heyvern wrote:This is pretty freaking COOL! Can I use this in my rig!!!????
For sure! You know I am not a kind of "this is copyrigthand you cannot copy it" person. I'm glad that you find it useful.
Really my brain is boiling... I think none has realized yet how much potential have this tech
. I feel the same as the first time I rig a point in the 3D space. It have a lot of potential. Flexible 3D rig is a like bomb in my arms...
....
I've just "flexible rigged" a point in space with this idea.
Here is the file:
http://genetita.googlepages.com/XYZ-flexible-rig.anme
At frame 0 you can put the point in any place of the 3D space!!! You only have to figure it out how it works.
Let me explain the file:
At frame 0 the point (the white ball) is placed with a set of flexible springy mechanisms at a point in space with X=x, Y=0, Z=z. I mean the X and Z coordinates are arbitrary and the Y is 0. It doesn't matter the beginning point. I place there because it is easier to me to create the initial chain there.
At frame 1 you can:
a) Scale the "X-scale" bone. It will increase or decrease the X coordinate of the point. It only affects to the side view because a rotation in X axis don't use the X coordinate of the point. You cannot rotate that bone, it don't make any sense. It scales 5 times to have the chance of make a negative distance. If the x coordinate of the point will be 0 you can consider to delete that chain.
b) Rotate and scale the "1-master X and Rx scale" bone. If you rotate it you will effectively rotate the point around the X axis with a constant Rx radius. It will affect to the Z and Y coordinates of the point (both at the same time). If you scale the bone you will move the point along the Rx radius (it is the minimum distance from the point ot the X axis), making it bigger or smaller. It affects to Y and Z both at the same time. It scales 5 times to allow cross the center of rotation. If the Y coordinate of the point will be 0 you can consider to remove the single vertical springy mechanism. If the Z coordinate of the point is 0 you can consider to delete the double springy mechanism. But remember, you can need them later...
Don't touch the "1-master Y" bone neither "master X" nor "master Y" at frame 1. If not you will be lost to place the point in the proper position.
So, with a length (X) a radius (Rx) and a angle (the angle of rotation around the X axis) you can place the point anywhere.
To see how the point will come in the top and side views you can place a onionskin mark at frames 2 and 3. There I have rotated the masters bones "master X" and "master Y" to simulate a complete side turn and top turn. TOP frame 2 and SIDE frame 3.
Once you are happy with your initial setup at frame 1 you can go to frame 4 and reset the master X and master Y bones to its initial values. From the frame 4 you can animate the point as it were rigged with those parameters at frame 1. (Of course in a real case the keyframes at frames 2 and 3 can be deleted. Now they are only there for educational proposes).
To animate the point you should manipulate "master X" and "master Y" bones (rotate). Why only they and not the others? Because they will be the masters of a "mesh of points".
The idea is that you have only two masters bones and a mesh of sub-masters bones to tweak its initial position in relation to the masters bones.
It is the same as the 3D rig I have explained in the tutorials but you can do it by eye and not using an static SIDE or TOP views.
Also there is a second benefit. You can modify (on the fly) the 3D skeleton of the point and make a new 3D one from where you can animate the point (rotate).
For sure you are not obligated to rig all the points with the same rotation center. In fact a just rigged point can be a center of rotation of another rig (like the phalanxes of the hand). With this you can create 3D tentacles, 3D trees or whatever...
Neither you are obligated to have individual sub-masters bones for every point. Maybe you can link a group of them to a single sub-master... even with variable constraints so the mesh moves softly when you manipulate the sub-master bone... Wow! I can see how it will work for facial expressions....
It is VERY complex... but illustrative. Every one can take what ever he wants (needs) if someone only need a Y rotation then take only the initial pair of "flexible springy rigs". If you need a more complex head turn that consider vertical rotation (X rotation) you can take the whole chain.
Also other interesting thing. Once you rig a mesh of points they can be used for ANY propose, ANY. Just change its coordinates and reuse it.
I'm happy!!!.
Genete
) Now once you have model one skeleton you can morph it to what ever other shape you want (convert a thin man into a fat one will be now very easy!!!)
