In this tutorial we continue with the import of the camera sequence from CRYENGINE. The camera we import will not have correct orientation. It will be looking downwards. So, in the course of this turoial section, we will use the FBX camera transformation and parent a second camera for re-orientation. Finally, we must also change the FOV and other camera settings to match the CRYENGINE camera view.
(img00: the finished Maya scene)
First we need to establish our scene. Please import the two exported FBX files from CRYENGINE which holds the scene objects (a tank and a van if you use our tutorial files) and the camera animation.
(img01: Loading FBX plugin in Maya)
Import the scene objects: Go to File -> Import in Maya's main menu. Browse to the path of the scene objects and import the FBX file.
Frame the imported objects in your "persp" camera viewport. They are usually not located in Maya's origin.
(img01a: imported scene geometries)
Geometries are displayed double sided by default in Maya. Go to the "Shape" node of each geometry and change this behaviour to avoid the black and grey shaded polygons on top of each other.
The imported camera has incorrect orientation. We have to re-orient it. To achieve this, we attach a new Maya camera node to the imported "MasterCamera" node and add local 90° offset rotation to it.
To "zero out" the transformation of the "MayaCamera_Zero" group node and "MayaCamera"node, go to ChannelBox and zero the Translate and rotate values. Now you see that the "MayaCamera" and its zero'ed out parent node, are aligned to the CRYENGINE "MasterCamera".
(img03: How to "Zero out" transformation of a child node)
Check the Translate/Rotate values of the group and child camera node separately! If you select each one, they must be located right over the "MasterCamera".
Next we will rotate the "MayaCamera" locally.
CRYENGINE camera FOVs are vertical FOV. But standard cameras in Maya are using horizontal FOV. You have to convert these values first.
Also, the FOV value from the imported FBX camera ("MasterCamera") is incorrect. Don't use it.
You may want to output the camera sequence in CRYENGINE for camera matching in Maya. Please refer to the CRYENGINE docs to render your camera sequence with Track View.