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mlager8
06-16-2010, 05:27 PM
I realize this is more of a maya question but thought I’d have a better shot here with Brad or Lee helping me out on this one. I always set up my characters with an FBIK in maya before exporting a low poly version to mobu, I update the bones after my motion correcting is done. I now want to update my character as usual, but also use the new HIK live re targeting feature in maya 2011 so I can put my motion on other characters as well without having to reprocess. I thought that the HumanIK window would recognize the FBIK from mobu as soon as I bring it into the scene but it doesn’t, nor can I seem to get the HumanIK window to successfully re target motion to another char with bones already skinned. Has anyone figured out how to get this process to work? Thanks for the input as always.
bclark
06-16-2010, 08:26 PM
Yes it is less than Ideal that the two systems are not one and they both require diffrent sets of tools.
So, just off the top of my head, you would have to first create a skeleton map with your joints (the HIK system does not use joint labels like the FBIK did) and make an HIK rig then export that to motionbuilder, edit then reload.

The good part is the new HIK rig does not use the character sets like the old FBIK rig does and it has the retarget engine in there.

***FBX does not export the rig defintion for the HIK solver from maya so this would not work, though you can drive the rig controls with animation and load it back in as if you were animating just the rig skeleton in mobu with the FBIK but ugg. comment below shows current workable solution.
mlager8
06-16-2010, 09:25 PM
Ahh, would the HIK rig work the same way as the FBIK in the sense that when I plot to control rig in Mobu it always plots to the same rig (HIK from Maya)? If so I'm assuming the layered animation would work that same and keys would be placed on the rig only as opposed to the actual skeleton?

Thanks for the info Brad, you always have the answers.
bclark
06-16-2010, 09:28 PM
hmmm now that I think about it.. that is going to get messy,
Let me look in to it for a bit and get back to you.. really the two systems are aimed at diffrent users and could/should be all integrated in to one very soon I hope.
bclark
06-16-2010, 09:41 PM
Ok here is your base workflow.

char A- fbik-export to mobu, anim reimport, works fine

Char-A-Human IK-set the names in the HIK window, charactize and don't create a contorl rig for it.

Char B-Target- run the full Human IK for retargeting process on this one as it is going to be driven by the HIK retargeting system and rig.

so there you go.
mlager8
06-16-2010, 09:57 PM
Awesome, thanks a ton. I'm gonna test out the work flow first ting tomorrow morning!
mlager8
06-17-2010, 08:49 PM
After some fiddling around things worked like a charm! I know you said HIK does not take joint labels into account but the maya documentation hints that it does. When I used the auto set from selection to auto map the skeleton every bone filled in automatically. All my skeletons are named according to motionbuilder standards but they all have the chars name in from of the bone (ex: Adam_LeftUpLeg) so I would be inclined to think it used the joint labels instead of extracting part of the joint name to determine its mapping. Anyway things are working and I have to thank you again.
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