Rigged Character Manipulation

[xEndlessxUrbiax]

I am a complete noob when it comes to manipulating rigged characters in 3dsMax.

I downloaded the "Tetravol People Pack 1" from TurboSquid but the people come in the standard "T" pose. I have my modifier up and I've tried messing around with the "Physique" modifier which includes submodifiers for "Envelope", "Link", "Bulge", "Tendons", and "Vertex". There is also an editable poly below that. I can't get any of the joints to move or much else to happen.

 

Can anyone point me to the right tutorial or give me a basic rundown of where i should start?

[xEndlessxUrbiax]

I can send someone a file of one of the characters to show me how to manipulate the limbs. This is really frustrating, I wish the artist included a readme or tutorial or something. I've been doing some more research and something about CAT... Help

[Francisco Penaloza]

For what I just read on turbosquid's description, the models are rigged already, so all what you need to do is select the main node from the dummy, (middle center waist) and load a Bip animation, then the model should adopt the position of your animation.

What you need to do first is, create a simple cube dummy, and link your model to that dummy, because after you assign the animation to your character there is no way to re position it, so if you link it to a dummy you'll be able to drag around that dummy where you need your character to be.

 

3Ds Max has good documentation regarding this and skinning, just patiently follow those tutorials.

But again your model should be ready to walk, pond intended .

[xEndlessxUrbiax]

I'm not sure I understand fully what that means. I've been looking at tutorials all day and it's not quite the same situation as what I'm dealing with. The character i have is already rigged (as it says in the description). I don't need to skin anything, or have it walk or any of that. I just want to move the nodes around that make up his "joints" so that I can change his position. It doesn't seem like I should have to create any dummies to get this to work.

[Nic H]

just drag the bones?

[Scott Schroeder]

The bones in the rig generally respond like your real bones (assuming it's rigged right). Your shoulder control generally can only be manipulated by rotating it, like your shoulder joint in real life. The hand control, can be both rotated and moved and moving the hand should affect the whole arm. You have to think like your body when it moves your limbs.

 

But yeah, you should easily be able to move your bones around by just selecting the bone you want to move and, well, moving it. Just set max to be able to only select bones and have at it. That way you don't move anything else or have ability to select anything else, it makes your life a bit easier.

[Francisco Penaloza]

If you only want to pose your model, you do almost the same, click the center node of the Skeleton, then on the animation Tab (wheel icon) scroll down until the Tab copy/paste, create a library, and move the bones of your skeleton, your model since is skinned already it should follow the pose of your skeleton, once you have the pose you like, click the button copy, it will save the pose no matter what the dimension of your skeleton, (this is different that Figure mode) then pose again and click copy, later select the same model or any other model in your scene, and click paste, the new skeleton should adopt the pose that you created early.

[xEndlessxUrbiax]

I sent Francisco the model for him to look at. I don't see a node, and I'm not sure if I even see a skeleton. There is nothing I can click on in terms of what you call bones that i can either move or rotate. I can send the character to anyone else if you want to have a go at it. Send me a private message with your email if you want. Thanks!

[Fooch]

Unhide biped , and move that .. (I presume the biped file is hidden?)

[xEndlessxUrbiax]

Damn, the skeleton was hidden. I'm an idiot. I really thought I checked that. The frustration got the best of me.

 

Anyway, thanks for all the help, you guys are awesome. I got someone with some free time in the office rigging them up to walk and stuff. Really cool stuff.

[Fooch]

If biped is there, they shouldnt need to rig.

Just load in bips (there should be a lot online) and let it rip..

[cg_Butler]

Doh!

Damn, the skeleton was hidden. I'm an idiot. I really thought I checked that. The frustration got the best of me.

 

Anyway, thanks for all the help, you guys are awesome. I got someone with some free time in the office rigging them up to walk and stuff. Really cool stuff.