Random idea, would this work?

[eek]

Okay, I'm not much of a rigger, but I had an interesting thought. Model a character and have 2 different normal maps, a tense version of the character and a relaxed one. Would there be a way to automatically create weight maps to blend to the tensed normal map when there is rapid animation in an area, or hand animate it for each muscle/area?


Yes its known as a tension map, it shows (using a base t pose as a reference), when edges of the model are stretched or compressed, or when the faces are convex or concave when deformed by bones, morphs etc

You can wire this into a normal map to ramp in when the skin of the model is under compression or contraction.

[ZacD]

Any good tutorials or demos on it online?

[eek]

This might get you started - its the earliest form of it i found.

http://www.xsibase.com/forum/index.php?board=12;action=display;threadid=11713;start=43

And heres a plugin Grant Adam wrote a while back, pretty much supports everything:

http://www.rpmanager.com/plugins/TensionMod.htm

-cl

[IkerCLoN]

I've used the Tension modifier for MAX a couple of times to relax some areas of deforming models. It works very nice.

And thanks for the XSI thread, Charles. Our studio is switching to XSI and every bit of information related to these things is more than welcome :)

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