3ds max: need help with vertex weights
by Maddermadcat · in Artist Corner · 08/16/2007 (12:23 pm) · 6 replies
I've been trying for a long time (on and off for two months) to fix my model's rigging, more specifically the vertex weights. Due to my lack of experience when it comes to this, any attempts to correct the problem tend to lead to a lot of frustration and occasionally shouting. So, (and I know this is a bizarre request) if there is anyone who feels charitable enough to take some time to help me in any way, please let me know.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
About the author
#2
I can't remember exactly how you get to it, but I know it's in the skin modifier rollout thing. Basically (if you're not familiar with it), it lets you adjust the vertex weights in a table view. I like that because I can know whether or not I've already weighted a specific vertex better than trying to memorize all of the ones I've worked with in the viewport.
How I do it is: (assuming your rig already has IK or whatever your final setup for movement will be)
1) Put the skin modifier on.
2) List the bones into the modifier.
3) Get the cross sections to fit the parts as well as I can
4) Manually select any vertices that need to be excluded, bone by bone (for example, any right leg vertices that may accidentally fall into the left leg bone's cross sections)
5) Make the knee and elbow gizmos, as well as on the wrists and ankles if they will work well there.
6) Bring up the weight table and edit the vertexes that need to be. This is generally the longest and most tedious step, but to get it looking really good, this is the best way I've found.
If you need to, you can move the bones into another position and check the vertex weight changes from there (I generally do this on another frame than the start, that way I can move the bones back to their initial positions quickly and easily).
That's really all the advice I can give. Sorry if it's a bit heavy on the theory and not so much on practical advice, but it varies so much from model to model, it gets really hard to give any really specific help. Good luck and I look forward to seeing how it comes out!
08/18/2007 (3:39 pm)
It is a daunting task to get it right on some of the more complicated models. When I am doing it, I tend to use the weight table more than just on the model vertex by vertex.I can't remember exactly how you get to it, but I know it's in the skin modifier rollout thing. Basically (if you're not familiar with it), it lets you adjust the vertex weights in a table view. I like that because I can know whether or not I've already weighted a specific vertex better than trying to memorize all of the ones I've worked with in the viewport.
How I do it is: (assuming your rig already has IK or whatever your final setup for movement will be)
1) Put the skin modifier on.
2) List the bones into the modifier.
3) Get the cross sections to fit the parts as well as I can
4) Manually select any vertices that need to be excluded, bone by bone (for example, any right leg vertices that may accidentally fall into the left leg bone's cross sections)
5) Make the knee and elbow gizmos, as well as on the wrists and ankles if they will work well there.
6) Bring up the weight table and edit the vertexes that need to be. This is generally the longest and most tedious step, but to get it looking really good, this is the best way I've found.
If you need to, you can move the bones into another position and check the vertex weight changes from there (I generally do this on another frame than the start, that way I can move the bones back to their initial positions quickly and easily).
That's really all the advice I can give. Sorry if it's a bit heavy on the theory and not so much on practical advice, but it varies so much from model to model, it gets really hard to give any really specific help. Good luck and I look forward to seeing how it comes out!
#3
As such it is possible to effectively rig a character in a small number of hours just by doing the following:
1) Assign Skin Modifier
2) Add your bones
3) Quickly do a fast and easy adjustment of cross-sections for each bone, it doesnt need to be exact but just enough to loosely cover the area the bone influences.
4) Use the Weight Tool found in the Skin modifier to tweak and adjust vertex weights. Including or excluding bones that you do or do not need as well as fine tune tweaking of weights.
Note: To get your weights really exact it is recommended that you apply an animation onto the underlying bones that pushes the character model into various extreme poses, this way you can see where any problems are happening and tweak them before going in-game.
If you have troubles from there just look at the tutorials that ship with the software.
08/18/2007 (6:18 pm)
If you are running Max 7 or greater I recommend using the Weight Tools in the Skin modifier. What this handy dandy little tool lets you do is select verticies either via mouse selection or via edge loops or rings and adjust the weighting of the vertecies on a per bone basis.As such it is possible to effectively rig a character in a small number of hours just by doing the following:
1) Assign Skin Modifier
2) Add your bones
3) Quickly do a fast and easy adjustment of cross-sections for each bone, it doesnt need to be exact but just enough to loosely cover the area the bone influences.
4) Use the Weight Tool found in the Skin modifier to tweak and adjust vertex weights. Including or excluding bones that you do or do not need as well as fine tune tweaking of weights.
Note: To get your weights really exact it is recommended that you apply an animation onto the underlying bones that pushes the character model into various extreme poses, this way you can see where any problems are happening and tweak them before going in-game.
If you have troubles from there just look at the tutorials that ship with the software.
#4
New problem. How am I supposed to animate cloth that hangs over my character? It's a skirt-like garment. Has anyone done this before and is willing to offer some assistance?
10/21/2007 (2:33 pm)
The problem is, it appears as if Torque wants all the weights to be either 0 or 1 -- which can cause some really weird-looking deformities. Or have things changed?New problem. How am I supposed to animate cloth that hangs over my character? It's a skirt-like garment. Has anyone done this before and is willing to offer some assistance?
#5
As for cloth you could build a bone-rig for it and animate that. Theres no cloth simulation in TGE, tho the Determinance Guys pulled that one off ;)
Theoretically you could use max cloth simulator and export the clothing animation as vertex animations, but I doubt that's efficient and I never tried it.
Best bet is making a bone structure for the clothing and hand animating it
10/21/2007 (2:53 pm)
The 0 and 1 limit is only for the old Milkshape exporter. With max you can use any weight and as many bones as you want, tho more than 3-4 bones affecting a vert is hardly needed.As for cloth you could build a bone-rig for it and animate that. Theres no cloth simulation in TGE, tho the Determinance Guys pulled that one off ;)
Theoretically you could use max cloth simulator and export the clothing animation as vertex animations, but I doubt that's efficient and I never tried it.
Best bet is making a bone structure for the clothing and hand animating it
#6
Guess I ought to make my own skeleton, but I love how the skeleton is set up otherwise.
10/21/2007 (3:00 pm)
Damn. I'm using the Torque Skeleton Generator plug-in, and it seems to be under the impression that I can only use 0 or 1.Guess I ought to make my own skeleton, but I love how the skeleton is set up otherwise.
Torque Owner Maddermadcat