itsjustme

Just a heads up that there will be an updated rig posted shortly. The elbows will be changed in both v12 & v13 versions. The v13 installation will have the instructions added to and the "Key Poses" split out from the rig. What happens is that with the "Key Poses" as part of the rig it makes compensate not work properly, so that needs to be added last. If you are having problems installing the v13 rig, delete the "Key Poses" and then add them back when you are done setting everything else up. It makes sense when you think about it. We are asking the software to do a lot of contradicting things. I learn something new every day.

This is just a test for Bob to look at...it would change the elbow control in IK if it's what happens.

I haven't had any problems using 512 MB of RAM...it will slow down if you have extremely large decals and realtime display of hair or simulation data though. It will work fine with 512, but more is always better.

There's a Mac version, Rodney...actually, Open Office is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris. Audacity is also available for Windows, Mac and Linux. The Windows only software I listed would be Virtualdub, CamStudio and HTML-Kit. I've been thinking about trying Cinelerra for video editing by way of a "live" CD like dyne:bolic...it's a lot more of an editor than anyone would need for making tutorials, but for hardcore projects the practice might pay off. With a live CD, you wouldn't have to install it or the operating system (Linux). You would just boot using the CD...I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be able to access Windows drives. I'll let you know how my experiments come out.

For video tutorials, I have used Camstudio with the framerate set at 5 frames per second to conserve file size. I went with 720x480 so that it would be standard television size and also to save file size from the 1024x768 full screen capture. I found that there was a problem with the audio while capturing, so I went with Audacity to record audio at the same time. I then used Virtualdub to combine the audio and video and edit down the captures...which I did in segments to reduce audio drift and to reduce the amount I would have to re-do if a problem occurred. Once I had the tutorial like I wanted it, I used GIMP to make the title graphic and used Virtualdub to edit it in. Lastly, I took the final uncompressed AVI and imported it into Quicktime Pro to save it as a Quicktime MOV so that it would be more cross-platform friendly. The final product is not as clean as some other tutorials because I was mainly concerned with keeping the file size down. I ended up getting just a little over 1 MB per minute...I think it's around 1 hour and 50 minutes long and weighs in at around 120 MB for both parts. For Adobe Acrobat (PDF) tutorials, I have used just a notepad-like HTML editor to make the pages (it's called Quikpage, but I don't think you can get it anywhere now), opened it up in Open Office and exported as a PDF out of there. The original HTML could also be used as a straight web page. For a free HTML editor, you might try something like HTML-Kit...you could probably do it all from within Open Office though. An example of the video tutorial is here and an example of the PDF I don't have anywhere online except that I used the same method for the installation instructions for the Squetch Rig, here. Total cost of software is $30 for Quicktime Pro...so that's a plus.

Here is a very good leg tutorial...it doesn't have any nulls in it, but all you would do is replace the foot control bone with a null. This arm tutorial has a null for the IK control...it's a good tutorial as well. This page has those tutorials and several others you might find useful. I made a face rigging tutorial that has some nulls in it here. It has a basic overview of constraints at the beginning as well. Hope those help.

Nulls are like bones except you can't assign geometry to them. They are used as targets and controls. The legs of characters generally have a chain of bones that have a kinematic constraint on the end bone of the chain with the target being a child of the foot control null. There are more constraints applied, but that is the general idea. Hope that helps.

The setup sounds very nice, now it'll take putting in tons of time and effort. Good luck with the project.

Extremely cool, Will! Fantastic work as usual.

Another very small update on the rig...it's just adding the Key Groups null to a hidden pose. I added an instruction on the full body squetch at the end of the installation instructions as well.

Just a quick fix...the knee controller needed to be renamed in the "key poses" folders. Other than that, it's the same as the last version.

Today, an update, a fix and an addition. The fix is for the arms, on previous versions the right arm limit gets negated by a double euler limit. To fix a previous version, delete the euler limits on the forearms in the "left/right_arm_FK_IK" poses. The update is in the documentation for the rig installation. There is also an update to the FACE installation that Mark will post when he gets time. The update is that the "FACE Interface-Master" bone should be constrained to the "head_control" bone instead of the "head_manual_control" bone because the "head_manual_control" bone can pull away from the head. The "head_control" bone is in exactly the same location with the same orientation, so, it's just a matter of changing the bone in the constraints. The addition is in the v13 installation version...there are now v12 and v13 installation versions. Added is the Key Groups feature which comes as a result of the IK/FK switch. This is the result of Mike Fitzgerald, the programmers at Hash (Bob Croucher spearheaded the effort I think, with at least Martin Hash, Noel Pickering and Will Pickering lending a hand) and David Seymour's hard work...a big "Thank you" to all of them.

I don't think it's something that would go under the heading "bug report", but making sure everyone knows about it can't hurt. Rodney hands out the TaoAM certificates...maybe let him know since he deals with a lot of people that would encounter the problem (I'll send him a note). It won't be able to be fixed until the next CD comes out unless Hash makes another version of the CD. It's not hard, but, for someone just getting their bearings it is better left for a little later...in my opinion. Have fun. If you run into problems, there are a lot of helpful people here in the forum.

