CGTalk - AM -> C4D using BVH files

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ewdean

08-25-2003, 11:36 PM

I just completed some tests and after stacking 3 different types of constraints onto a default IK rig and exporting a 1 sec. bvh action for C4D, I got suprising results. Cinema took everything. But i still can't import actions that were made using the Anzovin rig, or the Hoochoochoo rig. The error message says there was an invalid operation in the FILE!

Anyone want to take a look? The files in the zip are both actions, action 1 was created using the hoochoochoo rig, and doesn't import into C4D. Action 2 is coming in just fine. Both files open up in a text editor. See what you can find out......

3DArtZ

08-26-2003, 01:24 AM

Hey Ewdan, could you tell me what the world orientation of cinema is?
Are the x,y and z axis pointing in the same direction as in Hash?
I'm doing some bvh work with hash to electric image and I'd like to start thinking about possibilites with other apps.
Example of what I'm asking is.... hash's z axis is the revese of electric images so all the bvh files come in as the mirror action from hash.
thanks
Mike Fitz

eboy

08-26-2003, 01:58 AM

Could you talk us through the steps you took. I tried doing this a while back but i didnt get that far. The other thing is when it comes to re-applying the bvh - if you update stuff - v5 of C4D had a copy animation plug (as outlined in the Lifeforms manual) that allowed you to copy the keys from one skeleton to another without having to redo all the weights/set up etc. What version of C4D are you using?

eboy

08-26-2003, 02:03 AM

oops should have looked at the .zip i thought you'de done some more in C4D, but it's just the action files. There is a bvh scale factor in C4D. If you import a dxf from AM of your mesh, with a bit of trial and error you can get the bvh to match the size as in AM - i think its 1.52

ewdean

08-26-2003, 02:14 AM

Originally posted by 3DArtZ
Hey Ewdan, could you tell me what the world orientation of cinema is?
Are the x,y and z axis pointing in the same direction as in Hash?

You're gonna be straight working with Hash and Cinema. Both Hash and C4D use the same world orientation. Cinema imported the the bvh files in the exact same orientation.

Could you talk us through the steps you took. I tried doing this a while back but i didnt get that far.

1. First you need the bvh exporter, and a rigged model.

1a. Export your model as a 3DS file(right-click, select EXPORT->3DS)

2. Create an action for that model and when you're finished, right-click and select EXPORT->bvh

3. A dialog box appears and prompts you to save the bvh file to a folder.

4. Start Cinema, and select File->Open, and select your bvh file.

5. That's it. Now if you want to import the mesh, then select FILE->MERGE, and select your 3DS file.

NOTE: There's no need to create an unconstrained action to get your data into Cinema. I've been making actions and then exporting them directly from the initial action. That issue was for using bvh files in a realtime game engine which doesn't matter for this workflow it seems.

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