itsjustme

Thanks guys, I've gotten a lot of great input, so everyone involved deserves credit. Hopefully, I got it right the first time. If there are any issues with the installation version, let me know.

Here's the installation version of the Squetch Rig with instructions in Adobe Acrobat format. If anyone finds a problem, let me know and I'll fix it as fast as I can. Once again, thank you for being so patient and thank you for the constructive input.

I sent the installation version to Mark this morning, Martin. I just have to make the documentation pretty before I actually post it...that's what I'll be doing tonight (and double checking some things to be safe). Sometime tonight I'll have it posted here. Thanks to everyone for being so patient.

Thanks for being so understanding, I'll still try to get this done as quickly as possible...I'm making a lot of progress. I'll raise the flag when I get done.

Well, you're right about that...I found a really stupid one, so here's a fix. The parenting of the right arm was messed up. The rig was actually due on Wednesday so that Mark could install it in Scarecrow, that's why I'm trying so hard to get it done. Right now, I'm thinking the AD's have at least something to test with Squetchy Thom here...I realize it's not exactly what they wanted, but it's what I have at the moment. The original rig only has four fingers, so, I had to make a five fingered version...I don't know if it's necessary for the two versions, I hadn't really thought about it. I guess all anyone would have to do is delete the pinky poses and bones in the five fingered version...that may be the way to go. I'll be hard at it again when I get home from work.

Just an update on where I'm at in the process...yeah, I know, I'm mad at me too. I have the five fingered version made and I'm somewhere around half-way through with the installation version of that one. I'm hoping (once again) to get at least that one done by tomorrow evening. There were so many changes that the original installation version isn't a very good guide in a lot of areas. Once I get the five fingered installation version done, the four fingered one will go faster since I'll have something to use as a guide. Don't think I'm slacking, I've been averaging three and a half hours of sleep a night since Monday...and I have to be at work at 5am, again. I'm off to get four hours of sleep before I have to go to work again.

Okay, here's the fixed final version...I also found another IK arm thing that needed to be dealt with. Now, the five finger version and installation versions are on the agenda.

Okay, this is the final version of the rig...as far as I know. I'll try to bang out the installation version as fast as I can. Sorry I'm taking so long, there were a lot of problems to iron out...and hard to isolate. The arm IK/FK setup had to have IK arms added because the arm rolling wasn't able to be controlled easily...that one made me crazy for a while. However, it is a much simpler IK arm setup now. I fixed plenty of things throughout the rig...I tried every control and they seem to work. I'm not saying there can't be a problem buried in there somewhere, I just didn't find one. The shoulders follow the arm movement to a certain extent, they can be shrugged using the shoulder control or by translating the bicep control while in FK...or a combination. Anyway, give this a test drive. Now I have to make a five fingered version, make an installation version of both the four finger and five finger version and make instructions...and I have to work at 5am. I may not get any sleep, we'll see. I've been running on fumes for two days now, so I'm used to it . The automated squetch is still in there, David. It just can't vary the amount of squetch for each spine segment independently...maybe I'll figure it out when I get more time. ----------------------------------------- EDIT ----------------------------------------- It's going to have to be Thursday evening for the installation version...I've really got to get some sleep, my brains are burnin'. I can just squeeze in four hours of sleep before I have to go to work. ------------------------------------------- EDIT -------------------------------------------- I just snapped and realized that I have to fix the resizing of the IK arm bones when squetching...I'll have it fixed today (Thursday). Sorry about that.

I would wait for the version that should be up on Wednesday...you'll need the installation version. There are also some big changes...it doesn't look like I'll get a version up today to test drive before the installation version is up on Wednesday, I tried. I managed to get the IK very simple since the FK is already a limited IK chain, that cured several other things as well (you were right about that, Noel). The only thing I have left to do is to fix the shoulders...but I've got to get a few hours sleep, real life intrudes.

Cool, I'll check that as well, thanks Mark. There are several "loose ends" that are going to be cleaned up...I'm going to try to have a version up for evaluation on Tuesday if I can so that it can be stress tested before making the installation version. I also have to make a version with five fingers.

