tail rig?

[Boucha]

I suggest U to use spline IK for the tail...

[dude5487]

A tail is a good challenge and a really rewarding experience when one gets it working correctly.

I would agree with Boucha in using a spline IK. That is if you are using Maya. By the way what software are you using?

If you are using Maya I would do the following.

1. Create a spline IK along the joint chain of your tail. Make sure you have Auto Simplify curve off.

2. Find the curve created by the spline IK. If you cant find it in the viewport, look for it in the outliner. This is important.

3. With the curve from the spline IK selected enter into the Dynamics module of Maya by hitting f5.

4. Go to Soft/Rigid Bodies. Then go to "create soft body" options box. In here make sure you have "Duplicate, make original soft" selected from the drop down menu and "Make non-soft a goal" check. And leave weighting to .5.

5. Now in the outline find the curve and expand it(not the new copy/duplicate curve). This will show you the dynamics soft bodies we just created. Select those. In your channel box change the render type to "spheres" so its easier to see.

6. Right click on one of the spheres and from the pop up menu and select the top box, particle. This will turn the all blue and make them ALL selectable. If you are having trouble selecting them turn your selection of joints off and hide "ik handles"

7. Highlight all of the spheres.

8. With those sphere still selected go to Windows -> General Editors -> Component editor.

9. In there go to "Springs"

10. Here you will adjust your goalPP settings to make the spheres as stiff or loose as you want. Also keep in mind you can adjust the entire dynamics set up stiffness. You can do this by going back to your outliner and choose the particle node and adjust the goal weight. Remember we left that at .5? Well you can adjust it as sometimes the default settings dont always cut it :).

I hope this helps and good luck to u!

[abahena]

and depends what deformation you want.

*simple FK joints
*Spline IK
*Ribbon spine
*dynamics
check this link
http://mcbob.altervista.org/vid/dynamics.html

ofcourse if you are using maya

[JamesLane]

what kind of creature/animal?

how long is the tail?

I've rigged tails a bunch of different ways, and what I've found is that I get the best results with just a simple FK tail. It gives all the control I'll ever need. Don't rule out FK because it seems too simple. Ask the animator what kind of control they would like.

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