topology critique

DoomiVox

I'm working on my cookie cutter topology system, which in form has been working out amazingly.


i haven't added topology for retaining volume on the elbows and the knees but i'm wondering if the shoulder/ crotch areas have the propper edge loops to move well in all directions (without shredding or insane streching....also known as shredding...)with very straightforward vertex weighing (each loop has the same weight all around and the weights gradient evenly between loops as they move between envelopes)

i'm not good with rigging at all and i think i might just use the biped being it already has twists set up and my head explodes if i have to script.

anyways...let me know how easy this thing looks to set up.
and if you have suggestions to make it more idiot proof (since i am an idiot) feel free to give them.

myles

I don't know much about characters but, I'd suggest you try to even out your loops a bit more, at the moment they are all grouped together in certain area's. I also suggest finding some reference. Here is some good topolgy wireframe I found.
Sorry if this wasn't what you were asking for crit on, I'm not 100% sure what you were asking for.

DoomiVox

to clear it up, i'm asking whether or not this model has proper deformation edgeloops in the right places (shoulder and crotch in this case) not a really on a sculptural level (being it doesnt have anything partway down the forearm of tibia).

what you're seeing is my humanoid animation topology base, i'm working it out ahead of time so it can simply be applied attop all my humanoid models so i don't have to worry about motion and i can just sculpt as i want so long as i keep those edgeloops in tact.

as of last night i found out the shoulder does it fact have the topolgy to function very well from simple weighting. now it's just figuring out the best way to address the leg where it meets the groin and the butt.
not sure if the solution for that area will be something i can simply apply to all models or if it will be something i'll have to think about on a model to model basis.

i have a system already worked out for the knees and elbows that retain volume really well (the trick is zigzagging pivot points near the surface of the model to mimic tissue sliding and surface deformation in the knees in elbows as a pivot point simple placed in the center of the arm mass will encounter collapsing just a short way through the range of motion where as near the surface will give you the entire range with minimal collapse.

so the last problem area is the butt, i do have an idea for a solution though involved a bone that rotates a percentage in the opposing directions to keep the leg from thinning out as the model brings its leg forward.

anyways, thanks for the input and any other input that i have yet to receive.

Neavah

I'm not an expert rigger/skinner but I would say, if you have questions about the deformations - rig it! your using character studio, so its a quick click and drag to set things up.
if you need more loops, add more. if you need to move loops, then move them.

as for each loop having the same wieght all the way around... I dont do this. maybe I'm wrong, but I can't see why you would want to do this other than simplicity....
(my apologies if this is really basic) the weight tool has a +/- next to 'set weight' I wieght my loop evenly, then select the verts that dont deform right and play around with the +/- and it will incriment it up/down until I get what I want.

on a different note, are you creating this specifically for rigging? why not find some concept and model/create from that?

...anyways, hope that helps!