Linking Help! -Hand to Dummy

[Dave Black]

Ok, because character studio is "special", you can't link the hand directly to an object. This can and will result in some scary things.

What you do in CS, is to use "body" and "object" space keys. They are accessible from the "IK Key Info" rollout on the command panel within the motion panel when a part of a biped is selected.

You set keys(or you can think of them as states)for what object is influencing your hand. Simply set a key, then go into this panel, and set the space type to "object", then select the object you want the hand to follow.

You can use a dummy object with either a list controller, or a link controller to allow for one object to inherit the transforms of another. Say you want an object to move 5 feet, and then be picket up by one character, and given to another. By animating the dummy object's link controls, you can pass the object's transform inheritance from one object to another.

Hope some of that made sense.

Best of luck.

-3DZ

:D

[hugo.m]

It's very simple.

Step 1: Align your Dummy to the hand.

Step 2: Select the hand. In your motion panel, under the IK Key Info tab, there is an arrow at the bottom. Click on it(If there is a warning sign, it's just trying to tell you that once linked, the hand will be controlled by the dummy if IK Blend is set to 1.0 and the Object option is selected). Click OK if there is a warning. Select the hand. You will now see the name on the hand on the space beside the arrow.

Step 3: Above the arrow, you have 2 options. Body and Object. Select Object.

Step 4: Still in the IK Key Info tab, set IK Blend to 1.0

That's it. Now the arm should be controlled by the dummy. You can still animate the hand freely but you must set a key on the hand where you want to animate it and set the IK Blend to 0.0 and select Body. Remember, every time there is a key set on the hand with IK Blend 1.0 and Object selected, the hand will be linked to the dummy(or whatever object you link it to). That's what the warning sign tells you beofre linking the hand to the dummy. If you want to remove the link completely(errasing it from the space beside the arrow) just click on the arrow and select open space in your viewport(almost like selecting nothing).

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Good luck!!

[Dave Black]

And there you go. The "man" responsible in part for tripping the rift just replied with a better worded answer than I.

Good look'n out!

-3DZ

:D

[Stephen Vyas]

Thanks guys. :cool:
-Steve

[SafeZone]

this method works with some success for me, however when i make a dummy object for the hand, when i move that dummy the hand stays pointed towards the orientation of the dummy object. This makes things more difficult than moving the hand itself, since i can move the hand and it stays aligned to the direction of the arm.

For me this makes much more sense, is there any way to achieve this with dummy objects?

I don't like having to grab hold of the actual bones in order to animate my biped, i would like a control setup that doesnt require me to hide/freeze my mesh.

thanks,
Evan

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