Ascending when animated
by Barry Gallagher · in Artist Corner · 06/01/2005 (3:31 pm) · 10 replies
Hey..
After along many weeks getting to grips with exporting character models using the default animations i have all but figured it out.
I have the character exporting to Dts with texture,nodes and mesh all in the places they should be as viewed in pro showtool.
The problem is when i apply the default animations the character moves as it should, Except for the fact it ascends 1 or 2 metres in the air. When i open the .dts on its own everything is fine, no ascending. Apply any of the ".dsq" default animations and all of the sudden the character is hovering in the air doing the "salute" animation etcetera.
Anybody got any answers for me as my patience is wearing thin (*im not that patient)....
im hopefully being a complete idiot and missing something simple... (but then im an idiot, oh the paradox)
Any help apprieciated!
After along many weeks getting to grips with exporting character models using the default animations i have all but figured it out.
I have the character exporting to Dts with texture,nodes and mesh all in the places they should be as viewed in pro showtool.
The problem is when i apply the default animations the character moves as it should, Except for the fact it ascends 1 or 2 metres in the air. When i open the .dts on its own everything is fine, no ascending. Apply any of the ".dsq" default animations and all of the sudden the character is hovering in the air doing the "salute" animation etcetera.
Anybody got any answers for me as my patience is wearing thin (*im not that patient)....
im hopefully being a complete idiot and missing something simple... (but then im an idiot, oh the paradox)
Any help apprieciated!
About the author
#2
06/01/2005 (4:11 pm)
You could try setting your bounding box so that it doesnt inherit the X,Y, or Z moves or rotations. You can check that from the link info button. 
#3
06/01/2005 (4:15 pm)
@Todd: That shouldn't matter if he's using the default animations though, you only have to set up the inheritance properly when you export animations. 
#4
06/01/2005 (7:29 pm)
Ive seen this happen a few times due to some transform differences between the DSQ and the DTS. Primarily dealing with how the biped pelvis and spine nodes rotate. I don't remember this being an issue at all though, best thing to do is actually try it out in-game.
#5
A hack solution might be to make a blend animation with your character that just blends him downwards 2 meters or whatever the exact amount is...
06/02/2005 (12:08 pm)
The problem is that the stock dsqs have transform animation on 4 nodes (Pelvis, Spine, R_Thigh, and L_Thigh). So they are being transformed to the same absolute positions that the original model was animated with. A hack solution might be to make a blend animation with your character that just blends him downwards 2 meters or whatever the exact amount is...
#6
I don't use the standard animations but I've noticed this in my custom animations too, especially the thighs is a bit of a problem when using the same animations for several different models. Is there some way to stop the max exporter from exporting translation animation for these nodes? (I obviosly still want to export rotational data for them).
06/02/2005 (12:18 pm)
Quote:The problem is that the stock dsqs have transform animation on 4 nodes (Pelvis, Spine, R_Thigh, and L_Thigh)
I don't use the standard animations but I've noticed this in my custom animations too, especially the thighs is a bit of a problem when using the same animations for several different models. Is there some way to stop the max exporter from exporting translation animation for these nodes? (I obviosly still want to export rotational data for them).
#7
06/02/2005 (2:10 pm)
Just make sure that you don't have any translation keyframes on anything. I animate almost exclusively with auto-key, so it only sets keys for what I change, which is always a rotation value. If you set keys with the set key button or hotkey, it sets keys for rotation, translation, and scale. You would have to go back into the curve editor and select all the position keys and delete them.
#8
I'm using biped from character studio and there's really no way to set translation keys when using biped...
06/02/2005 (2:13 pm)
Nope, I don't think that's it.I'm using biped from character studio and there's really no way to set translation keys when using biped...
#9
IMHO Biped causes too many problems to be trusted. That's one reason why I wrote my skeleton generator. :)
06/02/2005 (3:16 pm)
Well, here's a clue: the stock animations use a CS biped as well.IMHO Biped causes too many problems to be trusted. That's one reason why I wrote my skeleton generator. :)
#10
06/02/2005 (3:23 pm)
Quote:Well, here's a clue: the stock animations use a CS biped as well.Yep. That's why I asked what's causing this and if there's any possible way around it. It seem strange, the exporter have to get the idea that there's translation keys in those bones from somewhere....
Quote:IMHO Biped causes too many problems to be trusted. That's one reason why I wrote my skeleton generator. :)Yep, looks good... but a bit too late. For the time being I'm "stuck" with biped, don't have the time to redoing everything... I'll have a closer look at the skeleton generator next time.
Torque Owner Magnus Blikstad
Are you using character studio? If so, are you exporting the Bip01 node? In either case... you shouldn't. Add "Bip01" to your "NeverExport" list in your cfg file.