AXYZ Folks

[KVMaster]

Working with a collection of AXYZ folks and MoCap data. Running into problems of file size, each rigged character averages 6mb, toss about 20-30 into an already decent sized scene and you have an instant headache. Is there anyway to collapse the character after the MoCap data is loaded and their animation set? I think the file size is due to the bone rigging and not really all the animation keys. Tried emailing AXYZ tech support without any luck, just point me to their tutorials Can anyone out there who use these characters for animations give me any suggestions

Thanx in advance,

[joconnell]

Put a point cache modifier on the mesh and delete the bones after. It bakes the animation to vertex animation so you don't need the rig after.

[dellis]

...and that will allow you to randomize the motion as well.....if your doing crowd like situations.

[KVMaster]

Crappy tech support

THANKS!!! Now why couldn't their tech support just tell me that!!!
To randomize do you mean just adjust their start time?

[studioDIM]

and a ot more: there's a nice video just on that on the autodesk site, under the new features for max 9.
Really nice.

Lele

[jacksc02]

yeah look into placing and randomising the people with pflow, works a treat and is light on memory

[panthon]

AXYZ characters work greaaat . Ive been using them for ages, and now they even come rigged...in the past i invested a huge amount of time rigging them .

But, although they work nicely, Ive a problem which i havent been able to solve: i use the point cache route to get rid of the biped (the biped not only is memory consuming but also creates inestability and some corrupting crashes) but when i need a lot of them (or just one of them) to follow an irregular terrain, that´s impossible due to the pivot point. You can make them stick to the terrain in the first frame, but as soon as they start moving, the pivot is left behind, so it´s impossible for them to follow the ground correctly.
A workaround is to use the crowd generations tools which come with biped, then they will follow a terrain, but it´s a lot of work and results are far from desirable.

So KVmaster, bear in mind these limitations when using point cache with characters. On the other side, point cache has changed in max 9, which will make u angry if u have created a nice collection of point cached characters with max 8. Max 9 point cache is much more powerful and far more flexible. so i recommend u going this way.

I´m curious about what jack was saying...using Pflow to actually drive them.. i think you would have the same problem of the pivot not following, but if it there was a way to make the pivot follow closely....maybe....

[jacksc02]

i will see if i can find the tutorial on how to do it. It might be on the max 9 dvd

[trick]

Maybe you all should also look into PointOven (www.ef9.com). This makes it possible to use character animations from other applications and all cache files are read from disk at rendertime so there is no memory overhead when having 1000's of characters. This way you won't be surprised/annoyed when MAX's point cache changes over releases.

To do characters running over hills this way it is better to do local looping sequences so your character stays on its pivot point. Then you only have to do a little scripting that plays the cache file according the speed the pivot point moves over the terrain. For mass population accuracy is not such a big point. For close-ups you can still use one or two uncollapsed bipeds.

[panthon]

Then you only have to do a little scripting that plays the cache file according the speed the pivot point moves over the terrain.

Although it´s interesting, I dont see the way to do that...Do you mean changing the speed of the cache modifier internally? And how do u connect pivot speed to that?

[trick]

[quote="panthon"]

...And how do u connect pivot speed to that?

I make character animations in MAX and export them via MDD (from Pointoven) over to Lightwave where mass animation of these things is a lot easier. In Lightwave there is a plugin (MDpulltoy) that reads the mesh state out of the MDD file based on the stride length the looped sequence has and the speed the mesh "walks". If you know how to get a certain "state" on a certain moment out of the MDD-file (contact ef9 about that) you should be able to connect a points speed to the mesh displacement which actually is a "frame" out of the looping sequence you recorded in the MDD-file.

[panthon]

Thanks for the pointer!

[KVMaster]

Took a look at the new features for Point Cache in Max 9:

here it is Jacksc02:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet...112&id=7684178

Add that to the reasons to upgrade

Now I'm definatly cooking with fire here, much easier to use, as long as the geometry their on is flat, forgot about that till you pointed it out panthon!

Now playing around with populating a stadium , or just a small section of bleachers for now . Any tips on scattering them around and varying their movement. Checking old threads now and doing a few Max crowd tutorials...

Thanks again for everyone's help!!!!

[jacksc02]

i was talking about the PFLow tutorial on crowd simulation