How many controllers do i need ?

[JasonOsipa]

There is no right answer, not even a right range. It all depends on what you want to do with your character, how all-encompassing you want your rig to be (vs changing it up a little based on the circumstances of the shot/motion) and how you like to work.

Personally, I've always preferred less over more as far as the "visible" interactive portions of a rig. I try to design rigs that do all the "neato" stuff *for you* instead of making the animator do it manually.

Also, to have more folks maybe better answer your query, please define "controllers"; do you mean extra out-of-base-hierachy constraints, dohickeys and whirlygigs, or are you including basic in-hierarchy joints in that number?

Later! -J.

[Wardile]

Well, controllers as in dummys combined and linked to another set of ik chainz so that when i rotate just one point controller, the elbow will bend.

Basicly my controllers are refering to ik-handles, chainz... spline ik helpers and manipulators for any object.

I try to stay away from standerd foward kinematics. Well i still use em alot.

Example... my hand has one main controller, that controls rotation and movement, another controller that controls all the fingers at once then splits up so you can control each finger seperately.


But the rig that exzist of 35 controllers (helpers) can be fully nimated with 6 (not 4) main helpers.

Those 6 are subdivided for more fredom, you dont have to use em... its just there for the animators pleasure.


If you like i can upload the .max file so you guys can play with it and tell me if its good or bad.

[grzesiekj]

Hi!
I'm not using max at the moment, but I was working a lot with the 4.2 version.
As far as my experience goes, the more control you have the more you can do.
But it is always good to group certain predefined motions to slider or one control.

Hand movements, facial expressions ecc, consist of repetitive movements. so it is always good to constraine them to a slider
(trax editor, motion mixer, morph mixer and so on)

In most cases you can do well with all that predefined poses of finger rotations, eyebrow movements, muscle tweaks...

If you are using character studio you can store a lot of your predefined movements, and constrain them to one, or a few controlers.

[Wardile]

LOL... okay then, it's obvious i have alot still to learn before i splurt out the bunch a crock i just did.

Those things u just mentioned seemed greek to me, so now... i must find out what it means, then ill study it... and then i shall return.

P.S. It rocks having a mind of yer own.
:buttrock:

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