CGTalk - How do I rig a biped with a tail?

View Full Version : How do I rig a biped with a tail?

Vollands

08-12-2009, 09:27 AM

I hope this question doesn't sound too stupid ... but I just can't seem to work this out!

I'm using the Digital Tutors DVD to rig my biped, and my character differs slightly in that it has a long tail.

I've used an IK spline handle for the spine, attached at the hip, not the root. I have drawn out a joint chain for the tail, which flows out in the opposite direction away from the body. I have used an IK spline handle here too, but I cannot figure out how and where to attach the tail chain to the body chain. Can anyone refer me to a biped rigging tutorial that also explains rigging and attaching a tail? As I see it I need to have two 'spines' essentially, which flow out in opposite directions from the hip, and I need to have full hip control driving the spine, tail and legs.

GeoffClark

08-20-2009, 07:40 PM

Your question isn't stupid at all! i struggled with the same issue a while back.

Are you using clusters for manipulating the IK spline? If so, make some groups as parents for each cluster, and parent these groups to whatever you use to move the hips or the root.

In my case, the linkage is: Root_CTRL (nurbs curve)<---clusterGRP (the parent group of a single cluster), <---a cluster.

the tail spline curve itself is also a child of the root_CTRL.
this setup makes the tail come along with the root. In other words, there is no lag on the tail when you move the root. I left it like that.

I hope this helps. It's not entirely like your setup, but it may lead you down the right path.

Geoff

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