Mocca MoMix VERY basic question

[Anadin]

Ok I've not used it yet but am about to, based on my reading of the manual, you make a copy of your rigged and controlled character and call it Default - this is the default unanimated pose.

Then make another copy (from Default) and call it walk - do your walk animation on this one.

Make another copy (from Default) and call it run - do your run animation on this one.

Now put the MoMix object under the root of the original character.

You can at this point move Default, Walk and Run under the MoMix object but you don't have to.

Select the MoMix and in the attribute manager you will see a Default Actor box - drag Default in here.

Now click Add Motion track.

In the Timeline under MoMix is a motion track. Click on the motion track itself and in the Attribute Manager is box called Actor - drag Walk into this - you now have a walk object.

Add Motion Track again, click on the actual track in the timeline and drag Run into the actor box.

Now you can mix between Run and Walk in the Timeline.

Phew!

[wuensch]

---group the IK Goals outside of hirarchy in a null and use the group as a MoMix Object? should work and is fast to setup.
Since the Goals are the object you use for keyframing using the skeleton wont help.
Have not come to play with MoMix yet, though, so maybe I am missing something.
Olli

[fer 3d]

Thanks for your answers.

Yes, Anadin. Those are the steps according to the manual. However, when you use momix in complex characters (which have complex hierarchies) the tricky issue becomes where exactly to place the momix object, so that the right elements are affected. After struggling and experimenting with the mime character for a few days, I was not successful in mixing basic motions. Only one foot appeared to move correctly, and the rest of the character distorted and didn't move at all.

To better analize the problem, I experimented mixing very basic animations in very basic objects (mixing a cube rotation with the same cube's displacement) and this was very straightforward and mixed beautifly.

So I figured, if I MoMix just the controls of the mime (which are as simple and straightforward as the cube) separatly, I would actually be MoMixing the entire mime's motion correctly, without having to mess with the complex hierarchy.

And it worked. But I needed to make sure that this was the way I was supposed to use the tool, because setting MoMix for all the controls, one by one, was almost as time consuming as combining both motions by hand.

And thanks, Oli. I'll give it a try. However, it seems that momix is tricky when applied to groups.

I brought up this issue at postforum some days ago, and got no answers. I was beginning to think that the question was too stupid and was therefore ignored, but I am starting to realize that the real reason is that very few users came around to really play with the tool.:surprised

fer

[wuensch]

yes--unfortunately MoMix is only mentioned very roughly in the MOCCA manual.
Same as posemixer, where the problem everybody has is that they forgot to mention to place the Copies of the Poses into a Null with the coordinates of the parentobject of the poseChain.
If you dont know that it is impossible to get good results from it. Yet its simple.
Will have time tomorrow, so I might tryout MoMix, see if I can find out (I already have rigged charcters, tried out PoseMixer and p2p (which is just too comfortable to believe it and throw up the question why posemixer is not equally comfortable).
Olli

[fer 3d]

Please, keep me posted. It is always possible that I am actually missing something very basic.

btw, I am listening to the Deutche Welle while I work on my computer (got to practice my German). Sounds like you are having lousy weather in Hamburg. I am enjoying tropical summer sun where I am located right now:cool:

fer

[wuensch]

grmbll-- Did you have to mention that----- I--need--sun---
(at least when i work or drink beer it lessens the longing--- work---drink--- need--sun--)
grmbll
;-)
Olli

[wuensch]

OK, I finally played around with the MoMix Object a little and -- well i really miss the MotionGroups.
It worked well applying it to a set of Conrols collected in a null--

I find MoMix not remotely as powerful and flexible and would have wished they would instead have kept motiongroups and given them a sort of organization device (something like a Database with preview for groupings and the possibilitie to activate fold/unfold for sets of groupings)
MoMix could use a preview function and a better documentation.
It is relatively simple in principle but it is a pain to transfer motion between different characters with the same rig (or Proxys)when you actually only want to transfer /copy the keys.
I did not find any function to transfer the keys from the Momix (a breeze with Motiongroups in R7).
Recording with cappucino (which works) and the reducing with keyreducer-- maxon, what is that?
The keyreducer does not remotely what it is expected to do, but spins the Objects cappucino recorded around-- same with imported bvh files---probably needs more intelligent interpretation when the 360 degree--0 degree interpretation problem occurs.
Check LifeForms and their keyreducer for bvh to see that it can be done properly.
The way it is now I find Keyreducer unusable, sorry.
MoMix is nice for small Mixing animations---
but I doubt it is suitable for larger projects, if only for the lack of a preview and the mass of Data the duplicate Objects collect.
Why not make it as comfortable a P2P--- That is really easy and nice to work with.
Whew---
MoMix is OK, but it not a good substitute for Motiongroups--please bring them back.

Olli

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