neophyte problem getting 2012 happy with t-pose?

[18th_Devil]

Hi CgWannabe999,

I work with motionbuilder 2010 so I don't know if there is a lot that changed in 2012.

The first thing I noticed was you characterized before putting it into a t-pose. You should set up the skeleton into a t-pose before running the characterization because motionbuilder will assume the hand contacts to already be flat.
One thing you can do is throw in an actor from your asset browser, which is already in a t-pose, and just try to match the rotations to the actor. Then characterize your 3D model.

Also you can just enter in values by double clicking the boxes in the corner.

Hopefully that helps, the only other thing I can do is to test out the model myself and see if there is anything odd about the export into motionbuilder.

Cheers.

[bclark]

yup, just rotate the joints in to a nice t-pose before hitting characterize and you should be fine.

[CgWannabe999]

Hi CgWannabe999,

I work with motionbuilder 2010 so I don't know if there is a lot that changed in 2012.

The first thing I noticed was you characterized before putting it into a t-pose. You should set up the skeleton into a t-pose before running the characterization because motionbuilder will assume the hand contacts to already be flat.
One thing you can do is throw in an actor from your asset browser, which is already in a t-pose, and just try to match the rotations to the actor. Then characterize your 3D model.

Also you can just enter in values by double clicking the boxes in the corner.

Hopefully that helps, the only other thing I can do is to test out the model myself and see if there is anything odd about the export into motionbuilder.

Cheers.

yup, just rotate the joints in to a nice t-pose before hitting characterize and you should be fine.

If I rotate the bones in MB 2012 before I characterize, MBs figure window won't be able to tell me when I've hit it perfectly?

I've tried several times, making the whole series of bones as flat horizontally as I can, but after I characterize, MB is still unhappy.

And after I characterize, I can't move the bones anymore without a control rig?

I seem to remember seeing a demo (maybe it was in Maya), of moving the bones and having the t-pose MB figure light up to show that it is happy? I thought part of the coolness of MB 2012 was that it would give you feedback while you were moving into the t-pose?

BTW - I just noticed that some of the assets I'd been used to seeing like 'Mia' are not longer in the asset browser. Do I need to add them in from somewhere? They only exist in the 2011 MB?

Thanks!

[CgWannabe999]

yup, just rotate the joints in to a nice t-pose before hitting characterize and you should be fine.
My character used a CAT rig based on the Base Human.

In the Characterization Tool of MB 2012, the 'validation status' shows:

Missing required bones.

I don't get the 'validation status' message about:

The right arm doesn't seem to be parallel to the X axis. The left arm doesn't seem to be parallel to the X axis.


until I merge in my template (to setup the bone names), and characterize by dragging the template from Characters to the left thigh of my character.


How can I validate before characterizing?


Thanks!

[CgWannabe999]

I created a short 1080p video to show my problem with getting into the t-pose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivIFIdRSNSE

It also shows some problems I'm having with random foot movements in my character (driven from a BVH file), feet penetrating the floor, and hands penetrating the head.

Thanks!

[CgWannabe999]

I just discovered that MB forces you to characterize before you can change the t-pose (at least before the Characterization Tool) will recognize it and give you a green or yellow indication.

I can do this with Mia, move the characterized Mia out of t-pose, and then back, watch as the t-pose goes yellow, and then back to green as I move it back.

But, for my character, even though it understands the bones after I characterize with my template, I can never get it into t-pose? I'm stumped on what seems to be a very basic issue???

I'm showing my efforts here in a 720p video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgevQaEjXyo

BTW - for my other questions, I've found the 'Foundation Learning Tool' videos from AD very useful in giving me ideas on how to fix my problems. I just wish there were more tutorials, as there's so many cool features in MB hidden away!!!

Thanks!

[CgWannabe999]

I found that MB 2012 includes a template for 3ds CAT's Base Human.

In this 1080p video, I show using that template on a CAT skeleton, and trying to get it into t-pose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCCvPBab6tI

I cannot seem to get the arm to be parallel to the X axis.

*** I'm also including the FBX for the skeleton in a 279KB zip file:

https://www.yousendit.com/download/cnJoQndQYWIwVW52Wmc9PQ

Can someone please tell me how I'm failing at this simple task?

Thanks!

[CgWannabe999]

With the help of a kind soul, I found the problem.

While the arm itself was parallel to the X axis, a bone in the arm was apparently rotated 90 degrees, thus the problem with aligning to the X axis.

I think MB might have displayed a different error msg for this, as it was a bit confusing?

I'm not sure how it happened, as 3ds CAT is supposed to bypass the ‘Freeze Transformation’ issues of Maya, so I must have made a mistake at some point (but a 90 degree rotation is a rather large mistake)?

Oh well!