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