WIP Fixing the dotXSI 3.0 Exporter for 3ds Max...

[minilogoguy18]

Why not just make it easy and use the biped as a shadow rig just like Keshire's JA rig and it's also how I did my Softimage rig, soooooooooooo much easier and more control since you can arrange the bones that are going in game any way you want and the hierarchy doesn't have to match.

 

Also, how much of this rig have you made? Preset rigs never work out exactly how you want them to, I prefer making everything myself.

[Archangel35757]

He is using a shadow rig with Dummies for the JA bones-- except for the facial bones. He just wanted the facial bones to be these Xtra Biped objects so that their animation is saved in the .bip file. It's totally doable-- just need to distinguish these Xtra objects from standard biped objects.

[Tempust85]

@ Minilogoguy18

 

Keshire only needed to use a biped as a shadow rig because the biped bone pivots didn't match the ones Raven made. This is a completely new rig, so why use the biped as a shadow rig when the game will accept the biped as-is? Doesn't make anything easier in this case & will just clog up the scene file. Sure, I could make my own but I don't want to spend hours creating numerous control objects and setting them up when biped works perfectly fine. I'm running tests with this rig in modview, to make sure it's viable. XSI might be different with their preset rigs, but Max's biped works in games with no issues provided you know what you're doing and you set it up with the game in mind. This certainly isn't my first time.

 

Biped starts off as a preset, then you customise it to how you want. I 'spawned' the biped, then I:

 

- defined how many spine bones

- defined how many fingers & segments

- defined how many toes

- defined what twist bones there will be

- resized

- reposed

- created facial bones, face_always_ & tag bones using the Xtras tab

 

I created Max bones for the breasts & ponytail as they aren't directly animated.

 

 

@ Archangel

 

Actually, this is pure biped (minus ponytail and breasts). The one you're thinking of is the JKA rig I was remaking.

[Archangel35757]

@@DT85

Rather than mess with the bone property... we could just create a user defined property for each Xtra Biped facial object. Example given:

 

writePosData = true

 

Then in the plugin code I can check for this "writePosData" custom property using the SDK method "GetUserPropBool( )" and if it is found in a biped object... write out the position keys.

[Tempust85]

Good idea, let me know how you want me to go about setting this up.

[minilogoguy18]

It didn't match because of 3ds max's whack ass coordinate system.

 

Softimage has GEAR and preset rigs, you just get way more control out of making your own, plus I like doing the tech stuff. There are also tons of controls mainly facial and hand you cannot get out of a preset biped.

[Archangel35757]

Go ahead and create the User Defined property called "writeBipObjPosData" and set it equal to "true" and I'll email you a revised plugin to try. So it would look like:

 

writeBipObjPosData = true

 

Then in the Maxscript Listener test your new custom property by using the "getUserProp" method as follows:

 

getUserProp <node> writeBipObjPosData

 

It should return the value "true" that you defined. Repeat this on a standard biped object and see that it returns "undefined."

[Archangel35757]

@@DT85

 

Which do you like better: "writeBipObjPosData" or "writeBipXtraPosData" or "writeBipedPosData" ???

 

I'm changing the code now.

[Tempust85]

I'd say "writeBipedPosData", that way it pertains to anything biped.

[Archangel35757]

@@DT85

Sorry for the delay on the biped Xtra bone position output fix... it's been a crazy busy week and I've got to travel this next week.

 

For now I think you're fine to press on with your animations using the custom user property "writeBipedPosData" and I'll get you an updated exporter when I get back next week.

[Tempust85]

No worries, no rush at all.

[Archangel35757]

@@DT85 -- Sorry for the delay...

 

Just create your User Defined Property for each of the Biped Xtra Objects as given:

 

writeBipedPosData = true

 

The new logic should catch this user defined property and export out the position transforms. Please post your results. Thanks!

[Tempust85]

Thanks and will do!

 

Won't be able to until 1st july though. Getting married tomorrow then honeymoon.

[Archangel35757]

@@DT85

 

Does the new Beta R2 exporter work for your Biped Xtra Objects?

[Tempust85]

Confirmed, writeBipedPosData = true works beautifully great job!

[Tempust85]

For some reason, no position data gets written out for my face nulls only rotation data.

[Archangel35757]

@@DT85

 

Are they biped objects, dummy or point helpers, or Max bones?

 

Please do the following troubleshooting (independently):

 

1. Test/animate a standalone dummy/point helper in both position/rotation with a primitive linked to them so you can view the animation output in the XSI Viewer.

 

2. Repeat above for a dummy helper but turn on the bone property in the object properties dialog.

 

3. Animate a simple two-link bone chain animating the bone nub in position and the others in rotation, as well as the root bone in position. Export bones as geometry and view results in XSI Viewer.

 

Try both the R2 and previous R1 plugins. "writeBipedPosData" should only be used on Biped Xtra Objects.

 

Post your results.

 

Edit: How are these nulls tied into your hierarchy?

[Tempust85]

They are dummies/nulls.

 

I did the tests, and nothing moves in the XSI viewer either.

 

The facial nulls are linked to face_always_. The root of the skeleton still moves, it's just any of the children won't and will only rotate.

 

Happens in both plugins, so it's not exclusive to R2.

 

I just need a "writeNullPosData" or something of the like for nulls.

[Archangel35757]

This is strange... because the fix I did for @@AshuraDX enabled his dummy control objects and Max bones to write out position data-- but he had IK chains linked to them... and that same R1 fixed my "test spine" output.

 

Are you using any special controllers or just the standard PRS controller? I've looked at the code and cannot find why it would fail to write out position data for a dummy helper.

 

I need to study this further and find the root cause rather than putting a band-aid on it. :-\

[AshuraDX]

I didnt ahve trouble with my dummys , I could pass you my scene @@DT85

[Tempust85]

The dummies have nothing special done to them. The root (ie pelvis) will move, it's only the children that won't.

 

Tried a fresh import of the JO skeleton in Max 8 and still the same result as in Max 2011 with my skeleton.

[Tempust85]

The only thing I can see that's different is you have face_always_ linked to a biped head, where mine is apart of the standard JO skeleton nulls.

 

I got your email, looking at it now.

[Archangel35757]

The only thing I can see that's different is you have face_always_ linked to a biped head, where mine is apart of the standard JO skeleton nulls.

 

I got your email, looking at it now.

My "face_always_" dummy helper is Position & Orient constrained to the bip01_head object-- not linked...

 

Position & Orientation Constraints won't break your JO Null linked hierarchy. Isn't this what you are doing? It should still work if you have "face_always_" linked to the JO Cranium null and the Cranium null constrained to the Biped head. Is that how you have it?

[Tempust85]

I have no idea what's going on. I make a test in a new scene and it ouputs postion data. I create a new dummy in my custom skeleton scene and that new dummy won't move either so I dunno what's going on. :S

[Tempust85]

Ok, no idea what happened but it's now ouputting postion data in the XSI. Now it just seems as though carcass doesn't like it when you add bones that you want to have position data. :\