A new version of Cineversity has been launched. This legacy site and its tutorials will remain accessible for a limited transition period

Visit the New Cineversity
   
 
Baking mixed Animations
Posted: 07 July 2021 08:30 PM   [ Ignore ]  
Total Posts:  22
Joined  2021-01-22

Hi All,

i’m struggling with baking an animated Object using Mospline, PoseMorph and some Xpresso.

The aim is to import the animation in Unity3D. A partner agency will then make an AR App with these models/animations.

I’ve tried several approaches:
1. baking object via timeline, then exporting as FBX
2. baking and exporting as alembic
3. exporting as FBX
4. saving via cineware

Results:
1. deformer and Mospline is ignored, plain geometry is loaded into unity3d
2. imported successfully, best result for simple animation (moving) and models, but no MoSpline and Xpresso is converted
3. only first frame is exported/imported, no deformer, Xpresso, MoSpline
4. Imported the cineware saved file via the Unity3D-Cineware-Plugin ... animation and models are semi-good imported, no MoSpline, Xpresso

Long story short: the “problem” seems to be the use of MoSpline and Xpresso for animation in terms of baking.

Has any of you guys an idea how to solve this issue?

Many thanks in advance and sunny regards,

Tom

P.S. I’m working on Mac, R23, latest Unity release

Profile
 
 
Posted: 07 July 2021 08:44 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

Hi info,

This is one of those questions where I have to ask for a scene file.
There is no way to answer that if wild guessing is excluded.

What I could suggest, use a Spline as a Destination Spline. Whatever is given in Polygons, try to use the Point-Cache.

I can’t send you a PM. Have you opted out, or is it just that <info> will not work with the system? No idea.

I leave this link a short moment here. For security reasons.
Let me know when you need it
I will get an email from Dropbox when something arrives.

All the best

 Signature 

Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile
 
 
Posted: 08 July 2021 07:11 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]  
Total Posts:  22
Joined  2021-01-22

Hi Dr. Sassi,

thanks for your Reply! You can download the file from the following Dropbox-Link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lffx1gipjxb3gyk/Schritt 1__PROMASTOP.zip?dl=0

BTW: maybe I’m blind but I see no possibility for me to change or edit my User-Profile ... I guess I have to contact maxon with this. BTW: I just saw that there is another post recently posted with a quite similar Topic (Baking) and the author’s name is “info”, too. Just like mine, but the post is not from me.

How ever ... thanks for your effort!

Sunny regards,

Tom

Profile
 
 
Posted: 08 July 2021 04:50 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the file and for using Dropbox. Sorry to have taken the upload link down, but reading about ransomware assaults all over the place, I have to keep it tight here.
Sounds neurotic, but better safe than sorry. I share too many files here to take any risks.

Here is your file back.
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/FloQhm9YJUmb9hBAsUQrnOq5JMqOeHyrFQqrARqcQAg

When you use File> Merge Files…, make sure to have Vertex Cache to PLA on.

What I did to get there;

I placed an Object Manager> Tags> Rigging Tags> Point Cache to the Object.
Cached it, and then switched off: Deformer and PoseMorph (otherwise, the information is added again!)
Then I called up the Main Menu> Animate> Cappucino, and record the PLA information. (PLA Point Level Animation)
With this information stored now as PLA information, you can write out the FBX file, keep an eye on the PLA to Vertex Cache (check on!)

Cappucino
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/how_to_record_user_interactions_with_objects_for_animation

All the best

 Signature 

Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile
 
 
Posted: 09 July 2021 11:52 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]  
Total Posts:  22
Joined  2021-01-22

Hi Dr. Sassi,

thanks for your Input and guide. But in the exported fbx (in yours too) there is no animation saved. It’s just the plain model.

But I keep trying wink

Sunny regards,

Tom

Profile
 
 
Posted: 09 July 2021 01:58 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

Hi Tom,

I checked again, and the animation is in the fbx file.

The data is in the PLA folder, hence the Vertex Cache to PLA checkbox.

Let me know if that works.

Cheers

 Signature 

Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile
 
 
Posted: 09 July 2021 03:29 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 6 ]  
Total Posts:  22
Joined  2021-01-22

Hi Dr. Sassi,

in the zip there’s only the fbx-file, no Folder.

Sunny regards, Tom

Profile
 
 
Posted: 09 July 2021 03:34 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 7 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

Sorry, Tom, please try again, it should work now.

Sunny regards as well from Southern California.

 Signature 

Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile
 
 
Posted: 12 July 2021 06:14 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 8 ]  
Total Posts:  22
Joined  2021-01-22

Hi Dr. Sassi,

thanks for the PLA-Data. But something seems still not right. I’ve checked in C4D, Unreal and Unity and there are no animations imported. I’ve also double-checked the settings. The other agency (which builds the AR-App) has the same issue.

Do you have any idea what we do wrong?

Thanks and stay cool in California! wink

Tom

Profile
 
 
Posted: 13 July 2021 03:55 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 9 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

FBX JOINTS

Hi Tom,

Here is the same object, but as earlier suggested with joints.

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/GNRZVTPj06gHyJ8ydHrjC7muEpspimyNSBqMGDrh34d

I’m not a Unity expert, far from that, so you might check in the Unity Forum. However, the manual and the app are certainly not in synch.

