Advanced Character Rig Exportation Discussion
by Cinder Games · in Artist Corner · 03/03/2008 (2:10 pm) · 1 replies
Who here does some complicated rigs?
I typically rig using aroung 100 bones, with targeting, match goal orientation, followers.
Now i have nothing but trouble with the lightwave exporter. I was hoping to get some discussion on how to properly export out of lightwave. I'll start off with some issues the lightwave exporter is unable to handle and some work arounds.
ISSUES
1) Match Goal Orientation - doesn't seem supported, causes various rotational issues
2) Target - Unsupported, LW doesn't seem to give plugins proper rotation
3) Manual Rotation of a bone in an IK Chain - various rotational issues
FIXES
1) There is a free plugin called "Match Goal Orientation" use that instead, it's actually better
2) See "workarounds" below
3) See "workarounds" below
WORKAROUNDS
I found the best and only way to get anything accurate thru the exporter is to manually create keyframes on every frame. Pressing enter, selecting "all items". and scrubbing the timeline creating manual keyframes.
This will apply rotational keyframes for all items including the bones controlled by "target" Also, make sure you press the button "setup for IK" in the exporter on the animation page, so it can handle the IK.
It seems as though, you'll need to at least create a keyframe for all/some of the items on the keyframes setup as start and end for animation sequences.
After creating keyframes, "untarget" anything using Target. the bone should be pointing in the right direction.
There is also a plugin called "Bake IK to FK" which may be perfect for you.
You can also try using the FSPE setting in the options panel of lightwave. This setting allows plugins to get the correct information on items. Things like targeting, work perfect when this setting is enabled, however, this greatly slows down lightwave, and forces the exportation process to take like 5 minutes. You should experiment with it as well.
All the plugins i mentioned can be found at www.flay.com
On another note, if Lightwave Dave happens to read this, perhaps you'd consider releasing the updated source code for the plugin?
I typically rig using aroung 100 bones, with targeting, match goal orientation, followers.
Now i have nothing but trouble with the lightwave exporter. I was hoping to get some discussion on how to properly export out of lightwave. I'll start off with some issues the lightwave exporter is unable to handle and some work arounds.
ISSUES
1) Match Goal Orientation - doesn't seem supported, causes various rotational issues
2) Target - Unsupported, LW doesn't seem to give plugins proper rotation
3) Manual Rotation of a bone in an IK Chain - various rotational issues
FIXES
1) There is a free plugin called "Match Goal Orientation" use that instead, it's actually better
2) See "workarounds" below
3) See "workarounds" below
WORKAROUNDS
I found the best and only way to get anything accurate thru the exporter is to manually create keyframes on every frame. Pressing enter, selecting "all items". and scrubbing the timeline creating manual keyframes.
This will apply rotational keyframes for all items including the bones controlled by "target" Also, make sure you press the button "setup for IK" in the exporter on the animation page, so it can handle the IK.
It seems as though, you'll need to at least create a keyframe for all/some of the items on the keyframes setup as start and end for animation sequences.
After creating keyframes, "untarget" anything using Target. the bone should be pointing in the right direction.
There is also a plugin called "Bake IK to FK" which may be perfect for you.
You can also try using the FSPE setting in the options panel of lightwave. This setting allows plugins to get the correct information on items. Things like targeting, work perfect when this setting is enabled, however, this greatly slows down lightwave, and forces the exportation process to take like 5 minutes. You should experiment with it as well.
All the plugins i mentioned can be found at www.flay.com
On another note, if Lightwave Dave happens to read this, perhaps you'd consider releasing the updated source code for the plugin?
Torque Owner Cinder Games
When setting up an animation the frame range is a little misleading
for example. if you have setup an animation from frame 1 -10.... then what you must do with the exporter is 1-11.
The exporter seems to see the range as, "first frame - stop frame" Basically whatever you put as the last frame will not be processed.
So for a looping animation where say 10 thru 40, with 10 and 40 being the same pose, this is what you'd need to put into the exporter.