Softimage Animation Export

[michael.zhang]

Hello,

 

The sample agent character has separate animations for torso, legs, and full body. How do you export torso only, legs only?

Is this just disabling the leg animation, and exporting animation for all bones? Or are you selectively exporting modified bones?

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Michael

[steve3d]

that will need some modification of export plugin. the sani file and smesh (animation only) can both contain only a sub set of bones. you can read the manual about this.

[michael.zhang]

It might be easier to create complex movements by blending small animations of parts of a mesh. To create such small animation, select only those bones which participate in it before export.

 

Hi Steve,

 

Perhaps you misunderstood my question. Right now, I am exporting both an .smesh (with a bind pose, no animation), and animation frames as .sanim. As the quote from the documentation above says, you should be able to export a subset of bones, rather than all bones. You seem to be saying that they are ONLY able to contain a subset, though so far as far as I know, I've been exporting ALL bones at once.

 

My process of export is as follows (in Softimage):

1) select model

2) File>Export>Unigine Export

3) In the Export dialog, exporting as .sanim is ONLY available if I have selected the geometry for my model...

 

Since I select the geometry... all bones are exported because all bones are enveloped by the geometry.

 

I tried selecting the bones ... but this disabled the option to export as .sanim.

 

 

 

What is the process for exporting a subset of bones using SOftimage export plugin?

[steve3d]

I mean technically you can export a subset or entire set of bones. if you want to export a subset of bones, you need to modify the export plugin.

 

select some bones won't work, because this is a feature not implemented in current xsi plugin.

[michael.zhang]

I mean technically you can export a subset or entire set of bones. if you want to export a subset of bones, you need to modify the export plugin.

 

select some bones won't work, because this is a feature not implemented in current xsi plugin.

 

Oohh... I see.

 

Unigine Team, are there plans to implement this feature in the softimage plugin soon? This is an essential feature for exporting anything besides the most basic animations.

[binstream]

Unigine Team, are there plans to implement this feature in the softimage plugin soon? This is an essential feature for exporting anything besides the most basic animations.

 

Author of the XSI pligin has left the company a while ago, so it will take some time to update the plugin.

[michael.zhang]

Author of the XSI pligin has left the company a while ago, so it will take some time to update the plugin.

 

Hm... this is an essential feature I need for my project. Is this feature available on Maya and 3ds? If I had known the Softimage plugin was incomplete, I wouldn't have invested in Softimage.

 

How long do you expect it to take? Is it possible to put some priority on the Softimage plugin, just to get this capability available?

 

If not, how can I go about extending your plugin?

[binstream]

Hm... this is an essential feature I need for my project. Is this feature available on Maya and 3ds? If I had known the Softimage plugin was incomplete, I wouldn't have invested in Softimage.

How long do you expect it to take? Is it possible to put some priority on the Softimage plugin, just to get this capability available?

If not, how can I go about extending your plugin?

 

It will definitely take some time (1+ month) since we are still looking for the developer replacement. As an exception we can provide you full source of the plugin, so you'll be able to modify it to meet your project specific needs.

[nchavez]

It's a pain in the ass just to export the animation with the current plug-in.

[frustum]

We still haven't a person for this position. All plugins should be updated but there is no time for that.

[michael.zhang]

We still haven't a person for this position. All plugins should be updated but there is no time for that.

 

Actually, this issue has been worked around...

Since the .sanim is merely exporting the animation data, and not enveloping data, you can export .sanim for a subset of bones as such:

1) create a cube!

2) remove any existing envelope

3) set envelope for only the subset of bones you wish to export animation data for

4) select the cube, and .sanim export.

 

Since the plugin acquires the bones based upon those which are attached to the mesh selected during export, this effectively exports the animation data for a subset of bones.

 

Hope others find it useful.