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Managing bone "groups"


heyvern

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Okay here goes... this is a toughy...

 

Let's say... you have a rig. You want to apply it to a new character.

 

You load the bones into the model... but all of the bones are visible. You want to view only the geometry bones...

...or maybe you want to see only the fan bones...

...or just the control bones...

...For adjustment purposes...

 

My question to all the pro rigging experts... how do you go about managing this while in the model window?

 

I know you can create poses for hiding bones... that works great...

 

My trouble is... is there a way to quickly hide certain "groups" of bones in the model window?

 

I may...... submit the following as a... um... new feature, but in the mean time if anyone has advice on how this could be done currently I am all ears.

 

 

Maybe this could be done by creating "hiding" poses... and doing bone modifications in an action or chor? Like the way you edit smart skin....

------------------------------------

 

Here is my idea for a new feature...

 

Bone groups.

 

Basically the same as groups of CPs. It would be an additional property of a bone.

 

You could assign bones to "groups" regardless of the hierarchy... geometry bones... control bones... fan bones... even, arm leg and head bones...

 

Then... with one click... you can hide and show these groups... anywhere within AM... especially in the model window.

 

This could also eliminate needing poses to hide bones... if these "groups" were available through out.

 

Maybe... groups could be created just from the name of the bone... all bones with "fan" somewhere in the name would be part of a "fan bone" group... etc.

 

Anyway... that is my idea. I have this crazy rig... and all the bones are visible... it just took ages to turn off the control and fan bones... to assign CPs...

 

If I had these optional abilities... it would add a helpful tool to reusing complicated rigs.

 

Vernon "!" Zehr

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Hey Vern

 

The problem I see with your suggestion is the hierarchy. The only way I see it working is if you can place a shortcut of the bone in a folder somewhere (a new sub catagory under the bones folder? bone groups). The only thing I can suggest is to save the rig with only the geometry bones unhidden. It's a great idea and it would save alot of time.

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I have thought about this... quite a bit as I am turning bones on and off...

 

Even with just the geometry bones on... or off... at some point... you may need to adjust the placement of control bones...

 

Or... maybe you just want the fan bones on... so you can assign them easier...

 

If only you could have "poses" in a model...

 

The main problem is I am hopeless when it comes to rigs. I understand how they work... but I get overwhelmed and start screaming when I lose track amongst all of those bones...

 

 

I am just so lazy...

 

Vernon "!" Zehr

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