I can make it happen, Martin. I'll get rid of the variable automated squetch on individual segments of the spine (you'll still be able to manually squetch each segment as needed anyway and have an overall automated squetch) and the simplification of the arms IK may not happen if it slows me down. That would mean that the main focus on changes would be converting the IK/FK switch to an on/off and then making the installation version. So, that's how I'll attack it.

The squetch preserves volume as you make something smaller, of course at some point things will start to fold a little depending on the model construction. You can model something to maximize the squetchiness by reducing the definition...which means you get more blob-like or sack-like characters. I tried to weight the CP's taking that into consideration, for the most part (and for most things) it seems to look alright in Squetchy Thom. I kind of like the "deflated" look you can get by squashing things to their minimum...you could animate him deflating a body part at a time sort of. The problem with the spine is only in the automated squetching control, everything else should work fine...the automated squetching appears to work fine in v12 and worked in v11.1 for me for a while. I think I did everything right, it just may be a problem with allocation of resources...I'm not sure if the Expressions make it where they have exclusive control over what they are handling. I tried the Expressions on the manual controls, but it then locked out manual control, so, I made a secondary set of controls for the automated squetching...it works, but there are some inconsistencies that I haven't figured out yet. Anyone have luck using it in v11.1? How about v12? The automated squetching is in the "head and torso" area of the squetching controls (or something like that...I can't look at it right now).

I'm thinking the on/off switch will fix that...I'll look at that tonight. The baseball cap does have a couple of bones, but at the moment there's no built-in control. I left them there so that you could re-parent it if need be to move it around, but I have it parented like it is so that the squetch will affect the hat. Here's what kept me awake too long today...a slightly busted version (I can't tell what's up at the moment, maybe Noel will shed some light on it). I altered the automated squetch design that David (Dagooos) posted because I wanted to be able to adjust the amount of automated squetch on each segment of the spine. It worked for a while in v11.1 (my test model still works in v11.1) then stopped working for whatever reason...it could be the way I used the Expressions. It appears to work OK in v12 from what I've tried (maybe a little stiff though). The IK spine appears to work alright and can manually squetch fine, I might've gotten too cute trying to squeeze more out of the automated spine squetch. I can very easily do an entire spine automated squetch, so, it doesn't kill the whole thing if this doesn't end up working. Anyway, see what you think. I still need to update the shoulders and simplify the arm IK setup.

Thanks for taking so much time, David! I'm definitely adding a couple of other things that I didn't to the test spine. One thing in particular is sliders to squetch each spine segment individually so that the control structure can be maintained while squetching in addition to being able to manually move around nulls. That's very nice...definitely adding them. I got the knees fixed tonight and fixed some other things that took me a long time to isolate (mistakes). I also roughed in the spine and assorted other odds and ends. I'll try to post something on Monday. Thanks again, David.

Thanks, David. I didn't notice that...I'll fix it tonight. I'm thinking something like the one attached here...it has the option to squetch the entire spine with a slider or you can expose the nulls to squetch an individual section manually. It also has an added segment. I put the controller out in front so that it would be easy to grab and still see what was going on in this example, it would be in the center in the actual model. If it won't do the job, let me know.

I don't think you're doing that, Zach. You (and everyong else) have been very helpful and I appreciate it. I'm just trying to give you something that will do the job you need done. I don't want you to run into a wall somewhere during production because of a rig limitation or struggle to get the movement you're after. Personally, I think one more spine segment would definitely need to be added...more than that is the debate in my mind.

I'll put it back like it was....I think Noel was just thinking about preventing accidental squetching. Thanks, Zach. I've been looking at several models like that...I'll get it done as soon as I can. I figure I should add at least one more spine segment as well, how many segments do you want the standard to be? I'll see about trying it that way, Ed.

The "hips_lower_controller" does allow for the squetching of the lower torso...I could put a "rotate only" on that and put another null that can be exposed when squetching that. I'll do that. The "left_toes_IK_manual_pointer" being able to translate is a left-over from being able to use the IK feet in FK, I'll lock that down again. I think you're right...I'll try that tonight. Thanks, Noel!

