Cineversity

Hi, I’m trying to use Mixamo animation on my model, but using Character Definition tag, the model won’t snap to new position when the solver is setup. When I use the mocap data from content browser, everything works just fine, but with mixamo data, the animation is not correct. Any idea how to make it snap to the new mocap data?(basically the animation starts from the t-pose and not from the 1st frame of the mixamo mocap data) Thank you very much for your time.

link: https://we.tl/t-7w2SmAFqPj

Martin

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the file and for using Wetransfer.

Please try the following, drag the Mixamo Group that you have in the file on top (Object Manager) of the other below the one you like to have the Character Object snap to the given parts.

As another tip, try to keep the root of the rig the same, which is commonly at 0,0,0 (XYZ). I adjusted it and moved the Hips P.Y keyframes accordingly.

The Character Definition Tag should always be created while in T-Pose. It will transfer the rotations relative to the initiated pose, hence why the little guy looks so stressed now.

Here is your file back
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/mX2cUvTXvkkimNBhr18fhPi2yJFbn73gkhlxvZKdgPy

Let me know if that works.

Cheers

Hi,

First of all, thank you so much for your time. It’s much appreciated. However your suggestion didn’t work for me. Let me try to explain it little bit better.

Basically what I’m trying to do is to have one rigged character in T-pose, correctly weight painted, with pose morph tags for face, correct materials etc. Then I want to use bunch of different animations exported from the Mixamo, and just put the weight painted model on to the animations to save time. When I use the Content Browser mocap data, everything works just fine. (As soon as I put the Character definition tag from the “Content Browser rig” to the t-pose solver, the 1st frame snaps to correct position of the animation).

When I do the same thing, but with the Mixamo animation, the 1st frame of the weight painted model stays in the T-Pose. The animation works, but it’s offset as you have seen in the file I uploaded.

Same goes for the file you have uploaded. The animation starts from the t-pose (arms should start closer to the torzo, etc.)

Unfortunatelly I have no idea what you mean by this:
“drag the Mixamo Group on top of the other below the one you like to have the Character Object snap to the given parts.”

Thank you again for your time!

Martin

Hi Martin,

You’re very welcome.

Let me start with your last question first. When the Character searches for a rig to snap on, there are two things from my point of view: The naming conventions and which rig is first in the Object manager. In your file, it was the one not in a T-Pose.

The Character Definition can’t be applied to a non-T-Pose setup; if the joints are oriented for a specific expression, and you set the reference pose in that state, it will provide only the relative change of the joints to the other object. With a weird result.
The manual makes that as well clear:
https://help.maxon.net/c4d/r25/en-us/Default.htm#html/78468.html?TocPath=Character Menu|Motion Retargeting|_____0

You might look into the Motion System, which works with absolute values, and each Mixamo motion can be turned into a clip.
Here is a series that might help. Please note I’m not happy with the Motion Tag on the Hip. As mentioned above, I would always put a Null as a parent on each rig. There the Motion tag should sit.
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaylist/mixamo_to_cinema_4d_character_workflow/mixamo_to_cinema_4d_character_workflow_series_introduction

Motion clips are just nice containers of Keyframes. You can edit those like film clips, but copy those and change some keyframes accordingly.

Please have a look at it.

Do one thing at a time; when that is working, explore the next. You like to do too much ad once. This needs some time; otherwise, the expression of your work will suffer.

It is close to midnight here. I close shop for now.
Cheers