Practice

[Pete Paterson]

I've had softimage for a long time and was determined to rig this Centurion from BSG.

Having seen how great the rigging tools are in softimage I went ahead and done this little test animation. Anyways, more to come...shaders, camera match etc.

I was just pleased with myself I suppose as I often avoid if I think something will be difficult but, this time I told myself I could do it. It's not perfect by a long shot [right foot goes through the floor a bit], yet it was a rigging exercise :)

[today]

looks pretty impressive to me!

I'm curious, how long did it take to rig.. and better yet, how straightforward was or wasn't it compared to setting up a comparable ik rig in LightWave.

I've found even since my upgrade to LW9.6 from 7.5 that even though the ik tools have improved by leaps and bounds, rigging is still less than intuitive.

[Pete Paterson]

Hey, today...thanks!

It took me 20 minutes to rig but, that's because I was learning as I worked. I used the simple built in biped guide rig and then converted this to a rig proper. I found it very straight forward to do to as I did not build the rig from scratch. See screen grab.

I really dont know how I would even start in LW, not a reflection on LW but, on my lack of knowledge. I think softimage has a great bunch of rigging tools that work for me.

I do enjoy hard body modelling, lighting, etc in LW though...again probably due to a lack of knowledge of this aspect of softimage.

http://www.foundation3d.com/uploads/general/2010/10/1010-01-968808_tn.jpg (http://www.foundation3d.com/uploads/general/2010/10/1010-01-968808.jpg)

[BillS]

That looks pretty damn nice Pete. I'm with you on rigging in Softimage. I find it a lot easier when you can just drop in a rig and modify it to your needs.

[Pete Paterson]

Thanks, Bill.

Yeh, the standard prebuilt rig options work for me. Then there is that DT rigging SDK video series too...

[BillS]

And now ICE Kinematics :)

[Pete Paterson]

I watched the movie over at 'the area' about ICE kinematics. I don't mind admitting that the penny hasn't dropped yet about what thsi could really mean. But I'm open to learning.

I might even save and upgrade from version 7.01...not quite sure if the new Lagoa physics will be part of the maintenance contract version only...will wait and watch as I save me thinks.

[BillS]

I think it is for now. It will be part of 2012 for sure though

[Pete Paterson]

I think it is for now. It will be part of 2012 for sure though

Should give time to save then...:)

[Pete Paterson]

Simple idle test of centurion.

Centurion_Movie.mov (http://www.foundation3d.com/uploads/general/2010/10/1010-28-258745.mov)

[Rigel]

Nice and smooth. I like how the hips and legs shift with the movement, very realistic.

[BillS]

That is really nicely done Pete.

[Pete Paterson]

Rigel, Bill...thanks.

[Pete Paterson]

A few more bits and pieces as I learn.

[hal]

Excellent work, this is really an area I need to polish up my skills.

[BillS]

Nice work on the camera matching.

I'm starting to putter around with that now since they included matchmover with 2011.5

[Pete Paterson]

Nice work on the camera matching.

I'm starting to putter around with that now since they included matchmover with 2011.5

I see that they have included that with 2011.5...can only be good. Satisfying stuff I think. Mind and let us see how you get on.

hal, Bill...thanks.

[Aleksey]

great work man, just keep being impressed by the quality of work on this forum.

totally hectic. I don't know if i want to make the jump to XSI, can't decide between xsi and houdini. Although leaning towards xsi for the character animation stuff.