itsjustme

I was just showing how to set up a hierarchy that the InstallRig plugin could use...the Poses to position a rig or animate a rig are another issue. Yes, I first built a functioning rig that I could break down into an installation rig. The squetch stuff isn't necessary, I was trying to answer questions about the plugin and putting some squetch capabilities into a rig at the same time...I had gotten a lot of questions about both at the time. The plugin won't make any bones, it will just delete the bones I added for making an installation rig (the ones with "INSTALL" in their name), parent bones according to the hierarchy following "INSTALL" in the name (which also includes the ability to set "attached to parent") and unhide any bones with "geom" in their name. The constraints on that leg would be for the rig once it's installed...you would have to make some Poses for the actual installation. It probably isn't the world's greatest tutorial...I don't remember how much time I actually spent making it, but it didn't take very long to do. Hopefully, Mark and I can make up for the shortcomings of the tute.

In the Squetch Rig...yes. The 2008 Rig has a slightly different installation method. I'm only really sure about how the Squetch Rig is set up, any specifics about the other rigs I would have to refresh my memory.

I have a tutorial on making an installation rig in A:M:Films...it's here. The plug-in just deletes any bone with "INSTALL" in the name, parents bones according to the hierarchy following "INSTALL" in the name (which also includes the ability to set "attached to parent") and unhides any bones with "geom" in their name. For the Squetch Rig, the installation rig positions the rig, that gets exported from an Action, the installation Poses are deleted and then the appropriate "FINAL_IMPORT" model is imported to install the character controls. It is slightly different in the 2008 Rig and LiteRig. Hope that helps Robert.

Looking at a mountain is very intimidating...looking at the small hill you're climbing on that mountain isn't. Small goals add up to bigger projects. Any small thing you work on can give you an idea. Those ideas can be cobbled together into something very eclectic and more interesting as a result. When I'm stuck, I work on things that I know I'll eventually need no matter what the project is...a set of nuts and bolts, chairs, tables, light bulbs, etc. Then, those small things can be used to make more objects (there are bolts, nuts and screws on tons of objects). Building a library of such things is very helpful and keeps things moving forward during lulls in motivation. I think your funk will be short-lived, Mark. I'll send some positive energy toward your brother and hope he has a speedy recovery.

Hopping around a little, here's some casters that I needed to model for a cart (which will probably be in the background of the first Bertram short). I realize it's not much, but, these kinds of odds and ends eventually add up...and it keeps me from bogging down on one thing for too long.

Happy Birthday, Gerald (GAngus)!

That was a difficult vote...I had multiple favorites for different reasons. Good luck to everyone participating!

Happy Birthday, Ken!

I'm still working on that animation exercise character...a lot of trial and error, which takes me longer than I'd like. I've also re-worked the splines on the face and abs of the generic character. The changes show up as very subtle, so not a lot of difference in a final render. The face should animate better and there's a little more definition in the abs (I'm not going for "six pack abs", just a suggestion of some underlying structure)...I did end up with a hook in the neck that I don't care for though. I think it would take me a lot more work to improve my head modeling, so I may just accept what I've got with this one for now...I can always tweak some things as I rig him. Now, back to the other character and the rig update.

Happy Birthday, Gerald (Fuchur)!

Happy Birthday, John!

Great stuff, Charles!

A monkey riding a unicycle while juggling lobsters? No, can't be that...too obvious.

Looks great, John!

Happy Birthday, Luuk!

I like the color variation in the hair, Mark!

I'm still not completely clear on what is needed. Sprites in a vortex maybe?

It will play in VLC. I'm still not entirely clear about what you're after, mustangsRbtr. Would it be like asteroids orbiting a planet while bumping into each other? Or are you after bubbles? Is there a real-world example that we can use as a guide in helping?

Happy Birthday, Paul (fae_alba)!

Happy Birthday, Martin!

Great stuff, Matt!

Great stuff, Nancy!

I haven't actually rigged him yet, but I don't see anything that would be an issue. Except in extreme movements, the shoulder probably won't have to roll...for a wave, the bicep would roll the mesh starting at where the shoulder yoke ends (creating the bicep crease). This version of Sam is modeled differently, but, the same principle applies. I just brought the arm up like it's going to wave and then rolled the bicep to show how the mesh deforms. Hope that helps, Steve. wave_arm_roll.mov

Happy Birthday, Wilhelm (Willi)!

LOL! Those look great, Mark!