I am having a problem applying a .bvh file to a rig and a model that has been imported from 3D Studio Max and properly characterized in MB. Its my understanding that the pipeline is to characterize the imported model and then the bvh file. Then drive the control rig of the model with the control rig of the bvh. When I characterize the bvh it no longer plays its animation. I dont think I have missed any crucial steps but I am still stuck. Please help.
BVH into Motion Builder
Megalodon
#2
moscow, you should do a search on this forum as this has probably been discussed quite a few times. I use Lightwave, but the steps may be similar and I listed step by step what I did here:
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=85&t=577607&page=2
Good Luck!
moscow
#3
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I am brand new to MB and I have been challenged/told to “just make it work!”. If I wanted to get deeper into MB are ther any DVD’s that you could recommend?
Megalodon
#5
There are also quite a few training vids at 3Dbuzz.com - although they are for older versions - 4, 5 & 6 I believe - they can still be VERY informative.
And… they’re free!
bclark
#6
once you chracterize your bvh , it will not play because your most likey set to the contorl rig and in order to get it to play after you chracterize you need to turn off the rig and do a “plot to chracter”
the entire workflow is … rig up a skeleton, so the chracter tool knows about it… then load in your animation (merging it with the chracxterized skeleleton) then plot it to the rig to edit, plot it back to the skeleton for export.
Brad
moscow
#7
Thank you Megalodon & bclark for your advice and guidance with my previous questions. I am beginning to see that Motion Builder is an extremely useful tool in our industry. My lab will be starting motion capture work very soon so I had to quickly pick up on the pipeline and pass my knowledge on to my co-workers.
Another issue that I ran into was after I plotted the character and brought my .FBX file back into 3D Studio Max I had some errors with the way my model was deforming. The motion captured animation was properly playing but for some reason my mesh was not deforming as it did in Motion Builder. Any suggestions as to why this is happening. Thanks again.
When I used to take stuff into Max (I haven’t done it for some time now) I always merged the animation from Motionbuilder onto the character in Max as I couldn’t rely the skinning to be behaving correctly. I don’t know if this is still the case as Autodesk seem to be doing a lot a on their FBX pipe, so they may have improved upon it, so make sure you get the latest version 
Megalodon
#9
Yes, we have to do the same in Lightwave - Merge rather than Open. Hopefully that will work for you.
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