Smart bone layer ordering. Is this possible?

[hammerjammer]

Hello ALL

I've created a smart bone for a body turn. When I turn the body with my smart bone, I need one of the arms of my character to go behind the body.
Is it possible to control layer ordering with a smart bone action in order to do this?
I have it working within the action. But, when I am on the main timeline and I rotate my smart bone for the body turn, its not working. The arm stays in front of the body.

Here is a copy of the file if it helps with an answer.(I have no secrets)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jkwti6hg4xjzu ... N%202.anme

Thanks for any help.

Hammerjammer

[Pinesal]

I asked the exact same question a while back
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=24321


The answer seems to be NO.

You'll have to put the limp on a different layer.

[neeters_guy]

Is it possible to control layer ordering with a smart bone action in order to do this?

Yes, it's possible, but you have to do it by altering the layer z-depth and make sure you check "Sort layers by depth" in the Depth Sort tab of the layer setting of the top bone layer. This is how I did it:

Mainline -- frame 0, LARM and RARM both should be z-depth of +0.001
smart bone action "Body Turn" -- frame 1, set LARM to z-depth to -0.001
smart bone action "Body Turn2" -- frame 1, set RARM to z-depth to -0.001



Note, you can only use this feature in ver. 9.2. Also, for some reason, you won't see this effect until you put keys on the timeline. In other words, it won't show using the manipulate bone tool in frame 0.

I suppose in a future version, you may be able to animate layer order directly, but this is the workaround so far.

Pretty good rendition of a Minion, btw.

[hammerjammer]

Is it possible to control layer ordering with a smart bone action in order to do this?

Yes, it's possible, but you have to do it by altering the layer z-depth and make sure you check "Sort layers by depth" in the Depth Sort tab of the layer setting of the top bone layer. This is how I did it:

Mainline -- frame 0, LARM and RARM both should be z-depth of +0.001
smart bone action "Body Turn" -- frame 1, set LARM to z-depth to -0.001
smart bone action "Body Turn2" -- frame 1, set RARM to z-depth to -0.001



Note, you can only use this feature in ver. 9.2. Also, for some reason, you won't see this effect until you put keys on the timeline. In other words, it won't show using the manipulate bone tool in frame 0.

I suppose in a future version, you may be able to animate layer order directly, but this is the workaround so far.

Pretty good rendition of a Minion, btw.

Hello, Neeters_guy

Thanks so much for the response. I kind of thought I wasn't going to be able to use layer sorting in an ACTION. It would be nice if we could though.

I have never used the layer Z depth stuff before, so I may not have thought of that for quit a while. THANK YOU.
As it turns out, layer Z depth is an awesome work around. Easy to set up as well.
You solved my problem and taught me something new. Its been a good day.

Btw, I cant take all the credit for my rendition of the Minion character. I traced him. All I really did was put everything on their own layers and rigged him with all of them smart bones you seen in the file. I love this stuff, But not having any real art or drawing skills makes this harder.

Anyway, Thanks for all your help.

Hammerjammer