Re: ref model looses the shape connections

Date : Tue, 13 Jun 2006 08:55:27 -0500
To : XSI(at)Softimage.COM
From : Jeffrey Dates <jeff(at)janimation.com>
Subject : Re: ref model looses the shape connections
Heya Frank,

There are a couple of things I would look at.

Switching Reference Model Resolutions using the ( Low, Medium, and High ) radial buttons in the models property page has given us grief in the past. My advice is to only use the Medium resolution input, and just manually switch all models ( low and hi res ) via the same input field. ( if that makes sense ).

Also, make sure that the Reference Models' Mixer option is turned on in the model property panel. Without that, mixer animation you do will not save upon reload.

Finally, if you load the low-res version of your Ref Model, that doesn't have facial sliders, then switch to a hi-res that does, animate, then switch back, you are in danger of loosing the facial animation. The solution I've found is to load the hi-res first, with all the controls, then switch it to the low-res using the way described above, and proceed from there.

Those are the things I have personally run across when using Reference Models. Each has it's own workaround to a solution, and I have found that reference models work great once you know the 'issues' that are still inherent with them.

I don't know if any of the above will help you, but at least you can rule them out if not.
Good luck! Be sure to share what your solution ends up being.. I'd be interested.


Jeffrey Dates


Frank Lenhard wrote:
huhu,

i run into another problem that seems quite strange and dangerous at
the same time.
i got a character, rigged in a model. he got a face rig with quite a
lot of shapes, that are connected to several clusters in his head.
the mixer weights are controled by "linked with" expressions. (is
there a name for these kind of expressions? like driven keys?)
when i reference the model into a new scene everything is fine. i can
control the shapes via the controls.
after saving and reloading i get SOMETIMES and error 3000 that it cant
connect to the clusters. then all the shape animation is gone
naturally and the controls dont have influence any more.
its not that the model looses the shape keys, its that the linked with
connections are gone!

i tried to reference in with prefix and without prefix. for some
strange reason it works sometimes and sometimes not.
anyone knows about this and got a cure?

i am trying to do my final student film for animationmentor in xsi and
spent the last 3 weeks digging into rigging. so far i got my
characters set up fine and would like to use referenced models in my
shots. i expect to have to update the rig/shapes while i am animating
along, so i suspect the ref models would be the way to go.
i COULD live with real models and switching them by hand, if i must.

ciao
franky

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