Lightwave to MotionBuilder

#1

I think this problem is to do with my skeleton an maybe area of influence of bones? I used 3DDaves rig.

Hey wondering if anyone can give me a hand as Im rather new to motionbuilder but not lightwave. Ive done a few tutorials for motion builder and I think Ive got the hang of characterizing and mapping control rigs now, Ive got some mocap data mapped to an actor and Ive exported a lightwave model with the 3DDave rig as its skeleton.

Once I import into MB and characterize I then set its input as the actor that I previously setup with the mocap data (ive had this working before with a prebuilt model so I assume its something to do with the bones or the import process from LW).

Basicaly when I make the input active my character/imported LW models face an hips area stretch out really badly as if they are not following the rest of the model. Ive includeded a screen shot below.

If anyone can help that would be fantastic as Im on a deadline for a project hand in ! Funny that they didnt teach us this prior, we were left to learn it ourselves instead lol.

#2

I don’t use MB, but initially I would say that really looks like some weightmap problem to me (some of the points have no weightmap possibly). Of course, if it was in LightWave, I’d say you might also need to re-rest the bones.

Its possible one of these two issues somehow got bought across when you converted your LW to MB… Hopefully someone with MB experience might be able to pick up this one, rather then my half-guess… :smiley:

#3

Yep, it’s a weight problem, you’ll find you have some points which are not assigned a weight map value.
Had it happen to me once or twice in the past when I was using LW & MB a fair bit.

It will be the same in LW, if you offset the character from the origin once all bones are active, some points get “left behind”.

#4

Thats fantastic thanks to both of your for your replies! :slight_smile:

I’ll have a bash at sorting the weight maps and see if it solves my problem. So does Motionbuilder work fine with Lightwave weight maps?

#5

Yep, works just fine, the LW -> MB -> LW pipeline is pretty simple to do. You can also export lo-rez versions of your models if subpatched, simply by setting the display subpatch level to 1. Which acts like exporting the cage but as tris.

#6

I believe you also have to make sure you parent the eyes to the head and the left leg link and right leg link to the hips before you take the rig into motionbuilder.

Hi Colkai!!

#7

Just in wondering… which versions of LW & MB do find compatable. LW9+ doesn’t seem to want to play with MB.

Or… it could just be me…
THANKS!

#8

I’m running MB5.5 with the FBXLW80.p plugin

#9

Hey hey…it’s the old gang in here. Hi Sllink and Colkai.

From looking at the pic, my 2 cents is on the parenting sllink mentioned not having been done.

In LW you need to make a root null then drop mesh and bones in there and then parent the R and L legs to the hip and eyes to the head. Then save out your FBX.

#10

Hi folks :slight_smile:
Yeah, I got so used to doing that automatically I just went for the next option on my “list” of “fun things to know about using MB”. :wink:

#11

Well, you’re always an MB GURU in my book. :slight_smile:

#12

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