Difference between revisions of "Deriving new character from template character"

Revision as of 14:59, 11 February 2015

In this tutorial we will be replacing the character template parts with a new character. After this tutorial you will know how to create a new character for XStoryPlayer

Tutorial pack will be updated later today!!

1. We assume that you have finished the 'Installing template character' tutorial successfully.
   - So you have the pack_character pack installed.
   - You have the testing shortcut, for testing the character.
   - Also your Maya project path is set to the pack_character
2. Open the ./pack/pack_character/sources/scenes/char_template/body.ma file in Maya.
   Import the model/body.ma from the 'Tutorial resource pack' into your scene. This is the new (rigged) model you will use to replace the template character.
   Save the new scene to ./pack/pack_character/sources/scenes/char_new/body.ma.
   Your end result should look like the Step 1 Char_new/body.ma file.
   
3. Copy the Step 1 Char_new/body.ini into your char_new directory as well.
   This is the template ini file, but most elements are commented out so they do not have to created at first.
4. Remove the hair, the collider, the old body etc to cleanup the scene.
   Make sure there are no meshes binded to the root_joint hierarchy.
   Also make a copy of the new model body that is not rigged. Hide the rigged model body and the rig itself.
   Your end result should look exactly like the Step 2 Char_new/body.ma file.
   
5. Now that there are not meshes binded to the root_joint hierarchy we can move/rotate the joints so the new model has correct joints.
   Make sure you do not translate the joints too much. Better is to use the joint orient to position them.
   Use 'X-Ray Joints' to view them better through the body. Use different views (top,front,side) to get a good view of the joint positions.
   Use the original model joint hierarchy for reference on where to position the joints.
   Do not rotate or move the root_joint! Move the body instead.
   Adjust the joints and make the end result look like the Step 3 Char_new/body.ma file.
   
6. Now bind the model body mesh to the root_joint hierarchy. Rotate the joints to check that the body is binded.
   Now we have to fix the skinning by mapping the old model rig onto the new one. We can use the Filemaker for that.
   Run the Step 4 Char_new/filemaker/start.ini using the Filemaker, it will map the weights onto the new model.
   After running an export.txt file is created. Open the body.ma file in an text editor and replace the weights of the body with the exported weights.
   To find where the weights in the body.ma file are located, search for the skin cluster of the bodyShape e.g. skinCluster8.
   A good text editor for editing large files is: TextPad.
   Reopen the body.ma file in Maya. The weights should now be correct.
7. You can now delete the model body and its joints. Use the Filemaker to create the character