Hi guys, I'm a character TD that has worked on Maya and Max for years now and I want to get up and running to houdini as soon as possible.
For this reason I'm starting a project to translate my rigging pipeline and getting the company to adopt the software.
I'm wandering if you guys could help me to translate my knowledge.
First I would like to know how to do some constraints, specifically, closest point to surface constraint, surface normal orientation constraint. these to make bones slide under surface.
I imagine also that for point on spline constraint there is a path constraint.
That is all for now, I'm really excited about this, the software looks amazing!
This is my first time in the community, so thanks in advance guys, I hope to be able to contribute at some pint.
New User learning the rigging ropes
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- EstebanCovo
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Hey Arctor, thanks so much for the reply, can you orient me in a couple of things in regards to the tool?
I don't need a step by step guide, just a pointer in the right direction and some certainty that what I set out to do is possible.
In Max and Maya I've made tools that automate my facial rigging process, this process consists essentially of a reference shape over which the bones slide, and some extra bones and blend shapes for cheeks and extras.
for the bones sliding I use locators constrained to curves which drive locators constrained to the closest point on surface to the reference surface and bones on the locators with offset controls for the depth movement.
I've used this method extensively and it's amazing for fast quality rigs of toony characters.
how would you go about doing something like this.
And what is and how do you use the blend sticky, I haven't been able to find much in terms of documentation on how to use it.
Thanks so much for the support, it is so refreshing to work with a company as passionate about the product as the users are.
I don't need a step by step guide, just a pointer in the right direction and some certainty that what I set out to do is possible.
In Max and Maya I've made tools that automate my facial rigging process, this process consists essentially of a reference shape over which the bones slide, and some extra bones and blend shapes for cheeks and extras.
for the bones sliding I use locators constrained to curves which drive locators constrained to the closest point on surface to the reference surface and bones on the locators with offset controls for the depth movement.
I've used this method extensively and it's amazing for fast quality rigs of toony characters.
how would you go about doing something like this.
And what is and how do you use the blend sticky, I haven't been able to find much in terms of documentation on how to use it.
Thanks so much for the support, it is so refreshing to work with a company as passionate about the product as the users are.
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- friedasparagus
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Hi Esteban,
here's a little rough setup, only of a single bone/joint I'm afraid, but hopefully the idea is clear! See if it looks like the kind of thing you were thinking of. Because it's only one bone, the point constraint method doesn't really shine, but with multiple points on a single drive curve then it starts to make more sense
Cheers,
Henry
here's a little rough setup, only of a single bone/joint I'm afraid, but hopefully the idea is clear! See if it looks like the kind of thing you were thinking of. Because it's only one bone, the point constraint method doesn't really shine, but with multiple points on a single drive curve then it starts to make more sense
Cheers,
Henry
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- EstebanCovo
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HI, friedasparagus, thank you so much for the reply, unfortunately I can't check it, I get this error “Unable to evaluate expression (Undefined variable (/obj/drive_null_on_path/constraints/motionsamples)). ” and I don't know why, I'm pretty sure the problem is on the world coordinates for the constraint since “Error cooking transform of /obj/drive_null_on_path (as preconstraint)” .
I'll attach the graph as I see it, I'm really new to the houdini way, sorry if this is something really basic.
I'll attach the graph as I see it, I'm really new to the houdini way, sorry if this is something really basic.
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- friedasparagus
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- friedasparagus
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Hi again,
Couldn't see the full version number you posted up there… the build that parameter and accompanying global variable were introduced was 16.0.557. You can grab the daily builds from here [sidefx.com]
Couldn't see the full version number you posted up there… the build that parameter and accompanying global variable were introduced was 16.0.557. You can grab the daily builds from here [sidefx.com]
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- EstebanCovo
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Hi Henry, thanks so much for your help, the update did the trick, I wouldn't have tried that in a million years.
I'm sorry I didn't answer earlier but it's been a crazy week at the office and I wanted to take the time to check your scene thoroughly before answering.
Your set up is definitely a step in the right direction, the only thing is that for my method is very practical to have the constraint on the closest point of the surface (being this a 2 axis freedom point) and driven by an object that is constrained to a curve itself, this curve is driven by a much less resolution curve and this allows complete freedom to move the driver in 3D and never lost surface contact.