Okay, I stepped in something, so not everything is done yet. I thought I'd post what I have to make sure those things are working for you. The renaming introduced a few problems that took me a while to track down. However, the things to look at in this version would be: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The controls are resized (are they too small, not small enough, taste like vegetables...etc) The finger curling is now controlled by rolling the finger controllers on their 'Z' axis. I'm not sure about the shoulders...it's temporary in my mind, but, see if it's an improvement in any way to you. The head/neck is different/better...moving the head controller will aim the neck and if you want the neck to squetch it now uses the head controller, but you need to activate the squetch in the "Animation_Controls/Squetch_Controls/Head_and_Torso/" with the "neck_SQUETCH" slider. All bones and poses are renamed...should be like what was requested. Heel raising appears to work correctly now. The "Tumbling" pose was left out since it was problematic (it will be put back in once I get the IK/FK switch to an on/off). For tumbling, just go to FK legs, "orient_chest_like_hips" and "orient_head_like_chest"...that's what that pose turned on. The FK legs now are a limited kinematic chain. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Definitely don't consider this a final, but, use it to see if any direction I've started down isn't working. I'll tackle this some more tonight. I'll do some cleanup and see if I can improve the shoulders and update the spine.

All I would have to do for that is give the squetch an on/off switch. I was thinking about doing that in places like the torso and neck...probably the shoulders as well. Sorry I "went dark" for a day...I'm going to try to have something posted tomorrow. Yeah, I said it before, but this time it should happen barring any major calamity. So far, the foot sliding when the heel was lifted is fixed (the height of the underlying control bone was the problem, but I also moved the location of the visible controller), I have renamed all the bones and poses (I think it was 350 bones or so and I don't know the number of poses...a lot), set the neck to aim at and roll like the head bone (without losing any previous functions), got rid of being able to use the IK hands and feet in FK (it would become unnecessary with an on/off IK/FK switchover), put a limited kinematic chain on the FK legs, got rid of the tumbling pose temporarily (it'll come back as an on/off switch on the version that gets the on/off IK/FK arms and legs), changed the finger curling controls to be on the 'Z' rotation of the finger controllers themselves....a couple of other things that have slipped my mind as well. I still have to finish the shoulders and see about the IK spine...and put in the on/off for squetch in some areas, like the torso and possibly the shoulders and upper arms. Anyway, I'll try to get the rest done tonight.

Yessir, fan bones. What I'm thinking is kind of like when a single bone controls a chain of bones...like a tail, or a snake. I think COGS can be put on any "geom" bone in the rig and used for fan bones and such...the controlling "geom" bone will provide any squetching. The reason I was thinking COGS is that they would be a lot better than a single bone for helping to control complex meshes. At least that's what I was thinking...you don't think so, Zach? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what Robert was saying...anyone have an example? Maybe a show of hands on this one? Reduce the size of the controls so that they don't stick out of the body, keep them the same size or make them bigger (I just thought I'd include every option)? The documentation hasn't happened in a real way yet, once this gets finalized I'll have my hands full of that as well as a few other things. I've been debating automating the re-parenting of the bones using a script or something, it would take me a little longer to figure that out. Someone that does that kind of thing in their sleep would get it done faster than I could. A video tutorial couldn't hurt, or a WINK...I've only made two video tutorials, I think I did alright, but that doesn't mean someone else couldn't do better. Mark (mtpeak2) rocks the house on installation, maybe if he has time he could knock one out when this gets finalized. Or if there are any budding tutorial makers that want to take a stab at it. I know I would definitely defer to someone with better animating chops than myself for the "how to animate" tutorial. Since I'm not going to have all of the changes done this morning, I'll hold off and give it one more day. I'd feel better if I don't give you half-implemented changes.

