how to load external usd animation onto a skeleton? 'import' with anim checked did not work on my end. how to target the object to get the anim? i've tried the reference usd on all possible objects and it didn't work. I'm trying to import the 'audio to gesture' animation data from omniverse onto the same usd skeleton that had it in omniverse. thank you
Alembic has an option to “import under current selection… merge” which allows adding a cache to geo with xGen (thus animating the geo that the xGen hair is growing out of). Is something similar possible in the USD cache workflow?
I can follow the instructions until minute 3:01. When I right click and press "Cache to USD" it doesn't playback the animation and the result is the robot with no animation. I have tried several times with super simple scenes, like a cube animated, replicated exactly all of the steps, imported Maya references without any issues at all. However the "Cache to USD" option doesn't seem to really work. Any help?? I'm in Maya 2023.3 and MayaUSDPlugin 0.20.0.
Sounds like you have some kind of installation issue. Have you tried reinstalling Maya / USD plugin? I believe the newest version of the plugin is 0.22.0 so you could also just try updating that first. github.com/Autodesk/maya-usd/releases/tag/v0.22.0
Yes. That said, rigging is not compatible with USD so you'd have to keep the rig as a Maya file. The animation can then be cached either in USD (as shown in this video) or as an animation cache file (like alembic).
Maya 2023.3 (plugin 0.20) crashes when trying to do these workflows. 2024 (plugin 0.22) , hard crashes as soon as you try to create a USD stage. What gives?
Will this be available in earlier versions of Maya as well (ex. 2022) or does this new feature require some under-the-hood USD changes present in Maya 2023?
@@Autodesk_Maya Thanks! Your videos are great. I've watched but am still not clear on the performance benefits, how much does it actually help performance vs just being another way to organize versions and bespoke changes to individual scenes, etc. Maybe I'll try to do some of my own benchmark tests to share if it's worth juggling USDs.
@@Autodesk_Maya I watched the video but it doesn't show how to use Subdivision in the viewport nor render when using a stage. Pressing "3" on the keyboard won't work when using stages.
Great stuff, this looks pretty sweet will have to try it out!
Happy to have you back, after a very long time
🙂
Amazing! Finally a prober video that shows the process. Thank you.
Matt, I love you
how to load external usd animation onto a skeleton? 'import' with anim checked did not work on my end. how to target the object to get the anim? i've tried the reference usd on all possible objects and it didn't work. I'm trying to import the 'audio to gesture' animation data from omniverse onto the same usd skeleton that had it in omniverse. thank you
Alembic has an option to “import under current selection… merge” which allows adding a cache to geo with xGen (thus animating the geo that the xGen hair is growing out of). Is something similar possible in the USD cache workflow?
Thanks for your awesome video series! I'm not sure why when I try to add a maya reference, this option doesn't show up like it does in the video?
I can follow the instructions until minute 3:01. When I right click and press "Cache to USD" it doesn't playback the animation and the result is the robot with no animation. I have tried several times with super simple scenes, like a cube animated, replicated exactly all of the steps, imported Maya references without any issues at all. However the "Cache to USD" option doesn't seem to really work. Any help?? I'm in Maya 2023.3 and MayaUSDPlugin 0.20.0.
Sounds like you have some kind of installation issue. Have you tried reinstalling Maya / USD plugin? I believe the newest version of the plugin is 0.22.0 so you could also just try updating that first. github.com/Autodesk/maya-usd/releases/tag/v0.22.0
I love that I have both those teapots and BB8 in my office, same as you. lol.
is it possible to keep rig as one file, and animations in other files? to reload animations without reloading the rig
Yes. That said, rigging is not compatible with USD so you'd have to keep the rig as a Maya file. The animation can then be cached either in USD (as shown in this video) or as an animation cache file (like alembic).
does this work if I export advanced skeletons to unreal?
Great Video!
Would you mind to explain the process to export animations in USDZ format too?
Does USD work with arnold standins or alembic files? Lets say I used standins to scatter trees, can I export that scene as a USD?
Maya 2023.3 (plugin 0.20) crashes when trying to do these workflows. 2024 (plugin 0.22) , hard crashes as soon as you try to create a USD stage. What gives?
awesome tutorial how can we get cached animation into unrealengine 5
great question.. have you tried the USD workflow with UE? I'm curious how well USD geo caches work with this... trialling this now
how it works on lighting?
how to cache to skeletonSkelAnimation or PackedJointAnimation ???
I find that a more complex rig with blendshapes seems to break the USD workflow above.
1:15 Why are you exporting the animation as Maya, and referencing it back in? Why not directly exporting the animation (and importing) as USD? Thanks!
Strictly speaking, you can't just export Maya animation to native USD format - it needs to be cached, which is the workflow I'm showing here.
@@Autodesk_Maya I see, thanks
really helpful!
Will this be available in earlier versions of Maya as well (ex. 2022) or does this new feature require some under-the-hood USD changes present in Maya 2023?
Unfortunately this is a 2023-only feature!
@@Autodesk_Maya To clarify, is this due to the Maya Reference prim requiring a some UFE update that is only present in Maya 2023?
@@brycegattis1129 Correct
Have you tried J CUBE Multiverse, and how it handles USD in Maya?
I hope a modifier stack system is coming soon. It’s been on the ideas forum for years!
What's the advantage of doing this? What's the 'why' behind this 'how'?
Check out this video on the "why's" of using USD: ua-cam.com/video/SaBXE4yQetk/v-deo.html
@@Autodesk_Maya Thanks! Your videos are great. I've watched but am still not clear on the performance benefits, how much does it actually help performance vs just being another way to organize versions and bespoke changes to individual scenes, etc. Maybe I'll try to do some of my own benchmark tests to share if it's worth juggling USDs.
@@AnimatorsJourney Yeah I'd like to know this too.
Great. And how do you display or render SubD with your USD?
You can render via Arnold or Hydra. ua-cam.com/video/d27RJklI1tE/v-deo.html
@@Autodesk_Maya I watched the video but it doesn't show how to use Subdivision in the viewport nor render when using a stage. Pressing "3" on the keyboard won't work when using stages.
Hello, thank you for this... a question
Can you write the .usd file on a SMB share folder?
Absolutely you can. That's actually one of the big use cases for it.
I heva No item "Add Maya Reference"
Maya 2023
heeeeeeeeeelp plz
What version of the USD plugin are you using? I recommend getting the newest one.
@@Autodesk_Maya I'm not seeing that option either using 0.16.0
Updated to maya 23.2 & usd 0.19.0 and the option is now available
Ahh yes U.S. dollars
Too late.