Referenced model 101

#1

Hey
I’m currently researching the possibility of switching from Maya to XSI and looking into the referenced model. My experience with XSI is limited to ~1week so bare with me.
If someone would be kind to explain the workflow from creating a scene, importing an referenced model and how to be able to change the animation/shader/random setting in a production friendly method…

My current workflow:

1, Create new scene(1) with an object, -> new referenced model
2, Create an scene(2) import referenced model.
3, Open scene(1) animate object, save delta(?)
4, Open scene(2) select object and import delta

No new animation on my object, so Im obviously doing something wrong. Would someone care to elaborate… It would make my day, Thank you.

keywords that could be useful to explain: Resolution, delta.

edit** error:
Animation mixer, Connection problem. Not able to resolve object: model.GlobalSRT

/A.

#2

Reference models get saved/exported as .EMDL files. If you need to update the .EMDL file you just over-write that file. If your re-loading the scene that contains all of your reference models, it should update for you, otherwise, to update manually, find your reference model in the explorer and double click it, and it’s PPG will pop up. You can play with the check marks to unload, load or reload it just by clicking on the check.

Your workflow sounds correct however. Just keep in mind to not animate or even move the master null of the reference model, and create Deltas for any type of stored motion or positioning instead. A delta, is just any type of controller for animation. So you could make a curve circle at the root of your model to store it’s master translation, and that would be a delta. Any keyframe animation you place on this delta will be retained even if you make changes to your .emdl file.

The other thing I think you may be getting wrong is this. You don’t animate the reference model before importing it normally. Your basically just creating a rigged character where you update it’s modeling/texture/weighting/etc on the reference model and animate it using your deltas in the master scene.

#3

do a character model, rig it, shade it etc…

put it on a model (Basic structure of XSI to work, import and export files between scenes)
select that model and “Export it” as Model,
usually it save in the “Model” Folder of the project. (Basically save it as a mini scene of the character that you rig and shade)

after that open a new scene and go file import, you can import it as main or master and do changes to it,
or import it as “Reference” the reference will update regarding the changes that you do to the model that you exported.

this mean if you “Reference a model” to 10 scenes and animate it.

if you change the main model all the 10 scn will update,

just keep in mind to “NOT” delete or change name to animation controllers.

check reference models in the XSI guide. after all that you can also reference a low resolution model, and then swap it for a higher.

#4

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