Windows

I am making a display to go in the window. Ultimately it will be flat for the pop-up scene, but I want the slats to cast a shadow across the objects in the display, so I cannot just use a picture. This is the goose side.

I still cannot get Mental Ray working at home, so the texture on the cloth is not rendering.

Fabric and Texture Match

I have a match on most of the textures and the fabric is simulated

Pop-Up texture

I have most of the texture and mechanics of the pop-up transition shot working.

Euler Gimbal Lock

I believe I have found the source of my rotational error. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a solution; I am rotating certain too far on more than 3 axes. I am just going to have to fix the error in rotation frame by frame.

Matching the Perspective to the Pop-Up

 This is one of the original frames.

This is the original with the pop-up overlayed. In order to work I have to have an exact match on every brick... It is very tedious.

Everything is working except the Awning and Mentalray

I am using blend shapes for the street light, and the doors.

The pop-up from an overhead perspective

The blend-shape that adapts the pop-up with the composite model as seen from above

3 Ways to make an Awning Fold

I have been trying to get the highlighted flap to fold for a few days. It seems like it would be simple, but it has been very problematic in practice. 

The first attempt, a blend shape, did not work. The resulting shape sort of slid across, instead of unfolding. 

I tried using joints, but I couldn't get the seam to stay together in the middle, against the wall, and against the awning.

The best results came from a group method. The axis is kind of weird, and I could not get it to properly hold orientation relative to the group. The only way I was able to get the shape to work is by readjusting it and keyframing every few frames. 

The Group Method

Best so far

Mentalray is still not working. There has been no reply to my problem in the forum, and that is the only way Autodesk replies to questions (at least with the educational version).

Matching the CGI to the Pup-Up

None of the angles on the CGI model that blends with the real image are really straight because the angle of the building is not 90 degrees the sidewalk is not straight, and the exact position of the camera is not known. The model was made to match the flat image perfectly while aproximating the actual dimensions as closely as possible. The resulting model, cannot be made into a pop up book. To compensate, I am working on another model with 90 degree angles that functions as a pop-up which I am making a blend shape to transition to the photo-based model. Matching the UV maps on the skewed model photo model to the straight model is tough because the geometry that folds is straight with regular UV maps, but the photo-match UVs are all warped to match the camera's perspective.

Here the angle of the photo-match polygon (in amber) was warped to match the perspective of the camera, attempting to match the outline with the polygon shape that folds best (in light blue) yields problems matching UVs. This paticulat flap has been very very troublesome.

Blend Shapes

I made some blend shapes to transition parts of the model from the flat pop-up to the live video. It is working out well.

Maya is loading, but Mentalray is still not working... Ugg...

file -f -new;
// Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/rememberViewportSettings.mel line 43: Active stereo does not work with Aero enabled. Active stereo has been disabled. //
// untitled //
commandPort -securityWarning -name commandportDefault;
// AbcExport v1.0 using Alembic 1.5.4 (built May  8 2014 13:47:10)
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/mentalrayForMaya2015/plug-ins/Mayatomr.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
 //
// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
 (Mayatomr) //
// AbcImport v1.0 using Alembic 1.5.4 (built May  8 2014 13:47:10)
updateRendererUI;
// Error: line 1: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/mentalrayForMaya2015/plug-ins/Mayatomr.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
 //
// Error: line 1: The specified procedure could not be found.
 (Mayatomr) //

Maya is Working!!!

After downloading several drivers and various versions of Maya, SP 6 with a seperate Mentalray plug in has booted up!

Maya is still down

My home copy of Maya is still down. I am awaiting a response from Autodesk.
Some are related to Mental Ray, which is missing from the newer version, so I have tried reinstalling the latest 2015 service pack, and the Mentalray installer, but nothing has solved the issues yet.
The error in the command window is:
// Error: Unable to dynamically load : ModelUISlice.dll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: DSO <ModelUISlice.dll > failed to load properly or perhaps commandList is incorrect. //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/initContexts.mel line 133: Error evaluating argument at position 1 in procedure "rememberCtxSettings". //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/mentalrayForMaya2015/plug-ins/Mayatomr.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(Mayatomr) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/plug-ins/fbx/plug-ins/fbxmaya.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(fbxmaya) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/MayaMuscle.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(MayaMuscle) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/mayaHIK.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(mayaHIK) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/OneClick.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(OneClick) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 60: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/OneClick.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 60: The specified procedure could not be found.
(OneClick) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 61: Invalid object or value: //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/mayaHIK.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(mayaHIK) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/mayaCharacterization.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(mayaCharacterization) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/AbcExport.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(AbcExport) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/AbcImport.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(AbcImport) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/gpuCache.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(gpuCache) //

// Error: line 1: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/gpuCache.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: line 1: The specified procedure could not be found.
(gpuCache) //

// Error: line 1: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/modelingToolkitStd.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: line 1: The specified procedure could not be found.
(modelingToolkitStd) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/plug-ins/xgen/plug-ins/xgenToolkit.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(xgenToolkit) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: ImportError: file S:\Maya_2015_DI\build\Release\runTime\Python\Lib\site-packages\maya\OpenMayaUI.py line 21: DLL load failed: The specified procedure could not be found. //

// Warning: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Failed to run file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/plug-ins/xgen/plug-ins/xgenMR.py //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: (xgenMR) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/bin/plug-ins/shaderFXPlugin.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(shaderFXPlugin) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/plug-ins/bifrost/plug-ins/BifrostMain.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(BifrostMain) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/plug-ins/bifrost/plug-ins/bifrostshellnode.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.
(bifrostshellnode) //

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: Unable to dynamically load : C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/plug-ins/bifrost/plug-ins/bifrostvisplugin.mll
The specified procedure could not be found.
//

// Error: file: C:/Program Files/Autodesk/Maya2015/scripts/startup/autoLoadPlugin.mel line 46: The specified procedure could not be found.

(bifrostvisplugin) //

Maya 2017 Compatibility Issues

The render layers I set up in Maya 2014 - 2016 are not transferring into 2017, and installing 2017 seems to have corrupted all the older versions on my home PC (2014, 2015, and 2016 are no longer loading). A simple repair reinstall does not work, so I have had to uninstall 2015, download another copy,  and reinstall. 2017 Seems to be working, but there have been a lot of comparability problems, so I want to have the same copy at home that I use in the lab.

Maya is Not Using Mental Ray in 2017

Maya 2016 is giving me issues, and apparently Maya has stopped including Mental Ray in 2017. So all my stuff has to render in a stand alone or something. I haven't really figured out how to use them yet, but all the Mental Ray stuff if not going to render in Maya 2017.
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Changes-to-rendering-in-Autodesk-Maya-2017.html?v=2017

NVidia says it is "Coming Soon for Maya 2017"
http://www.nvidia.com/object/nvidia-mental-ray-products.html