The 'Z' axis on the fingers doesn't do anything at the moment...I used the floating finger controls because I hated bending a finger and accidentally rolling it at the same time, but, I can understand uncluttering the PWS. I'll change that. Sometimes I just have to have a different name...I start throwing things around and I just need it to be different. A bone may start out as the main controller and then end up not being, what names would you like? That would be any easy change. The controller isn't directly moving the geometry, there's an underlying bone that is farther back that does the actual bending that has an "orient like" constraint on it...so, the location of the controller isn't causing it. I will move it though and move the underlying bone to see if I can get it right. I was trying to make it easy to grab a control, I can resize them though. No reason really, the biggest problem I was having was that since all of the bones squetch, the arm would get longer and shorter as the shoulders shrugged. I'll revisit that. Some characters could get away with just CP weighting, but, my thinking was putting in COGS as needed for additional spine segments. COGS seem like they could be easily imported pre-configured modules that could be plugged in where needed...at least that's what I was thinking. Do you have an example of the type of spine you'd like, Robert? There's no document at the moment, but, it should be easy enough to explain here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ First, the sliders resize the control structure so that the rig should animate as it would un-squetched. If you expose the nulls and use them to squetch things, it is independent of the control structure (except the torso nulls, they move the control structure with them)...so, for most things, the sliders would probably be the method of choice when squetching the limbs unless you were doing something like grabbing the elbow and pulling it out of shape...the Loons will probably use the exposed nulls when animating, I'm thinking. The squetch sliders are set up in levels, the base level (with "base_controls" in the name) will squetch a bone indicated, but will also squetch any child of that bone as well. The next level up is labeled as "individual", it will squetch the bone indicated and compensate for the hierarchy so that only the bone labeled will squetch (it is actually using the "base_controls" to do this). The highest slider in this setup will squetch the whole limb, presently named something like "arm_right_IKFK_SQUETCH". There are similar controls for each arm, hand, finger, leg and foot. The head and torso squetching is accomplished using the nulls that can be exposed using the "Squetch_Controls/Head_and_Torso/HIDE" on/off poses. The torso nulls do move the control structure, so, it should still animate as normal when squetched. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'll try to get as many of these done as I can tonight, but I may not get to them all until tomorrow. Thanks for spending so much time on this, Robert.

That'll narrow my search down some, thanks Zach. I should have it fixed in the next version/tomorrow morning. That's an easy fix, it'll be in it tomorrow...I just didn't think about it. It wouldn't take much to add a pose for that...do you mean the rotation of the head controlling the neck rotation on the 'Z' axis and the translation of the head control tilting the neck with it? Not a problem, it's an easy fix. I can be myopic sometimes, that should have been obvious. It'll be in the next version. Thanks for spending so much time on this, Zach.

The thing that might confuse newbies would be all of the re-parenting of the bones after they have been positioned. It has been suggested that a script could accomplish it, I don't see why not. The parent of the bones are listed after the word "INSTALL" in it's name, so, I think it could be accomplished. I might have to change it a little by doing it on each bone that is moved instead of in a folder method like I have it though. If I attempt it, it will take longer than if someone that knows what they are doing does it...but, once I get this finalized I could take a stab at it. The "jEdit" macros seem like they would be capable, I know Vern was doing some experiments (at least I think it was Vern). I'll post two versions for the next few until everything is hammered out. I'll take a look at that tonight, Zach. The tumbling pose is supposed to turn off the IK legs and IK arms and turn on the "orient_chest_like_hips" and "head_and_neck_orient_like_chest" poses...at least it's supposed to. It looks like I might have messed up the values in there. Thinking about it now, I shouldn't have had it disable the IK arms, I'll change that too. I think that all public rigs should be available on the CD...there are some really cool ones. Sometimes you want a fork, sometimes a spoon and sometimes a spork.

Here's the updated beta. Changes in this version: ------------------------------------------------ Eliminated shoulder twisting while arms are in IK that Mark found. Fixed foot rolling when rotating the hips. Corrected foot rotation when using the "tumbling" pose. Installed Noel's FK arm setup. Fixed shoulder movement (shoulder movement assumes you aren't manually squetching the shoulder when shrugging). Fixed ball rotator moving foot forward (it ended up being the parenting of the ball target). Re-enabled 'Y' rotation of the ball controllers. ------------------------------------------------------ I still need to change the IK/FK to on/off switches...I'll have that in the next version. I checked the fixes, but that doesn't mean I didn't miss something. If anyone sees a problem, let me know.