I made a snippet of a screen recording showcasing the method, do you have any Ideas?
Again thanks so much for your help, I'm sure there must be a way to do this in Houdini, there are ways to do it in max and Houdini is light years ahead.
I'm sorry I didn't answer earlier but it's been a crazy week at the office and I wanted to take the time to check your scene thoroughly before answering.
Your set up is definitely a step in the right direction, the only thing is that for my method is very practical to have the constraint on the closest point of the surface (being this a 2 axis freedom point) and driven by an object that is constrained to a curve itself, this curve is driven by a much less resolution curve and this allows complete freedom to move the driver in 3D and never lost surface contact.
I made a snippet of a screen recording showcasing the method, do you have any Ideas?
Again thanks so much for your help, I'm sure there must be a way to do this in Houdini, there are ways to do it in max and Houdini is light years ahead.
Edited by EstebanCovo - April 23, 2017 14:26:59
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Hey Henry, man I want to be you wen I grow up!!!
hahaha
But seriously, this is very close if not the same thing, I'm not that familiar with Houdini so I need to take the time to dissect it, but I'm pretty sure I can take it from here.
just one small question, are the spheres orientations following the underlying geometry's normals?
I'll study the set up a bit and try to get it further.
You have no idea how much I appreciate your help, thank you.
hahaha
But seriously, this is very close if not the same thing, I'm not that familiar with Houdini so I need to take the time to dissect it, but I'm pretty sure I can take it from here.
just one small question, are the spheres orientations following the underlying geometry's normals?
I'll study the set up a bit and try to get it further.
You have no idea how much I appreciate your help, thank you.
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- friedasparagus
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Haha! Trust me, you don't But flattery will get you everywhere!
In that setup, no the bones are not following the surface normals… you could setup point constraints in each bone to use the point normal to get rotates, but thought I'd take a punt off sticking with the bulk-export-from-point-attributes approach. In this one you'll find a wrangle node in the ‘driver’ that's sticking the necessary euler rotations into a point attribute which the CHOP network grabs and exports to the bones rotate channels.
But flattery will get you everywhere!In that setup, no the bones are not following the surface normals… you could setup point constraints in each bone to use the point normal to get rotates, but thought I'd take a punt off sticking with the bulk-export-from-point-attributes approach. In this one you'll find a wrangle node in the ‘driver’ that's sticking the necessary euler rotations into a point attribute which the CHOP network grabs and exports to the bones rotate channels.
Henry Dean
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- goldfarb
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- EstebanCovo
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Wow, this is great and pretty scary too, I'm starting to realize I'll have to change my frame of mind to take advantage of the full potential.
usually it was just a matter of translating methods from one software to the next, now is a whole new thing.
I'm kind of overwhelmed in a good way.
Thanks so much.
I imagine I can use this with a bunch oof planes constrained to a surface and bones riveted to the planes, or is it better to layer a bone deformation of the plane first, then the creep node and weight the character to the plane surface with some kind of wrap node if there is such a thing.
usually it was just a matter of translating methods from one software to the next, now is a whole new thing.
I'm kind of overwhelmed in a good way.
Thanks so much.
I imagine I can use this with a bunch oof planes constrained to a surface and bones riveted to the planes, or is it better to layer a bone deformation of the plane first, then the creep node and weight the character to the plane surface with some kind of wrap node if there is such a thing.
Edited by EstebanCovo - April 24, 2017 13:47:08
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EstebanCovo
I'm kind of overwhelmed in a good way.
welcome to Houdini
EstebanCovo
I imagine I can use this with a bunch of planes constrained to a surface and bones riveted to the planes, or is it better to layer a bone deformation of the plane first, then the creep node and weight the character to the plane surface with some kind of wrap node if there is such a thing.
in the past I've done the first option - planes on a surface, then bones on those planes - weight to the bones.
then you can deform the surface (the sphere in my example file) and the planes follow along, then the bones. It's great for toon style characters where you can do your squash/stretch/bend/twist of the whole head and all the local controls just follow along. This will also work with a more realistic character - the underlying NURBS surface can be shaped like a skull and you'll get very nice skin sliding. this may or may not be used in a future Autorigs feature
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