I tried to find something this whole afternoon, well it is already close to 10 pm. Not happy with my progress, to tell the truth.
I wish the Joint and PLA import options would have some more love in UNITY. Perhaps I miss something.
In my memory, several plug-ins support Vertex animation import. Unfortunately, I do not have them.
Vertex Animation Tools, is on of them, but $45, which is not a lot for a studio, but to just for testing, that might be over the top. I hope that is a reasonable answer.

I will add a gif to showcase that it is working in Unity. If I do not miss something, one can’t (?) add timeline entries for many objects (joints) at once. Am I wrong with that?) Well, I leave that to the AR/VR/XR pros to figure out.

Here is a thread where I have used PoseMorph to Unity, which might to a certain degree an option. No sure about bending something to a circle, though.
https://www.cineversity.com/forums/viewthread/4186/


It’s warm here, but I love heat, and I certainly do not run an AC here. It feels just wrong and unhealthy to sit in a fridge wink
So, sunny greetings from from a sun-lover. wink

My best wishes for your project

 Signature 

Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile
 
 
Posted: 14 July 2021 03:28 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 10 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

ALEMBIC Vertex


Hi Tom,

Here is the Alembic PLA based version:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/Z5emK83NyGowUx58SLVWeSGdN8YvM0yFjM3BjIOOUrB

Make sure you have the latest Alembic V 2.2.0 installed in Unity. The older one, V 1.07 will not work.

Here is my test file, that I have used in the clip.
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/5MRDf55eSPNNzh01CpsKPxjoFTC25XiprPatek2dWD4

In a nutshell, the abc file has a vertex animation. This is pulled into the project.
Then it is dragged into the Hierarchy. Which puts it into the scene.
No Animation so far.
Dragging the parent of the abc file into the animation window allows setting a Property.
This property allows them to set the time (sec)

As I mentioned, I’m not a pro in Unity. However, my understanding is that it follows a different concept than Cinema 4D.
In Unity, most of the parts need a special invitation to be part of the game. All of that to keep the load as low as possible.
Of course, that animation is the simplest form of it. In the Animator, you have a “node” system that works based on trigger and code elements; hence it is, after all, a game engine. Everything is based on reduction and triggers to allow for interactive options.

Enjoy.

 Signature 

Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile
 
 
Posted: 15 July 2021 05:26 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 11 ]  
Total Posts:  22
Joined  2021-01-22

Hi Dr. Sassi,

you cannot imagine how grateful I am! grin

The suggested solution with joints and fbx works perfectly. Thank you very much!
But I have one question regarding the joints setup: how do you manage that there is no distortion in the mesh when it’s bended? Especially the screw holes.

The point is: now, with the joints-setup, the final diameter of the collar is smaller than with the mospline when bended (don’t ask me why) ... but it must have a specific diameter at the end. To compensate this I just scaled/“streched” the mesh including the joints a few percent and binded them again. This works but a distortion of the screw holes appears. In your model there is no distortion. I’ve tried with weighting but then the screw holes doesn’t even move. And as I could see in your example there is no weighting applied.

You see what I mean in the sample file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/oc5vi8731jqcovd/PROMASTO_FC3_mit_Joints_und_PoseMorph.zip?dl=0

But again: thank you very much for your big effort in this issue!

Sunny regards,

Tom

Profile
 
 
Posted: 15 July 2021 05:50 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 12 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the file and for using DropBox.

Any joint will have an influence on the mesh based on the weighting. Which means, if you have points in the mesh that have several joints “working” on them, then things can be distorted. This is often a wanted effect, as our skin works more like rubber than paper.

In your case, the elements are metal-based and would stretch when the “Manschette” bends into shape. This means, only one joint should have control over that group of points.

I have showcased this for you below:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/pkVbIml27jOnRahXutPyRMOfWOue3qKC04C3sxTgi3I

Since the joints do not stretch on their own typically, I might think that previous set up had a flaw, is that fair to say?

As you can see, when the weight is set to 100% from one joint only, then the shape “snaps back” into its shape.

BTW, I used a spline to create all the Joints via conversion. I harvest that spline from a polygon.


Most parts of the object should bend a little bit more roundish, but the elements bent 90º inwards would stabilize the shape, so the most bend is where the tin is just “2 Dimensional”, or flat. This is exactly where two joints meet, and the weight should ideally be 50%/50%. After that, a slight smoothing based on the Weight-Manager should do the trick.

All the best

 Signature 

Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile
 
 
Posted: 15 July 2021 08:44 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 13 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

P.S.: To make this “point” more clear, here is a little test file and a screen capture.

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/MXWcTUaFc3e9htE7732PV8fKLr0Ooz1nRQwBfpXxyeY

 Signature 

Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile
 
 
Posted: 17 July 2021 05:59 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 14 ]  
Total Posts:  22
Joined  2021-01-22

Hi Dr. Sassi,

you’re the best! Everything’s working fine now! grin

If you are interested I’ll keep you “in the loop” when the app is finished.

(finally) sunny regards (after the floods) and again - thank you very much!

Tom

Profile
 
 
Posted: 17 July 2021 06:30 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 15 ]  
Administrator
Avatar
Total Posts:  12043
Joined  2011-03-04

Hi Tom,

I hope you had no damage based on this rainstorm of a century. Horrible.

Yes, please keep me in the loop!

Have a dry and comfortable weekend.

 Signature 

Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

NEW:

NEW: Cineversity [CV4]

Profile