Extra: The Picker...

I am using a simple picker script which makes it easier to grab hands and other joints etc.
It is basically referencing the bone name with a button and combine groups of bones to a button and select them.

Max Script Code for my specific script:


rollout littlePicker "Little Picker";
(
/* Assign buttons the name and postion */
button btn2 "L Antenna" pos:[8,16] width:56 height:20
button btn1 "R Antenna" pos:[89,16] width:56 height:20
button btn4 "L Hand" pos:[8,120] width:56 height:20
button btn3 "R Hand" pos:[88,120] width:56 height:20
button btn6 "L Foot" pos:[8,176] width:56 height:20
button btn5 "R Foot" pos:[88,176] width:56 height:20
button btn7 "Master" pos:[40,216] width:72 height:24
button btn8 "Select All" pos:[40,256] width:72 height:32
button btn9 "Head" pos:[48,64] width:56 height:20

/* Button functions  */
/* Antenna R */
on btn1 pressed  do
(
/*clear the selection to make sure that nothing other is selected */
clearSelection()
/*select the right antenna bones */
select #($A_Bone_Right_3,$A_Bone_Right_2,$A_Bone_Right_1)
)
/* Antennas L */
on btn2 pressed  do
(
clearSelection()
select #($A_Bone_Left_3, $A_Bone_Left_2,$A_Bone_Left_1)
)
/* Head*/
on btn9 pressed  do
(
clearSelection()
select $Circle001
)
/* Hand R */
on btn3 pressed  do
(
clearSelection()
select $Rectangle002
)
/* Hand L */
on btn4 pressed  do
(
clearSelection()
select $Ctrl_L_Hand_Master
)
/* Foot R */
on btn5 pressed  do
(
clearSelection()
select $Ctrl_Foot_R
)
/* Foot L */
on btn6 pressed  do
(
clearSelection()
select $ctrl_foot_L
)
/* Master Ctrl Select */
on btn7 pressed  do
(
clearSelection()
select $CTRL_MASTER
)
/* Select All */
on btn8 pressed  do
(
clearSelection()
select #($Circle002, $Circle003, $CTRL_MASTER, $rightKnee, $leftKnee, $Ctrl_Elbow_L001, $Ctrl_Elbow_L, $Ctrl_Pelvis_Master, $Ctrl_Spine_Hip, $Ctrl_Left_Shoulder, $Ctrl_Right_Shoulder, $ctrl_foot_L, $Ctrl_Foot_R, $Ctrl_L_Hand_Master, $Ctrl_Hand_L, $Ctrl_HandControl_R, $Rectangle002, $Ctrl_Eye, $Ctrl_Eye_R, $Ctrl_Eye_L, $Ctrl_spineBot, $Ctrl_spineTop, $Ctrl_spineMid, $Circle001, $Ctrl_Neck, $Bone053, $Bone058)
)
)
/* create the picker dialog with width and height attributes */
createDialog littlePicker 162 300

Week 7 - 12 Morph Modifier and Animations

To get a good face rig with lots of impressions the use of the morph modifier is a good choice as the mesh can be put into extremes and accessed by the reaction manager.

A great tutorial for everyone to start with morph modifier and face animations can be found here:
http://www.bakaneko.com/howto/computer/3d/rigging/
(not a beginner tutorial basic understanding of the tool sis necessary.. but it is worth it!!!)

For the project I plan to have my character introduce himself and make all kinds of animations which could be used for video games.
The character is talking the audience through the animation sequence.

It will feature run cycles, walk cycles, a jump, a pick up , a gun reload and several lip sync parts.

For my walk and run cycles I used the animators survival kit expanded edition as reference, here is a online tutorial explaining a simple walk cycle and how to block it out:

http://pushingposes.blogspot.com/2008/03/basic-walk-cycle-part-1.html
(He is using the same book as reference as me.)

For the jump i used my own creation as reference as I had animated a jump before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF3NvATylCQ


The pick up animation is done in the same concept of blocking out the key poses and getting the timing right by moving those poses until the timing makes sense. After that I fill in the follow through action and exaggeration to finish the animation off.

Week 6 Skinning

To make the mesh follow the bones or biped a skin modifier must be attached to all parts of the skin.
Furthermore within the skin modifier the bones which will be controlling the bones have to be chosen so the modifier knows where each bone is connected with the mesh.

Skin Modifier Add Bones:

To adjust the vertices so that they follow the bones in a way that the "skin" mesh looks natural envelopes have to be adjusted for each bone or vertices.

