AVTPro Update: Mocap System and Rig DVD Pre-Orders

#1

Hey Folx!!

Maybe I have been sitting on my laurels too long :slight_smile:

Back to tutorial DVD publishings. I got involved with strategizing my film and also I have big news.

First the big news.

I purchased a Motion Capture System. OptiTrack.

http://www.naturalpoint.com/optitrack/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNmwnt3L3ws

I will be using it for my film with ElectricImage.

Next…Let’s do a new DVD for RIGGING.
READYRIGS © is best practices and style of rigging that I have had mulitiple successes with clients as well as an IDEA 2007 for the Sendosa Mueseum in Singapore. I have use it with agencies for Disney and Puma.

The Deformer Rig DVD is still $85. I haven’t come across the old graphic CD covers yet. So it’s not posted on CafePress. But no more sitting on my laurels too long…Let’s keep it moving on get rolled over!!

I got great FeedBack on the last DVD.

  1. Short and sweet. The Deformer DVD was meant to give you a core understanding all the llittle tricks that will allow you to do any rig. I rarely shut off the camera and showed any bloopers. It was meant to show how to fix trouble areas. The next DVD will be more of a production oriented DVD. A get it done deal DVD. Fast and to the point.

  2. I would like your suggestion on the Model/Character to use.

  3. Do you want robot or orgainc first? I have been had great success with Robot character for Puma, or would you perfer Cartoon or Regular Human?

  4. I would like to make a pre-order price of $70. I hope to make a basic rig and a more intense rig in the DVD for organic. Robots will have to be a separate DVD.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=01r6et2bQSc

OK. Hope this is something you guys are interested in. If so show your support and well will make it happen.

#2

You make it, I buy it. Fancy cover or not…
My character preference would be human. Am I wrong to think that if I can rig a human I can rig a cartoon or a human looking robot? Robots with “inhuman” body joints capabilities and form are clearly something else.
I was tempted with the current DVD but as I have very little time for training I would prefer a more “to the point” approach even though I know I might be missing some troubleshooting points.

#3

Hi, ALonzo
Nice to see ya again. I will put myself in the list; human rigs, please.
And when you test your new Motion Capture System: OptiTrack, could be great if you make some comments about how it works with EiAS, your experiences and tests…
Are you doing a movie? That is interesting, too! can you elaborate a bit?
Good luck

FelixCat

#4

Hey Rich, the cover is a real PITA, but at least it works out better for purchasrs. Maybe I should go with female poser model? It’s doable but I don’t like their geometry.

Actually if you can rig the Deformer Rig, you can rig anything:) But if you can rig human, yes, you can rig an toon. Robots are not the same as human tho.

Yes, there’s a lot of great tips…Much of the info is why "EI does this or Does that’ which which will be valuable in many different circumstances. That’s not so much theoritical is it is technical. Theory comes in with stuff like bone placement. Soon as a see a hand with mechanical looking fingers it red flags me. http://youtube.com/watch?v=D0-7Vehe1_k
It’s shows me a lack of understand of anatomy. It’s something basic business clients would look for but most people can feel when something is not right with a humanistic character.

What I have noticed from DVDs I study like “Light in Maya” theory is often presented first…then pushing buttons later. :slight_smile: It’s a good foundation. I use to study Keith Langos VTS. It was like 6 months before I began animating and two years before he got near lip sync…my credit card expired before then :slight_smile:

Anyway, now that the foundation has been laid I can do a more direct tutorial without full explanations of buggy stuff :slight_smile:

#5

Hey Felix.

Human it is. :slight_smile:

Forgot to mention, pre-orders are payable throught PayPal. Same as before $70
just punch in my email.

athreet@adelphia.net anyone needing an letterhead invoice let me know. Been a bit slow at some of the peripheral stuff, but DVDs always go out immediately.

Yes, sorry I havent been more open with some of older projects.
I want to post the stuff I did for the IDEA award but we were in limbo with the client approvals. The Puma stuff is already very public and PR is probably good for their business. :slight_smile:
I would like to do a full making of featurette for the movie. I have been trying to let people know that there is a fully infra-Red Mocap system available at a price of an good Octo.

So there’s other things that has to do with the film that I am laying in place. Yes, I want to keep the door open on it. Who knows, I will probably be looking for EI RigTechs to help out :slight_smile:

#6

I’m going to save the robot for the next study :slight_smile:
But I’m want to show you just a few of the many peculiarities in rigging of a robot.
Of course I wouldn’t be rigging the PUMA Robot again (BTW is a real robot model) but take a peek at the arms and legs. There’s four parts to the arms and three parts to the legs. The shoulders a very offset. There’s several pistons and cranes to the neck. The wrists spin completely around. Some of the rigging controls for this character I have never done on a human. Some other robots I have rigged have mechnisms, tubing, wires, pistons, hatches and doors that you wouldn’t find on a human…I hope :slight_smile:

[img]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f190/AVTPro/AVTPumaPose.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f190/AVTPro/DJPumaTestPose1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f190/AVTPro/PUMAcranes.jpg[/img]
#7

Hey Folx.

