Animesh noob questions

[FridayAfternoon]

Sorry if these are obvious, I did look at the animesh user guide but the info there was sparse to say the least.

1. From the Animesh User Guide:  The bone positions and scales for an animesh object are simply initialized from the default bone settings (defined in some configuration files that are part of the viewer installation - avatar_skeleton.xml and avatar_lad.xml). So do I need to use a SL armature rig to animate my animesh object, or can I build a custom rig for it (using Blender)? My object is pretty complex, a creature with lots of limbs (probably around 11), and I really would like to make a custom rig for it. 
2. At times my animesh will be interacting (animating) with an avatar (when the animesh object is sat upon), at other times it will be animating on its own. Not sure if you can sit on an animesh object but it sounds like I can creat a Root prim and link that to the animesh object, and then out the scripts to run the animations in the root prim. Are there timing issues I need to think about between the animesh animations and the avatar animations (they will need to run in sync).

 

thanks to any who reply!

 

 

 

[Sabrina Tamerlane]

While you can create an anim or bvh file with different bone names, the viewer won't upload it. So, it has to have the same bone names than the skeleton.

Maybe you can bypass this by editing the xml files? It is something I have never tried.

Another solution could be to use the 2 arms and 4 legs and then maybe use the fingers? Maybe that would work...

 

[Lucia Nightfire]

On 10/7/2020 at 2:29 PM, FridayAfternoon said:

So do I need to use a SL armature rig to animate my animesh object,

Yes. Animesh applies the same bento skeleton user avatars use. Custom rigs cannot be used. You can only use the bones and hierarchy the bento skeleton offers/allows.

As far as sitting, they can sit on any link, but there is no "binding" that allows a sitter to be bound to a bone with local pos/rot and animation following.

You will have to synch animations between the rider(s) and object. Desynch can happen if animations are not cached or with any significant lag between server and viewer. You pretty much have to do the best you can.

I filed this feature request for the ability to "rig" a sitter to a bone in an animesh object during the open beta, but I have doubts it will ever happen. I personally believe management has deemed Animesh "good enough" and requires no further development despite it missing major/essential components such as support for body shapes and attach points. There are also wishlist features like scaling and offset animations and adding functionality with system animations that use IK's.

Edited October 9, 2020 by Lucia Nightfire

[Sabrina Tamerlane]

1 hour ago, Lucia Nightfire said:

 You can only use the bones and hierarchy the bento skeleton offers/allows.

.

There is some freedom with the hierarchy when using .anim files. While a BVH requires the hip (mPelvis), an anim files can use only the head bones for example. I think it's worth testing further.

[Lucia Nightfire]

11 hours ago, Sabrina Tamerlane said:

There is some freedom with the hierarchy when using .anim files. While a BVH requires the hip (mPelvis), an anim files can use only the head bones for example. I think it's worth testing further.

AFAIK, .bvh can use any of the bones a .anim file uses, it's just .bvh does not have the priority, ease-in, ease-out, looped, etc. parameters pre-specified in-file like .anim does and must be set up at upload time.

.anim also allows individual priority values per bone

[Sabrina Tamerlane]

2 hours ago, Lucia Nightfire said:

AFAIK, .bvh can use any of the bones a .anim file uses, it's just .bvh does not have the priority, ease-in, ease-out, looped, etc. parameters pre-specified in-file like .anim does and must be set up at upload time.

.anim also allows individual priority values per bone

Absolutely, but you really need to have the mPelvis in the bvh while an anim file does not require it.

[FridayAfternoon]

Oh, this is pretty disappointing news on not being able to use my own rig. I guess I have no choice but to try and make it work.

Im guessing I need to use the same bone hierarchy as well. 
 

sabrina thank you for the suggestion o; the fingers.

[FridayAfternoon]

All the animations have to use bones correct? I.e. you can use animations made from shape keys?

[Lucia Nightfire]

2 hours ago, FridayAfternoon said:

All the animations have to use bones correct? I.e. you can use animations made from shape keys?

AFAIK as long as there are keyframes and a SL skeleton was used.

I'd experiement with the Avastar plugin for Blender.

[Sabrina Tamerlane]

8 hours ago, FridayAfternoon said:

Oh, this is pretty disappointing news on not being able to use my own rig. I guess I have no choice but to try and make it work.

Im guessing I need to use the same bone hierarchy as well. 
 

sabrina thank you for the suggestion o; the fingers.

I think at this point what you need is to experiment. You could make a very simple rig with 6 legs and try some combinations of bone names and see if they animate correctly in Second Life?