Is there a way to add control rig to a skeleton already have animation?

#1

So, I have a character, a guy riding a horse exactly. This character have joints, bind skin and have around 200 frames of animation baked to the joints, it has no control rig. The animation look bad at some frames and I want to fix it and add some more animations to it, but without the control rig I have to animate every single joints which is impossible. Is there a way for me to add control rig to this skeleton without destroying the animation/twist the joints? (I tried to add an IK handle but it immediately twisted the joint.)

I’m learning to rig and animate so my rigging knowledge is basic, I can rig a T-shape character with quick rig tool, have basic knowledge on IK FK, graph editor and time editor, so if you can help me with step by step instruction that will be a great help, thank you!

#2

Hey stop,

your best bet would be to animate it in layers. you don’t necessarily need a control rig, it depends on what you are doing. as a rule, without the control rig, it makes it really hard to transfer the animation from the bones to the new controls.

you could try nesting the new controls, so you have the joint, then put another nul above that or that is the parent, oriented the same as the joint and then zero out the transform. i think you have to do that before you parent it. now put the control on there and when you constrain to the nul it might move but just zero out that nul in the properties and it should go back to where you want it.

another idea is you export the animation, put nuls where all the joints are, name them accordingly and parent them like the joints are. zero out transforms. import animation on these nuls and make sure they move correctly. now blow the keys away on the joints. create the controls that you want. the old animation nuls should drive the controls and the controls then drive the joints. you will have to counter animate which will be a pain.

i think your best bet is animate the existing performance in layers,