I found a really good base mesh for the sculpt. I like to start my models from scratch but I’m Just trying to save a little on time. What I like about using another modelers base mesh is that it allows me to explore with something different than my own. The model is by Proton as free modles. The name is Comic Book Guy…I guess he would make a good EIAS super hero. I’m happy with the shape I derived from it but I am still hashing out texture Ideas. I am not going to do final textures but because I’m tryng to stay short and sweet with this first “Basic Humanoid Rig”.

#8

Ok. This is the edit. I tried to keep a comic book anatomy. Maybe I pushed it a little more than I planned. Zbrush is so addictive it would take me away from my rigging :slight_smile:

I didn’t think about it but the arms on this model is down, and not in a T-pose which is easier to rig. I’m trying to keep the DVD short so I don’t want to do a non-standard T-pose. It would drive the time and the price of the DVD up. Maybe I may look into a simpler model.

#9

I roughed out the texture maps but I didn’t do a UV layout. I just want to get an idea if an EIAS super hero is cool or hoaky :slight_smile: I already have one Big Foot EI Hero. I don’t want to put too much time into texture painting because it’s a job by itself. People just want to do fast rig to get things moving :slight_smile:

He’s look a bit complex and overkill, but I’m not sure yet.

#10

I separated the head, hand and feet but I wish I started from scratch. The mesh could use a little honing. I’m trying to avoid remesh, it looks flexilble enough. Anyway the texture is a little less ornate. I may have to buidl UVs but I prefer to start rigging. I’ll give it a little time to decide first. Input is welcomed, Thanks.

#11

I always enjoyed Proton’s Free Speed Model. I don’t have the link but they can be found on CGtalk.

The resolution looks OK, the design just doesn’t have much muscle definition. I don’t think he had this kind of repurposing in mind when he did his sketches. Maybe will just leave the texture out.

#12

Hi Alonzo,

not easy to find this guy. (I stepped over him accidently, while surfing Softimage´s XSI Gallery…)

http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=1115&page=

He´s in the 2nd folder, if i remember correctly.

Regards
Stefan

#13

Yes, that’s him. Love his work. :slight_smile:

They have so much character. Thanks for the Link. I wanted to write him about usage but I resculpted “Comic Guy” so it’s not concern. Besides, they are post as royalty free gifts.

Wow…hope everyone takes advantage of this resource. Those models are HOT!!

Thanks again Stefan, you must be fierce at Easter Egg hunts :slight_smile:

Happy Easter All.

#14

He, he, not really. Easter Bunny delivered his goodies directly on my table! :wink:

Happy Easter to you and all others as well!

Regards
Stefan

#15

I’m going to UV this thing, and probably put in those muscles edge loops. I would like to do a better design of the texture as well. So I will come back to this one a bit later.

#16

I haven’t worked on the DVD a bit but I wanted to put this out there. I’m pretty sure this has been floating on line for a bit. I didn’t think about it before, but anyone who would like a cover to the DVD can use this. I still can’t find the source file. Last date I have is 03-24-04.

Printable cover: http://homepage.mac.com/avtpro5/.cv/avtpro5/Sites/.Public/coverart.psd-binhex.hqx

#17

I haven’t worked on the DVD in a bit but I wanted to put this out there. I’m pretty sure this has been floating on line for a bit. I didn’t think about it before, but anyone who would like a cover to the DVD can use this. I still can’t find the source file. Last date I have is 03-24-04.

Printable cover: http://homepage.mac.com/avtpro5/.cv/avtpro5/Sites/.Public/coverart.psd-binhex.hqx

#18

Hey Guys,

Had a problem with getting on CGTalk. Couldn’t get on for like two weeks straight. Then I got distracted. I haven’t moved on this project at all. I didn’t get any prepays so no damage done.
I’m sure if I even like this model anymore. I’ll try to get my momentum/interest back soon.

AVT

#19

Hey Folx,

A couple of quick notes.

  1. I just had a breakthough with some rigging techniques that I have wanted to bring to the EI camp for years. More of this later.

  2. Instead of building my own geometry, I used ZB to repurpose some really cool basic meshes to save time. However, though I like the look of the model, i am not as enthusiatic about the topological flow lines from the original form. It’s not bad, and I love Proton’s work, it’s just that I have a different expections of what the loops should look like on this new character. The problem is the topology would work if the original toon was rigged as is, but that fact that I pushed it into a more realist design, I now want more realistic edge loops. Also, because this is a model for a rig demo, the topo should be optimum.

So there’s two strikes against why I don’t want to use this model for rigging.

  1. The topology was intended only for a cartoon character and not a psuedo-real super hero. So now the topology doesn’t match the design of the character.
  2. Topology for the DVD should be optimal for demonstration purpose.

The solutions are simple. Get another model or retopolize (remesh) this model.
Those are my option which I haven’t made a decision yet. Honestly, if I retop the model, I would like to use it in Maya not EI :slight_smile: It’s just cool.

I would also like to use another model but if it’s Poser, it probably wouldn’t have a great surface either. The last one didn’t but I almost want to reuse that one again.

I tell you, the small stuff is so easy to get hung up on.

Anyway, I’m re-evaluating some rigging techniques that are going to make animation in EI big fun. I’m really happy that I didn’t get heavy into the DVD until I went back and found some of these old techniques. It’s really going to step CA in EI up a 3 or 4 notches.

I’ll keep you posted. Nothing like a “good plan”.

#20

Hi, Alonzo, sounds good. I will be listening…
FelixCat