I do prefer vertices manipulation as the rigger has got more control over the weights.
A weight table and vertices weights help to adjust them to fit the skeleton.

Here is a simple tutorial about rigging and skinning (using envelopes)
http://www.polygonblog.com/character-rigging

Week 4, 5 - Rigging and Reaction Manager

To rig the character, the bones have to be adjusted to the mesh and aligned with links of the character to get the later movement (animation) working correctly.

Rig + Mesh:

All bones in my character will be controlled with helpers.

The helper consists either of a spline circle, which is copied three times and rotated to form an object like this:

Or other spline objects for different body parts:

Hand Rigging:

To have full control over the hand and arm I am using an IK setup, where the arm is controlled by the hand and the elbow position.

After all bones are in place a IK solver is attached from the shoulder to the Hand wrist bone. This will be used to move the hand and arm later.

The hand it self is rigged according to the mesh and how many finger links are needed.

IMPORTANT: When rigging the fingers make sure that the bone links are on the outside (top) of the finger to have the finger bend like a real finger and not bend in the middle!!! Same goes for the elbow and knee!!!

Hand Rig:

To solve the problem of moving the fingers I am using attribute holders on the green hand spline object for each finger.
To add an attribute holder select the object which should hold the attributes and go to this menu:

The Reaction Manager to access the bone rotation and link the attribute holder sliders to the bones can be found here:

Within the reaction manager the master controller which holds the attribute holders has to be chosen and the bones which are controlled by the attribute holder are to be chosen as well to link the to the action of the reaction manager.
The reaction manger MASTER is the Attribute Holder.
The SLAVE is the bone to be controlled. This way all axis can be accessed.
A start state and end state have to be set within the Reaction manager for the bone (finger for example).

Reaction Manager:

Spine Rig:

For this model I am using simple link constraints to spline helpers around the spine to move the spine rather in having one controller, which is linked to all elements of the spine and moves all the bones.

The spine helper splines are connected to the spine helper points and their pivot point is moved to match those points which have the same pivot point as the spine bone.

Spine Helpers:

Week 3 - Bone Creation

Under ANIMATION -> Bone Tools a tool can be found for bone editing.

The bone tool allows the user to access all possible edit options with bones in one tool and is very useful.

In the tool the bones can be created, deleted, attached, refined and they also can be given the option off stretchy bones.

A created bone is displayed in the editor view, but it is not rendered.

A bone consists of the bone itself and an end piece.

The bone can be rotated or stretched with the end piece. If the bone is only selected by iteslf it can only be rotated or moved.

Bone:

Bones can be used for different tasks. As skeleton for a character or as a mechanical structure to move a piston in a motor for example:

Character Rig:

Week 2 - More Modelling and Analysis of Character Acting

Additional Modelling Techniques within 3Ds Max:


To model within the engine modifiers needed:

Poly Edit Modifier
  to manipulate -> Polygons and Vertices

Skin Modifier
  to "skin" (add the mesh to bones) the character



Acting and Camera Shots:

Camera Shots used in films and animation to help giving a feeling to the film/ shot:

Website with all the shots:
http://www.mediaknowall.com/camangles.html

Films looked at as reference:

- Pixars " One Man band " Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6sYX8Dmwnw
- Pixars " Wall E Lamp intro " Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRlYB8li1G4


Notes:
Animation Techniques seen and used in both films:

Anticipation,
Follow Through,
Pauses,
Exaggeration.

One Man Band - shows great examples for use of long shots, focus switches, close ups, and many more well used shots to add an extra sense to the scene.


Started to Rig the Model:

Model:
          Body

          Head:

Skeleton Layout from Rig:

Used bone structure:


Only 3 spine bones as for bending, walk cycles and other in game animations not more are needed.
IK Hands and Foots with Elbow and Knee adjustment controller.
A Master Controller for the whole character, a waste controller and several spine controller whereby the middle controller is the main controller.

Hand bones with 3 links per finger. (Controll done on red hand controller in attribute holder on right side of screen).

Week 1

Week 1:

Topics:
Character Design and Modelling

Different Modelling Techniques to model character:
   - Plane Modelling (more control and lots of detail possible, but longer develop. time)
   - Box Modelling (quick modelling using extraction of polygons, quick but harder to model with lots of detail)

Task:
   Design and Model Disney Style Character
  
Ideas:
   Pixar/ Disney Style Character from films "Ants" and "A bugs life"


Design Sketch:

   


Modelling:


To model in any 3D Tool it is easier to make a FRONT, SIDE and TOP sketch and add it into the scene.
With this technique the character can be formed very easily from all sides and with all details.