Rigging

[Shelton]

I have started rigging my first character and have run into some difficulties. I am a newbie so I am sure alot of the reason why there are problems is my lack of understanding. There are so many hidden bones in the AM 2001 skeleton and the new squetchy rig that I am sure this is a great deal of my stress. I have purchased TSM 2.0 and have had reasonable luck with it. But I am the type that wants to understand the background of the rig. Are there any tutorials you could recommend? I have watched David Simmons, Shawn Freemans, and show some back bones tutorials. It may be the way I have modeled my figure that is causing some of the problems especially at the joints and shoulders.

 

Also, when I import my model into the squetchy rig, any surface values not set or set to white the rig turns to yellow. Any thoughts on this? I have had to go into the model and change all the settings back to white and when I save and reopen AM the surfaces are back to yellow?. I have not had this problem with the AM skeleton rig 2001 or TSM.

 

Thanks for your help

[3DArtZ]

Shelton,

Rigging is the type of thing where you have to "see" what's going on.

The only way to do it, and it's not all that hard is to just practice setting things up.

I find that it is a highly personalized thing and the more you understand the more personalized your

rigs get.

You can take a look at my cd (www.3dartz.com) and you can and should just continue to practice.

Start with a generic arm and set up the elbow. once you are happy, move onto the other parts.

But you will have to look at something complete and relatively simple to get started.

I use a personalized version of the hash 2001 rig and you should probably start with that until you

see what's what......

 

Mike Fitz

www.3dartz.com

[itsjustme]

Also, when I import my model into the squetchy rig, any surface values not set or set to white the rig turns to yellow. Any thoughts on this?

 

If you select the model in the Project Workspace and look at the "Properties" menu, expand the "Surface" property out and change the properties in there you can change the default color to whatever you want. I like having some odd color to show what hasn't been weighted yet, but, it isn't necessary.

 

Mike has a very good tutorial, well worth it. Watch and read as many tutorials as you can. It just takes a lot of "hands-on" and dissecting what's been made by others. You might also check out Patason Brook's tutorials, Matthew Krick's tutorials, the constraints section of the ARM, and tear apart any setup you can get your hands on (there are a lot of examples on the CD and here in the forum).

 

If you run into any problems, there's a lot of help in this forum...just raise your hand. Hope that helps, Shelton.

[Shelton]

thanks for the tutorials. They all were very helpful. I will get back to rigging this character. Here is a shot of the head.

 

On the color change when importing the rig. I had surface colors on some items and the color was changed. The other were not set and they were changed.

 

thanks again. I will keep you updated.

 

Steve

[Shelton]

I have been away with a family vacation to Disney World and spent a great deal of time in MGM and of course in the animation studio. Another reason I have not completed the rig is that is has become frustrating.

 

So back to rigging the character. I have started over a number of times and well I am no where near getting this guy ready to animate. I guess it the fact of how the bones are related to the cps. I bought the new videos from HASH with William Sutton talking about cp weighting and rigging I have just started watching this so maybe this will help. I guess my problem is when the rig is in the character how do know where to place the bone at a joint so the joint does not deform totally when in the bent position. Or with that in mind what is better cp weighting or smart skinning? There are so many facets about the modeling process, then rigging, then setting up the scene, lighting, etc.. I have suffered an overload.

 

Also, some of the delay has been the Hash forums. I find myself reading and looking at others accomplishments that I keep putting off what I want to do. Also the forums are kinda of addictive. You read a thread that leads you to a new thread or thought, and so on and so on,

 

Any encouragements will be helpful!?

 

Steve

[itsjustme]

Or with that in mind what is better cp weighting or smart skinning?

 

For best results, use them together...I use fan bones where necessary, use CP weighting and then anything that is still a problem gets smartskin.

 

I guess my problem is when the rig is in the character how do know where to place the bone at a joint so the joint does not deform totally when in the bent position.

 

Look at other rigged characters and see how they were set up.

 

There are so many facets about the modeling process, then rigging, then setting up the scene, lighting, etc.. I have suffered an overload.

 

There's a lot to know about each aspect of animation, but if you start small you can chip away at it.

 

Also, some of the delay has been the Hash forums. I find myself reading and looking at others accomplishments that I keep putting off what I want to do.

 

It's addictive, definitely. However, you'll pick up a lot of useful information reading about how someone else solved a problem.