BARB33RIAN@Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:09 pm :
I'm having a problem with my shoulder's Joint Angle Deformer on a character I'm working on for class. It messes up when I'm working on the lattice (on a 2nd axis). For the record, I'm using Max 8.

My shoulder rotates on the Y and Z axis. So first I rotated the arm to the max positive Z rotation and setup the lattice.

Next I rotated it to the max negative Z rotation for the arms range of motion and setup that lattice.

Next I rotated the arm to the max positive Y rotation and setup the lattice. Note that at this point there's no problems.

Lastly I rotate the arm to the max negative Y rotation it will have and the lattice is just a disaster (and so is the shoulder). Now I can fix this 'keyframe' of the lattice, but it breaks another keyframe. Fix the other one, it breaks another one, and so on.

Note: A look at the Curve-editor for the lattice shows that the last position breaks because it shares almost the same raw rotation amount as the first position. It just seems to have 0 to 360 degress pegged off, but it appears that's some kind of total rotation on all axis. (Is there any way to get a separate curve for each axis?)

First 2 pics show the lattice in the positions it's ok in. The third pic shows the lattice in the 'explode' position, and the last pic give you a 'no crap in the way' view of the error.

Image

Image

Image

Image

I've tried creating a 2 Joint Angle Deformers for each shoulder joint, and isolating each one to control only one axis of rotation but that doesn't work. It only uses whichever one is higher on the gizmo stack.

Making an assload of keyframes for a lone Joint Angle Deformers doesn't work either. It just makes the deformations really jittery before they explode.

Any help would be appreciated, as I'd really like to fix this up so I can move on to animating the face and body.

BTW, he's my third character (first one was like 3 weeks ago) so any other input on other things is welcome. Just note that the texture isn't final, it's just the 'base coat' of colour / bumpmaps before details go on the diffuse.



BARB33RIAN@Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 4:11 pm :
If anyone's interested I've got a solution for this problem. The trick is to use the 'Skin Morph' modifier which can hold keyframes for multiple axis'. In a nutshell you set some animation keyframes for the extents of motion along each axis, then manually sculpt a morph for each deform. Sounds tricky but it's actually quite easy with the tools provided. Easier to use than the angle deformers by far, though a bit more time consuming. End results are worth it though, it really makes joints deform perfectly.



BARB33RIAN@Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:09 pm :
I'm having a problem with my shoulder's Joint Angle Deformer on a character I'm working on for class. It messes up when I'm working on the lattice (on a 2nd axis). For the record, I'm using Max 8.

My shoulder rotates on the Y and Z axis. So first I rotated the arm to the max positive Z rotation and setup the lattice.

Next I rotated it to the max negative Z rotation for the arms range of motion and setup that lattice.

Next I rotated the arm to the max positive Y rotation and setup the lattice. Note that at this point there's no problems.

Lastly I rotate the arm to the max negative Y rotation it will have and the lattice is just a disaster (and so is the shoulder). Now I can fix this 'keyframe' of the lattice, but it breaks another keyframe. Fix the other one, it breaks another one, and so on.

Note: A look at the Curve-editor for the lattice shows that the last position breaks because it shares almost the same raw rotation amount as the first position. It just seems to have 0 to 360 degress pegged off, but it appears that's some kind of total rotation on all axis. (Is there any way to get a separate curve for each axis?)

First 2 pics show the lattice in the positions it's ok in. The third pic shows the lattice in the 'explode' position, and the last pic give you a 'no crap in the way' view of the error.

Image

Image

Image

Image

I've tried creating a 2 Joint Angle Deformers for each shoulder joint, and isolating each one to control only one axis of rotation but that doesn't work. It only uses whichever one is higher on the gizmo stack.

Making an assload of keyframes for a lone Joint Angle Deformers doesn't work either. It just makes the deformations really jittery before they explode.

Any help would be appreciated, as I'd really like to fix this up so I can move on to animating the face and body.

BTW, he's my third character (first one was like 3 weeks ago) so any other input on other things is welcome. Just note that the texture isn't final, it's just the 'base coat' of colour / bumpmaps before details go on the diffuse.



BARB33RIAN@Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 4:11 pm :
If anyone's interested I've got a solution for this problem. The trick is to use the 'Skin Morph' modifier which can hold keyframes for multiple axis'. In a nutshell you set some animation keyframes for the extents of motion along each axis, then manually sculpt a morph for each deform. Sounds tricky but it's actually quite easy with the tools provided. Easier to use than the angle deformers by far, though a bit more time consuming. End results are worth it though, it really makes joints deform perfectly.



BARB33RIAN@Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:09 pm :
I'm having a problem with my shoulder's Joint Angle Deformer on a character I'm working on for class. It messes up when I'm working on the lattice (on a 2nd axis). For the record, I'm using Max 8.

My shoulder rotates on the Y and Z axis. So first I rotated the arm to the max positive Z rotation and setup the lattice.

Next I rotated it to the max negative Z rotation for the arms range of motion and setup that lattice.

Next I rotated the arm to the max positive Y rotation and setup the lattice. Note that at this point there's no problems.

Lastly I rotate the arm to the max negative Y rotation it will have and the lattice is just a disaster (and so is the shoulder). Now I can fix this 'keyframe' of the lattice, but it breaks another keyframe. Fix the other one, it breaks another one, and so on.

Note: A look at the Curve-editor for the lattice shows that the last position breaks because it shares almost the same raw rotation amount as the first position. It just seems to have 0 to 360 degress pegged off, but it appears that's some kind of total rotation on all axis. (Is there any way to get a separate curve for each axis?)

First 2 pics show the lattice in the positions it's ok in. The third pic shows the lattice in the 'explode' position, and the last pic give you a 'no crap in the way' view of the error.

Image

Image

Image

Image

I've tried creating a 2 Joint Angle Deformers for each shoulder joint, and isolating each one to control only one axis of rotation but that doesn't work. It only uses whichever one is higher on the gizmo stack.

Making an assload of keyframes for a lone Joint Angle Deformers doesn't work either. It just makes the deformations really jittery before they explode.

Any help would be appreciated, as I'd really like to fix this up so I can move on to animating the face and body.

BTW, he's my third character (first one was like 3 weeks ago) so any other input on other things is welcome. Just note that the texture isn't final, it's just the 'base coat' of colour / bumpmaps before details go on the diffuse.



BARB33RIAN@Posted: Tue May 01, 2007 4:11 pm :
If anyone's interested I've got a solution for this problem. The trick is to use the 'Skin Morph' modifier which can hold keyframes for multiple axis'. In a nutshell you set some animation keyframes for the extents of motion along each axis, then manually sculpt a morph for each deform. Sounds tricky but it's actually quite easy with the tools provided. Easier to use than the angle deformers by far, though a bit more time consuming. End results are worth it though, it really makes joints deform perfectly.