Bug and Workaround: Take length not saving correctly with .c3d data

The basics, if you import .c3d data in to MotionBuilder and then save your file, all takes will be set to the same end frame as the current take you were on when saving the file.

This is a pain but I created a workaround until it can be fixed by Autodesk.

Temporary workaround... Create a marker/junk attribute/anything that can be keyframed, and plot (with constant key reducer off) animation for all takes for just that marker.
Now save the file, your frame ranges are now saved correctly because key frames exist on each take at the proper length.

Brad

Tip: Constrained Ragdoll in Motionbuilder 2009

***Update***
In MotoinBuilder 2010 you can now use real dynamic joints and also animate the state of the ragdoll solver on and off to allow you to setup this kind of grab,drag,throw action without this hack.
***end Update***


Just a quick note, if you are new to Motionbuilder 2009 (Mobu), they added a basic Ragdoll solver and some new realtime physics tools that you can put to use If you have not used the new tools, the helpfiles do a good job of going over how to setup and use the new solver. Also a quick plug I am working on another video tutorial for http://area.autodesk.com/ that will cover more MotionBuilder physics tircks and ideas on how to use them for production. ***find the post on that tutorial here motionbuilder-physics-ragdoll-tricks ***

I wanted to post this here after seeing this question. over at cgtalk.

1. What you want it to follow must be animated all ready
2. Constrain the Ragdoll node (hand for example )to the animated object ( I used a position constraint )
   
3. Turn on Record ( turn off live in the physics solver)
   
4. Select the ragdoll object before you hit playback
5. Click play and you will have your ragdoll following the animated object it is constrained to.
6. If you want it to let go of the constrained object while playing back.. just double click in the scene to deselect the ragdoll obj. and it will let go of the constraint and do a full solve.. like being thrown by another chracter or dropped from a plane or thrown from a car.
   

While not yet as powerfull or "smart" as something like the Natural Motion products, there is something to be said for having a system like this built in to MotionBuilder where the artist is all ready working with the eidting tools and NLA animation tools.
Brad

Tip: Custom Properties in Motionbuilder

There are actually going to be a few tips for MotionBuilder based on this thread over at the Area. Custom properties are very powerful in MotionBuilder and here are some tips on working with them.

Problem: (Custom Properties range)When useing the MotionBuilder Character face the sliders that are created only go from 0 to 100.

• Fix: The Face expressions that get created are just custom properties and can be edited with the property editor (properties window->customize->custom properties). Here you can set them to be -100 to 100 or what ever value you want.
• Fix: Instead of editing the existing custom attributes (custom properties) it would be best to add your own on to an animation control where you can blend the expressions so one slider controls the opposite shape. You can also drive them with viewport based controls like Jason Osipa shows in his "Stop Staring" book useing relations constraints and control objects.

Problem: (Custom Properties Organization) While you can create custom views for objects to selectively show some properties and not others, this does not work when your trying to filter a list of custom properties. For example 100 face shape sliders would all be one long list, yuck!

• Fix: Here is a quick how-to video. (make sure you make the folder under the “character face” as I did in the video or they will not show up. The basic idea is you create a custom view for the properties and then you can add folders to the main category for the properties and then move them in to each new folder to clean up the long list.

  Click to watch: Folders in custom views for MotionBuilder Custom Properties video
  

Problem: (Custom Properties story and posing) If you have created a lot of custom rigging or useing the MotionBuilder Character Face tool you need a good way to both store them as poses and be able to have their animation load in to the Story tool to do blending, cycles, etc.

• Fix: Character Extensions allow both of those issues to be fixed. In the case of the Character Face tool, you can drag its auto created expression sliders on to the Character Extension those attributes will now work in story with the main character track.
  
• Fix: Extensions also work with the pose tool allowing the pose tool to store poses for any other objects or properties(attributes) that the character tool needs to work with.
  

Thanks to Keo Heng SCEA Bend Studio for asking the questions, glad to help.

*Solutions like this are covered in our Masterclass. When you find you need more detail or a deeper understanding of how to work with MotionBuilder check out the class DVD and 100+ pages of step by step tutorials and videos.

Story Loop tutorial: Up on Autodesk Area webiste

A gift for 3December

The Area Tutorial: Looping and editing with the Story tool

The first tutorial for Autodesk is up on the website The AREA, it covers how to use the story tool to take a motion capture segment, trim it, align it to go in a strait line, blend it between clips and finally do a offset pose blend to create a seamless loop that can be used for a game or in other parts of story.

The scene files are included for download so you can take a look around.. This is done in MotionBuilder 2009. (There is a free trial of it out now for download)

Feedback is very welcome. leave it here or on the Autodesk site.

Brad