Creature

Using Rig Templates

Sunday, June 25, 2017 3:15 AM

Overview

This document describes how to use the Rig Templates feature to aid you in constructing and rigging your Character much more quickly. Rig Templates allow you to install a pre-built skeletal rig structure from a Creature Rig File onto your current character. It also allows you to group bones to parts, making assignment of Bone Weighting Regions a much more efficient and easier process.

Video Tutorial

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Watch the video tutorial here

Running Rig Templates

To run Rig Templates:

  1. Enter Rig Mode

  2. Switch to Bone Submode

  3. Click on Run Rig Template:

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The Rig Template Window will now show up:

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There are 2 modes in Rig Templates: Import and Export.

Importing Rig Templates

You can import existing Rig Templates into your character to speed up the rigging process.

  1. Click on Load... and pick a Creature Rig File. You can browse some sample rig files by clicking on the Download button.

  2. With the file loaded, you should see a new skeleton sized approximately to your character's bounds. Use your mouse to drag the bones to make them fit your actual character.

With the bones fitted to your character, you can either Close & Import immediately to start using the new skeleton or stay in the Window to assign the weighting regions.

Assigning Weighting Regions

Each Rig Template has Parts created for you to aid in weight assignment. A Part is essentially a container for a set of bones. You simply assign your Mesh Regions of your character to the appropriate Parts in the Window to do weighting assignment.

  1. At the bottom of the screen, you should see a list of Parts available ( They should read legBack, torso etc. )

  2. On the right of the screen, there is a floating window with the caption of Regions. That lists the Mesh Regions your character has.

  3. First, click on the Part you care about on the lower part of the screen.

  4. Now click on the Regions you want to associate with that part. You can multi select by clicking on multiple Regions.

  5. Now click on Assign Regions on the top of the screen.

  6. The Assigned Regions associated with the Part will Flash Yellow:

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Once you have assigned the Mesh Regions to their corresponding Parts, you can click Close & Import. When you return to the Rig screen and enter Bone Weighting Mode, you will notice that all the bones have now been assigned to their appropriate mesh regions. Using this method allows you to do Weight Region Assignment in a much more efficient way.

Exporting Rig Templates

You can construct and export custom Rig Templates for your own future use. This is a great way to re-use to share around your character rigs to other people or projects.

  1. Click on the Export label on the top part of the screen:

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  1. Now you are in Export mode. First, begin by adding Parts to your character. Click on Add Part.

  2. Select each Part, then multi-select or lasso select a group of bones you want to associate with each Part.

  3. Click on Assign Bones to assign the group of selected bones to that Part.

  4. Now click on Export... when you are ready to export your new Rig Template.