x](Box)

If you are just exporting straight Geometry the only options you need make sure to have checked or filled out are the following:

Lights
Hierarchy

Default Selections are fine for just a straight geometry export. Exporting animations is a bit trickier, I will create another set of toutorials for animating, exporting and such specifically for the DiVE soon.

I will say one thing, Check the scale that you are exporting as, Maya defaults to Centimeter, while Virtools uses meters as a scale, this can often cause objects to be imported into Virtools at a scale much much larger then originally intended.  

 

If Maya crashes during your export, Here are a few things to try that might keep it from crashing:

 

-Make sure there the "Export Animation" box is UNCHECKED if you are only exporting geometry

-Make sure you have Deleted the history of all the objects in your file, Check the Outliner window for "Empty groups" which may be an indicator of history that hasn't been deleted.

-Make sure you have no Nurb objects you are trying to export, or Particle effects or fluid surfaces ect. Only polygon meshes. 

 

 

Getting your Files ready for the DiVE, Or DiVEizing.

Once you file is in Virtools, all you need to do to have it work in the Dive is Import two pre-made scripts.

In the VR_Base Directory on the Novell server, you will see two files:

DukeVR_Base_v0.4.nmo
DukeVR_FlyNavigation_v0.2.nmo

To Import these files into Virtools:

Resources>Import>Browse to files>Import. (Just File Import, No need to do File Import as...)

Importing these two files allows your Virtools File to work in the Dive, and allows you to move, or "Fly" through it.

Save this file as a .cmo

To Actually Play your files in the DiVE, Create a .bat file (just copy and paste an existing one) Right click and edit the second file path to point to your just saved .CMO File.

save the .bat file with a new name.

Double click while on the DiVE computer to play.

Congratulations! You've gotten a file from Maya to the DiVE!