Help with Thom (2001 rig)

[heyvern]

I've tried everything and I just can't figure it out. Is there anyway to turn IK off for that rig without messing up all the other key frames? I tried adding a second chor action. This worked but then I can't key the bones. Is there a way to key all the bones at the point the second chor starts? I'm very desperate for a solution. Time critical.

 

-vern

[HomeSlice]

I'm not familiar with the 2001 rig. Maybe you can ask in the Rigging and Relationships forum?

[robcat2075]

I've tried everything and I just can't figure it out. Is there anyway to turn IK off for that rig without messing up all the other key frames? I tried adding a second chor action. This worked but then I can't key the bones. Is there a way to key all the bones at the point the second chor starts? I'm very desperate for a solution. Time critical.

 

-vern

 

step by step. This worked better than I expected.

 

ThomIKtoFKMP4.mov

[robcat2075]

before and after PRJs

 

Thom__IKtoFK.zip

[heyvern]

Robcat you mad genius thank you thank you thank you.

 

I have a few critical "IK transitions" for Thom in a couple of scenes that have been kicking my in the arse. Those points in time would benefit from IK switching... but I spent more time fiddling with it than animation so I just left everything the same and did it the "hard" way. So I'm at the point where he falls down and has to get back up. That is proving very difficult using IK on the feet. The falling down is especially painful due to the "balance" and "balance rigid" poses set. One of the other problems I had is when the bones get all dicombobulated I have no choice but to revert the project because I have no idea how or where to fix those bone rotations.

 

I finally finally finally get it. I get I get it I get it. It just works. The "key" is the "keys" (please DO NOT forgive my pun, it was intentional). When and where and how many channels, the filter buttons etc and how the chor actions are "active" or overlap etc are all very important. Once I got the process it just works like a charm. You think at first it's complex or difficult but in reality it's quite simple if you "do it right".

 

It's like setting up a new computer... and it just won't work... until you realize that everything must be plugged in... to a socket... that actually has electricity coming out of it (this happened to me. Took an hour to figure it out).

 

 

Thanks again dude!

 

-vern

[heyvern]

Robcat,

 

I noticed in your video that you had that bone rotation display issue for a moment. Could you click on the top project folder in the PWS and check the plugin properties for Newton? I would like to know if your issue is related to the same thing I figured out. Check to see if "use extended materials" is turned on.

 

-vern

[heyvern]

Robcat,

 

Another stupid question. I got the transition from action1 to action2 working great. I want to switch back. Any way to do that with the existing actions or should I just create a third one? Here's the problem, I turned the foot IK back on in action2 but now the foot targets don't work because I suppose all the leg bones are keyed now. I did something wrong I'm sure.

 

-vern

[robcat2075]

I haven't tried yet but I think a 3rd action would be the most likely.

[heyvern]

Yes, third action worked... uh... sort of.

 

I had a problem getting the "balance" poses to "reactivate". What happened was all the bones would get keyed on the new action. Some of those bones were "locking" the feet IK bones. Moving the foot target wouldn't work. The legs would be "stiff". I had to delete a bunch of bones ENTIRELY from the third action to get that working, but I never could get the balance pose constraints to work in the third action. This probably has to do with "hold last frame". That caused problems. I turned that off on the second action but if I turned it off on the FIRST action the whole thing went kablooey, the model jumped to the default model position and it was too much of a pain to get it lined up again. I think the 2001 rig has seen better days. I should have thought to check if there was a new version of Thom with an upto date rig that had better IK switching. Or maybe I could have stuck in some nulls and new constraints "on top" of the existing rig to add more control.

 

I only had a very short bit to animate after the IK switch at the end of action2 so I went with what I had. It turned out great. Very funny reaction as thom goes over backwards and stands up. All in all a very satisfying result. Thanks for the help. Will be posting the results in "Change Your Pants" thread later after a render. I have to do some more physics simulation because I didn't set it long enough on the first go so I had to continue it to fill the time range. Bouncing stuff suddenly "froze" in mid air .

 

-vern

[robcat2075]

The balance and balance rigid poses should always be set to 0. They're more trouble than they are worth.

[mtpeak2]

deleted

[heyvern]

Here's the result of all your help Robcat! Couldn't have done it without you. This is the latest update in the Change Your Pants topic.

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?s=&am...st&p=292518

 

 

-vern

[heyvern]

The balance and balance rigid poses should always be set to 0. They're more trouble than they are worth.

 

In many ways I agree... however there is one thing I love about those poses... they make "moving holds" so easy to do. Shift the hip bone just a tiny bit and you get a whole bunch of subtle movement. Otherwise you have to move/rotate a bunch of bones. It can save a lot of time when you're in a hurry. I usually just turn them up a tiny bit. Just enough to get that subtle movement.

 

-vern