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Variable length 3D bone.

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:16 am
by Genete
Hi folks!

Here I go again with a new step in this complex stuff.

My previous 3D rigs make point to point rig of limbs. See my attempt of a 3D leg and the 3D hand in this forum section.

Those solutions gives you a way to move the joints of the limbs in a 3D space. Then the lines that connect the limbs must be lines without points inside due to the bones that are moved in the "3D" space are central bones with the points only attached to them in a riggid binded way.

I have just discovered (invented) a way to have a real 3D bone that matches the desired length of the limb. Also this variable length bone can carry with all the points between the two joints so NOW you can do a 3D limb with a complex shape!!!!

See my anme file. The crumpled up limb that I have drawn can be stretched and contracted easily like in a 3D space.
The bone that is in the joint is contrained to the one in the oposite side of the limb so they keep together the shape of the limb, To have more control over the shape during its rotation you shluld insert more rotation keyframes for the free bone of the limb.

It is great!!! Now I'm not restricted to a straigth shape made with two circles and two lines!!! I can move in "3D" ANY shape!!!!!!!!

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Best
Genete

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 5:02 am
by heyvern
Haaahaaaa!

Great minds think alike Genete!

But of course... your mind thinks better than mine when it comes to these 3D conversions most of the time. ;)

I am doing the body portion of my character rig and was working with a similar idea only instead of rotation and translation I am using bone translation and scaling. Of course to do this I need another script to convert angle of rotation to scaling.

I want to try and link translation of a control bone to rotate/scale a bone simulating 3D movement for arms and legs.

I am going to play with this little gizmo and see if it might work better than what I have so far. I hope you don't mind! ;)

The complex interaction of those bones has my head spinning again. Ingenious use of overlapping bones. The effect is just what I was looking for.

-vern

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:01 pm
by Genete
heyvern wrote:Haaahaaaa!

Great minds think alike Genete!

But of course... your mind thinks better than mine when it comes to these 3D conversions most of the time. ;)

I am doing the body portion of my character rig and was working with a similar idea only instead of rotation and translation I am using bone translation and scaling. Of course to do this I need another script to convert angle of rotation to scaling.

I want to try and link translation of a control bone to rotate/scale a bone simulating 3D movement for arms and legs.

I am going to play with this little gizmo and see if it might work better than what I have so far. I hope you don't mind! ;)

The complex interaction of those bones has my head spinning again. Ingenious use of overlapping bones. The effect is just what I was looking for.

-vern

I don't mind and even I'lll be glad if you can have use of this tip in any of your rigs!!!
Great minds think alike Genete!
Thanks. I was wondering if we should make a team... I put the skeleton and you the drawings.... :wink:

Cheer up!
Genete