Okay, I was still using my v12 (Sorcerez) disc...the Knight is fine on that disc. On the v13 (Yeti), the Knight is messed up. Here's the one from the v12 disc, it should work fine. Knight.zip

I don't know....but, if the foot goes below the level of the IK foot controller when moving the hip in IK it isn't right. All I did was open the knight, open a new Action and then move him around. I didn't have a problem. So, you're "importing" him? Or "opening" him? I don't think it would make a difference, but, maybe it does somehow. I'll have to go back and experiment tonight...I'll post here again after messing around with it a little.

Hmmm, I don't know, RingerT....I just checked and it worked fine for me (I checked two versions of AM). What version of AM are you running, v12q? If you post a screenshot or the Action, it would help us help you.

Another small update...it should make installing the thumbs a little less of a problem. I changed the percentages of bend on the thumbs, cleaned up the rotation angles and updated the documentation.

Nice so far, Joshua...cool style.

An update to fix a couple of things found recently. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A couple of typos in the documentation have been corrected. Changed the "right_finger_thumb_1_aim_fix_1" bone's "translate to" constraint in the "Rig_Components/arm_constraints_folder/hand constraints" pose to translate to "right_hand_carpal_thumb_target" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

This entire community has been very generous with its' time, information, suggestions, example files and sweat. I want to make sure that I thank some of the people that helped me...it's not a complete list, but I hope I covered most of the bases. I definitely wouldn't have been able to put half as good of a rig together without their help. Thanks to: Martin Hash, Noel Pickering, Bob Croucher, Bob Taylor, David Rogers, Mike Fitzgerald, Steven Cleary, Mark Strohbehn, Mark Skodacek, Robert Holmén, David Seymour, Ken Heslip, Alonso Soriano, Trajce Drvarceto, Frank Silas, Zach Brewster-Geisz, Ed Lynch, Vernon Zehr, David Higgins, Paul Forwood, Rodney Baker, Paul Daley, Richard Creel, Matt Bjerk, John Kuepper, Charles Wardlaw and Bill Woelbeling. I leaned on some of these people quite a bit and I'm very grateful they put up with me. I thought about listing everyone's contributions, but it would be the length of a novel by the time I finished...seriously. If you follow this thread and compare what I started with to the finished product, you'll see what I mean. This is not to say that the rig won't get updates and modifications as needed, I just wanted to make sure that everyone knows I appreciate their help. Thank you.

I had to split up the documentation because I ended up reaching the file size limits on the forums. I updated the documentation because some things were getting cut off.

Alright, I think this may be the final...although I've said that before. The last thing I had to clear up was some twisting in the legs. The orientation of the legs was causing the problem, they needed to have the same angle on the 'Y' axis. The euler limits on the arms and legs make it where the 'Y' and 'Z' axis of the thigh/calf and forearm/bicep need to be the same...the 'X' can be different and compensated for if the character has it's legs modeled bent. That's the only change in the models, I also updated the documentation. Everything should work in v13, there will be some twitches in the present version of v12 (12p). Now, I just have to write up a "Thank-you" list...unless someone finds a problem.

The most recent version is probably not the last, unless my thinking about one of the constraints is correct, Drvarceto (it would only be a change in values on a couple of constraints at the worst). I still have an experiment to do, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. I'll do that tonight. At the moment I'm making a quadruped version using the present Squetch Rig...I'm rigging a cow for TWO. I grab time to work on this when I can, it's been hectic lately. Steven Cleary should have an installation version in this thread, it should help. The v11.1 version of the Squetch Rig that I said I'd make will require a different leg and arm IK setup...v12 as well, unless Hash updates v12p. I haven't forgotten about it though, sorry it's taking me so long.

Here's the update that fixes the legs. There is still one thing bothering me that I have contacted Noel about, but, other than that it should be good. The euler limits on the calf bones cause a twitch when fully extending the legs. It may be a programming solution or I'm not understanding something...either way it should be resolved quickly. In order to update the rig from the previous installation version: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- delete base_bone/right_knee_IK_rotator delete base_bone/left_knee_IK_rotator add hips_lower_controller/right_leg_hinge_rotate and copy it, name the copy "right_leg_hinge_rotate_FK_orient" add hips_lower_controller/left_leg_hinge_rotate and copy it, name the copy "left_leg_hinge_rotate_FK_orient" copy "right_leg_hinge" and name the copy "right_knee_FK_rotator" copy "left_leg_hinge" and name the copy "left_knee_FK_rotator" reparent these bones so that they look like this: hips_lower_controller - ------right_leg_hinge_rotate -----------right_knee_FK_rotator ----------------right_leg_hinge_rotate_FK_orient -----------right_leg_hinge ----------------right_knee_controller ---------------------right_thigh_orient - ------left_leg_hinge_rotate -----------left_knee_FK_rotator ----------------left_leg_hinge_rotate_FK_orient ------left_leg_hinge -----------left_knee_controller ----------------left_thigh_orient replace the "leg_constraints" pose replace the "left/right_knee_orient_like_foot_IK" poses replace the "left/right_leg_FK_IK" poses replace the "hide_non_tweaking_bones" pose replace the "hide_body_SQUETCH_controls" pose change the roll method of the IK foot nulls to "roll history" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've gotten tons of help from the community on this, Jim. People have been very generous with their time, their ideas and their sweat equity. I'll have to post a big "thank you" when I get done.