Mondivirtuali, If you used two seperate models each running vertex and bonew animation, then you could attach the vertex animation face model to the body model with bones animation by scripting, ie. vec_for_vertex and such. This doesn't mean one model running two types of animation, but two models each with different animation types.

I use a rig of head bones to make expression. I have a workflow ready from max 9 to MED by FBX. I have used although the 2 Parts solution of impaler, but the 2 models never move in the same frame... So the head was always following the body a little bit later...
Another problem with the 2 parts solution are the seams of the both parts. They are not smoothed.

Kind regards

taratoga

there are animation blending functions... you will have to use them, it is not pleasant. You will have to write an animation manager to handle this stuff...

The only way to do this is to use bones (.fbx import). This is a pain in the neck as it will fail, the most common reason being you have more than 3 skin weights per vertex... keep it at 3 or under (2 is better performance).

Out of maya the .fbx import will fail if the material is not a lambert... etc. Stuff like that really throws it.

You cannot touch the bones in med if you have more than 1 skinweight per vertex, it will not like it.

I have a question. I am able to import my 3ds into poser, then create a group for the head, then export the head into max where I can create a face morph. I can then import that face morph back into Poser for animations.

Doe this mean I can create the animations in Poser, export it, and have them ready for med (with the face morphs/expressions included)?

what about making the head and body spare models?

use verts for face and bones for body?
this is not possible too?

that is possible, but not elegant.

What I have been doing may not be elegant, either, but it works. I use a technique for facial animation worked out by Exciter, using Realtime Mesh Deformation. The interesting thing is that if you use this on one model, all identical models in the game are deformed the same way. So I use an action on a model out of play to deform the face, while a second visible model is using animated bones. The two seem to be completely independent of each other. But what you see is a combined facial animation and bones animation. You could search the forum for "Exciter" and "Realtime Mesh Deformation" if you want to follow up on this concept.

I am not sure as I don't use poser, but can it export to .fbx? It might allow you to import that way into MED

Hi! I had the same problems back in the A5 days (when MED didn't support bones).


I have to ask a few "silly questions" in order to help you.

1) are you rigging your model with SKIN or PHYSIQUE?

2) are you using MORPH targets?

3) are you using an "animation string" or exporting separate animation states?

4) are you using (or thinking of using) springs, for secondary animations like
breast jiggle or hair bounce?

and 5) are you using 3rd party software (milkshape) or importing into MED from 3dsMAX9?

What I can suggest:

-give facial rigging a second chance... you're not limited to only the jaw.
You can rig the eyelids so they'll open and close, the cheeks so they'll rise
and fall even make the nostrils flare.

-export your model using .X (pandasoft .X v9) this will allow for even the most complex rig, including controllers (but not morph targets).
Then import it into "Fragmotion" (milkshape won't do this next step) and then export it out as a "VERTEX animated" .mdl7 (this will remove the bones but lock in each movement ie: idle, walk, run, etc).
then open it into Med to make sure it's facing the right way and you're done!

I hope this helped.