Your preferred leg rig solution

STEVONATRON · Aug 2013

Working in Max, I've tried building several leg rigs using different methods for each. Seems the most popular is the IK set up with a swivel control for the knee.

However, I find this system awkward. I don't feel like I have total control over the the way the legs operates, and it feels like a chore trying to lever into position. I also don't like the usual foot system that normally accompanies the IK leg. I refer to the reverse system with sliders on an attribute holder to toggle the foot poses.

Preferably, I want something that works like biped but with IK control as well. So I built an IK/FK switch system and thought it was the perfect rig until I realised something weird happens to the foot when I make the switch from IK to FK (or vice versa).

So I hope I can get some suggestions from you guys with your thoughts on this.

Any input is appreciated.

poopipe · Aug 2013

There is a plugin ik/fk solver for bone chains available - id suggest grabbing that if its updated to your current version

Short of that there's a reason we all still use the standard ik - fk blend setup (ie. It works and is fast) .

STEVONATRON · Aug 2013

poopipe wrote: »

There is a plugin ik/fk solver for bone chains available - id suggest grabbing that if its updated to your current version

Short of that there's a reason we all still use the standard ik - fk blend setup (ie. It works and is fast) .

Hi! I'll look into whether I have the latest IK/Fk plugin - certainly because this seems the best solution (IMO) and yet still a long way short of what I might call intuitive.

Can I ask you to elaborate on that last sentence: 'we all still use IK/FK blend set up (it works and it's fast)'? Does this mean IK/FK blend system is more commonly used (for legs) than the typical IK system with a swivel control for the knee? And if so, are you aware of any good online examples/tutorials?

Mrfred · Aug 2013

I personally only use k n legs and never put foot controls inside an attribute holder. I prefer to have my controls where they should be ( on the foot). If requested by the animators I ' ll create an if fk snap/switch function using max script.

You can set up you're swivel controller to work like the biped if thats what you want.

I don't want to sound rude but what exactly is your problem with regular IK?

ExcessiveZero · Aug 2013

I would just go straight to making a Cat's rig, no idea why anyone would start doing it the old way when cats is so easy to use.

Mrfred · Aug 2013

I would never ever recommend cat in a production environment. It is too unstable and doesn't support mocap very well. I'd prefer going over biped rather than working with cat :P. Cat will be good eventually but it still need more work.

STEVONATRON · Aug 2013

ExcessiveZero wrote: »

I would just go straight to making a Cat's rig, no idea why anyone would start doing it the old way when cats is so easy to use.

I personally want to understand the mechanics, the science of rigging so I can get the most out of it and my characters. I'm trying to learn MaxScript too. Together it's a lot of work but no doubt will be a massive benefit.

Mrfred wrote: »

I don't want to sound rude but what exactly is your problem with regular IK?

Actually, I've just thrown together something using IK that works really well. I've created an IK chain on each section of limb and given a control to each joint. Incredibly simple but it looks like it does exactly what I want.

Mark Dygert · Aug 2013

I like biped's simple leg set up, very few parts to interact with. No IK/FK switching and the swivel is controlled by the rotation of the shin. Same for the elbows, its controlled by the forearm rotation.

No second set of limbs to blend between and snap back and forth, no goofy look at swivel to worry about, just simple easy to animate joints. If you want IK, turn it on, if you don't shut it off. It's old and nearly bullet proof with a ton of extra features for working with poses, clips and motion capture.

Setting up a system like that outside of biped is almost futile with biped sitting right there. But then again biped does close off some ways of working that if you managed to get the same functionality in your own system it could make it a lot easier to use. But the headache and time involved in making a similar system, is way more than I want to invest.

I agree with Mrfred about CAT, it could be a decent system if they ever stabilize it and improve it. The separate IK/FK arm systems are annoying to work with but the flexibility when creating non-bipedal characters is a huge plus for it, but it breaks more often than it should work and the systems to create motion are old and creeky and aren't getting any better as they age.

Mrfred · Aug 2013

Mark: yeah you have to do some tools like a custom save and load pose if the xaf isnt enough but thats failr easy to do.
But you still have to work with max layer ugh...creating a new layer system goes from relatively easy to a total headache.
The core feature of the biped can be replicated and its the kind of thing that you do it once and then adapt it to other rigs. But yeah that requires time to develop and if you're in an production schedule you might have hard time to justify your choice of going forward with this type of tools.

Sigh... I wish we had more time to do cool stuff

Your preferred leg rig solution

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