3ds max bip file

demilich

Does anyone know of a method to change the orientation of a bip file. I am trying to combine two different bip files into one model. The only problem is that one bip is facing y + and the other is facing y-.

Thanks.

monster

Load the offending Bip file, use Move All Mode, and adjust the animation. Press Collapse in the Move All Mode floater and re-save the bip.

Move All Mode can be found in the bottom right of the Biped Rollout.

You can also use a transition track with the transitions focus on the center of mass. That should prevent it from flipping.

demilich

Thanks for responding monster, it helped a lot. I was wondering if you have recompiled the IPhysique.gup for your Skin2Physique maxscript to use in 3ds Max 2012? I have some models that are using the biped with a physique modifier and I wanted to transfer them to skin modifier. Another option I was thinking of is exporting the scene as an fbx because it converts the physique to skin modifier. Then just import that same fbx back into 3ds max and work from that. Have you ever tried something like that?
Thanks again.
By the way, I really enjoyed the Orcs Must Die! Postmortem, it was great!

monster

Thanks Demilich! Tell your friends to get OMD!

I didn't create the iPhysique.gup, I was just using it. Unfortunately, I don't have the source code to re-compile it.

You can use the FBX method you talked about. When you import the FBX, use the SkinUtilities to Extract the Skin Data Mesh, then use the Skin Data Mesh to import the weighting on your original model with the Biped.

Look up SkinUtilities in the Max help file for info on how to use it. I just tested it out and it worked fine.

demilich

Yea I've been telling my friends about OMD! and pushing them to get it..haha. The game is just awesome.
Thanks for sharing the info. How would I import my original biped? Should I save it out first? or import the fbx while I have my scene with the original loaded?
Also do you know of a script or method in 3ds max where I can only export out certain bones of the biped and not the whole biped?
For example, I have an arm with a shotgun rigged to only one arm of a biped and used that to animate it. I just want to export the biped limbs that correspond to the arm which is just the left hand, fingers, forearm, and upper arm.

Thanks again monster!

Mark Dygert

You might be able to save the animation as .xaf, load that into motion builder and re-save it in a biped friendly format? I remember there was an plug-in they released that has probably been rolled into it by now, to convert FBX to BVH.

As far as I know you can export selected on a biped but, it will export all links down to the root node (COM). If you select a hand+fingers it will export the arm and the spine, but not the other arm, head or legs. I don't see any reason why you couldn't open the FBX file, delete the extra bones and re-export?

Alternatively I guess you could creating a custom arm rig, (turn on 3D snap to pivot point) and use something like Jim Jaggers Animated Align script to snap and key the bones to the biped arm, and export that? I'm not sure it works on bone chains, I've only used it on single bones, (snapping a bone to a point that sits on a cloth object) but it's worth a shot.

I also seem to remember another script on scriptspot that upgraded the Animated align script, it was a called something like the biped tool, or CAT tool, it was a bone UI selection script that worked with biped and CAT.

demilich

Does anybody know how to use biped twist bones. I'm working on a fps arms with a shotgun. When I place the arms correctly on the shotgun, the wrist creates that candy wrapper effect when it is rotated. I tried applying twist bones and assigning the verts to those but no luck. Do I have to add twist bones and assign verts between the arm biped and twist bones? I also noticed the twist bones have to be unfreeze.

Thanks
Alan.

Mark Dygert

All twist bones do is help spread the wrapper effect down the forearm. The more twist bones you have the smoother the transition because each one rotates a little less than the previous one. You need verts along the forearm in order for the twisting to be dispersed down the forearm. If you only have verts at the wrist and elbow twist bones won't do you much good.

I like to use 2 twist bones per forearm, 3 if the engine/game can afford it. If you only have 1 twist bone its going to be hard to get good results.

You also want the influence of the twist bones to be less and less toward the elbow, with the forearm bone taking over the most influence toward the mid-forearm/elbow. If you weight 100% to the twist bones (especially if you only have 1) its going to pretty look bad especially with no verts running down the forearm to spread the twisting.

demilich

Awesome, thanks for the help Mark, I will try it. Also, is there an alternate method to avoid that wrapper effect? Not sure if Unity supports these twist bones.

Mark Dygert

Twist bones are about as far as you can take it when dealing with games, someone else might have some cool trick but I don't know of too many. Most engines support them and I would be surprised if Unity didn't have some kind of support for them but I can't say for certain, I've only messed around with unity and environment art.

The only other thing I can think to try is to remodel the arms so they account for the twisting.
For example if you model the arms and hands like the person was holding a ball out in front of them instead of in a T or A pose, you can sometimes get around some of the twisting issues like that.

demilich

Hello guys, I'm still trying to get the twist bones working. For some reason, when I add the 2 twist bones to the skin mod of the arm and I assign some weight to the verts to the twist bones it pulls back the verts to a neutral position. I have the animation of the arm and shotgun starting as if it were ready to shoot. I can't figure out why the verts assigned to the twist bones are pulled back to a neutral position, it seems that it is the position of the biped when I go into figure mode.

Thanks.