If you're reading this then there's a good chance you've got Antics.If not then get it, it's free after all. Anyway, the weakest link to the whole Antics solution is the character creation aspect. So I wanted to appeal to you guys (and girls) to help sort this out once and for all. I need to hear your suggestions and solutions to getting more character content into Antics. Let me start the ball rolling by thanking user "cmbubak" for the FACEGEN tip, The faces in the image are imported as .3ds models and placed onto one of the pirate characters. It took about 2mins! once the head is in position you can attach it to the body's head node in a command line. That way it'll allow you to walk the new character and still use the lookat features. (ish)
I've also checked out Quidam, and poser. I always run into a dead end with the skeleton setup.
Ideally if we can find a solution that doesn't involve 3ds MAX, then that would be heaven.
The main topics for discussion are FACE MAPPING and SKELETON RIGGING.
Please, if there's anyone out there......
4 comments:
I've been tring to make my own custom jpeg, to use as a texture in Antics.
The problem with this is creating my original texture.
Plus, when I imported it to the character, his original eyes where still there. Seems the eyes are separate. I guess they are to be able to "move the eyes" in Antics.
I guesss the best solution would be for Antics to add a feature whee you could change the features of the characters. But until then, we'l have to continue experimenting with other solutions.
I've mentioned on the Antics forum the possibility of using Gmax. It is, after all, a freely available cut down version of 3DS Max.
It might be a stop gap solution until they come up with something better for version 3.5 or version 4 but they and their wise programmers could produce and sell a plugin for Gmax allowing us to save Antics file formats in the same way the Max plugin does. It shouldn't be too difficult seeing as the programs are related.
By the way, wouldn't it be cool if Antics could integrate with this program:
http://www.actormachine.com/
FACE MAPPING and SKELETON RIGGING.
Yea, I'm there (or is it Here) for this topic.....
RANDOM thoughts....
Creating a custom characters is really basic to any real "movie making" software.
For Pre-viz - Antics totally ROCKS it is already there....
But for us to make movies with it...we need further customization -
unless we want to slave our stories to the available content.
Anyway...
I also have tried using external head objects as attached "props"...
Http:/www.cinedv.com/antics/images/antics_frank.jpg
http://www.cinedv.com/antics/images/antics_frank2.jpg
Just a rough test - need to make the original head texture invisible...
OR, then I thought why not treat this like real movie make-up....before 3D of course...
We have an actor who looks like so, we can't change his head, but we can apply a mask or
make-up which includes, sculpted rubber parts...
This would allow the mouth to show making diologue still possible.
So my next test would be to cut parts from the head....
Brow, Nose, Chin, hair and add them individually -
blending the textures with the original...
The head is from my Poser Frankenstein Character - exported to 3Ds -
the lead in the serial film I would make if I can get all this to work....
BUT the truth be told...ANTICS needs a more open developer policy.
I have 3ds Max - but I can't afford to buy the full version of Antics just to get the
3D max plug-in which will be needed if anything is exported to the .k3d format...
OR
Check K-3D out...
http://www.k-3d.org/wiki/Main_Page
Been there also, the program won't load Antics assets....but I still bet Antics is
based on this technology....unless the file extension it is a total coincidence.
SKELETON RIGGING -
Thus far I believe that antics uses the default 3DS max bi-ped skeleton and skinning -
which might be why it seems locked into this app.
But, if we are looking for say a Poser - Antics pathway, it exists (or will) as soon as Poser releases it's "Pro"
version which has Body Studio's 3ds max export Plug-in.
Also, lip sync seems to be achived via mesh morph-targets??? The mesh moves when they talk - which means
not only could we refine lip-sync, but further Morph targets would allow emotions...
But, what are the commands?
JP
There is a Poser to Cinema 4d path
http://www.greenbriarstudio.com/3D/C4cr2load.htm
this is a tut on poser to motionbuilder http://www.3dlinks.com/motionbuilder-poser.cfm
here an interesting thread also
http://www.3dbuzz.com/vbforum/showthread.php?t=162316&page=3
I'll check out the poser pro stuff
thanks.
Post a Comment