Hello. I don’t have experience making peds, I only make cars until now.
I downloaded a robot 3D model, each piece is a separate object. Upper arm, lower arm, torso, head, etc.
Is there an easy way I can link each part to a different bone on a ped? Or do I have to skin with weight paint?
Thank you in advance!
Can you link objects to bones?
Re: Can you link objects to bones?
I think the weight paint will not be that hard in your case, as you have rigid parts for bone assignment already.
Import into your scene original skeleton from ped model (e.g. ig_bankman.yft) with an option "Slice to parts" toggled off. You will get a skeleton and a .mesh object. Delete .mesh geometry object.
Select your robot objects, expand properties and set "Rigging = on, MaxBones = 4" on Mesh->Vertices->Format branch;
bind the pelvis object of skeleton to the skeleton (mark .skel object with Select\Mark and use Rigging\Skeleton\Bind tool on a geometry object).
Switch pelvis object to vertices level, select all vertices. Pick Rigging\Influence\Paint tool, expand its properties. switch to "Preset mode". Drag&drop from hierarchy view a "SKEL_Pelvis" bone into the options list. Use "Fill selected" button to assign this bone onto selected vertices; then use Display\Hide to hide geometry vertices of pelvis;
>>>
switch to objects level, use Modify\Attach tool to attach left Thigh geometry object to Pelvis object. Switch this combination to vertices level (pelvis vertices/geometry will be hidden, just the thigh geometry will be visible). Select all vertices, pick "Rigging\Influence\Paint" tool, expand its options, select the "Pelvis" row in a list and press Delete to delete it; drag&drop "SKEL_L_Thigh" bone into the list and use "Fill selected" to send this bone influence onto selected vertices; Hide selected vertices;
<<<
Repeat steps between >>> and <<< on other parts and bones.
You will get a single object as a result and its geometry elements/vertices will be assigned onto associated bones. You can use this geometry object as .mesh component on an associated branch of your .ydd file.
Import into your scene original skeleton from ped model (e.g. ig_bankman.yft) with an option "Slice to parts" toggled off. You will get a skeleton and a .mesh object. Delete .mesh geometry object.
Select your robot objects, expand properties and set "Rigging = on, MaxBones = 4" on Mesh->Vertices->Format branch;
bind the pelvis object of skeleton to the skeleton (mark .skel object with Select\Mark and use Rigging\Skeleton\Bind tool on a geometry object).
Switch pelvis object to vertices level, select all vertices. Pick Rigging\Influence\Paint tool, expand its properties. switch to "Preset mode". Drag&drop from hierarchy view a "SKEL_Pelvis" bone into the options list. Use "Fill selected" button to assign this bone onto selected vertices; then use Display\Hide to hide geometry vertices of pelvis;
>>>
switch to objects level, use Modify\Attach tool to attach left Thigh geometry object to Pelvis object. Switch this combination to vertices level (pelvis vertices/geometry will be hidden, just the thigh geometry will be visible). Select all vertices, pick "Rigging\Influence\Paint" tool, expand its options, select the "Pelvis" row in a list and press Delete to delete it; drag&drop "SKEL_L_Thigh" bone into the list and use "Fill selected" to send this bone influence onto selected vertices; Hide selected vertices;
<<<
Repeat steps between >>> and <<< on other parts and bones.
You will get a single object as a result and its geometry elements/vertices will be assigned onto associated bones. You can use this geometry object as .mesh component on an associated branch of your .ydd file.
Re: Can you link objects to bones?
Thank you for the very detailed reply!