Hello,
I`m working on a project where it is becoming increasingly likely that we will end up using Morph targets to create facial rigs.
Unfortunately, we’re working in an extremely memory and man-hour constrained environment.
Using the traditional max morpher modifier isn’t really an option as it does not provide a mechanism for -weighting- the deforms from a specific target (nor does it allow for easy exporting of this data for use in a game engine).
What the heck am I talking about?
Say you create a morph target with both eyes closed. In maya, you can mask out one side of the face, using the morph target to define TWO blend shapes (one for each eye) but this is not possible in max (proviso: it may be possible, but it is not EASY to do).
While I am confident in my ability to create the blending and storage functionality, I am looking for a way to create something like the vertex weighting in the skin modifier.
Is there some easy way to allow the user to select vertices, but not move them, from within a modifier?
use copies of the mesh with a soft selection on it, and use skin wrap to deform small areas of the mesh then shapshot them to new morph targets
Select the verts in the target and then use the selected verts option in morpher. Doesn’t give you a soft selection how ever.
If you are writting it your self you could use vertex color channels to mask out the deltas. That way you could paint the mask right on the mesh.
you could just make each eye closed and have a target for L/R shut. I never make symmetrical poses as i find individual eye targets allow for more variations/combinations.
use copies of the mesh with a soft selection on it, and use skin wrap to deform small areas of the mesh then shapshot them to new morph targets
That being one of the “Possible but not easy”. I have to define a pipeline for a group of artists, that option really isn’t viable.
If you are writting it your self you could use vertex color channels to mask out the deltas. That way you could paint the mask right on the mesh.
That’s probably how I’m going to end up doing it. That or just have it collect data in a normal selection mode.
Vertex painting is better though, more immediate feedback. Thanks.
you could just make each eye closed and have a target for L/R shut. I never make symmetrical poses as i find individual eye targets allow for more variations/combinations.
True, but this is in an extremely compressed environment in terms of time and resources. This needs to be done fast and easily by a group of relatively non-technical people.
I find that the less technical the team is the more likely tools like you suggest will confuse people. I’m going to bet they are better off just making each target as they need it. You only need to explain how to do one thing.
Can I ask where you are in Toronto?
I`m not in Toronto anymore.
My information is out of date. I`m in Montreal.
You may be right about it being easier to have the modellers make each pose individually. I`ll think about it. That would reduce -my- work considerably.
make a morph of both targets, then below the morpher in the stack add a volume select with verts selected, and soft-select selecting only half the face.
The other option is to do the same thing, but allow the volume select to use a material in the material modifier – specifically a gradient ramp. Give the face a planar map below the morpher.
p.s the nice thing with the second option is you can rotate the map anyway to get any variant of specific morph – all you need to do afterwards is snapshot the mesh.
cheers,