Exporting joint keyframes when using IK handles?

Maya
1

I'm currently writing a C++ exporter for maya geometry and animation. Normal geometry and node animation is working at the moment, but I have a problem when artists use IK handles to animate a joint/bone skeleton.

The problem is that the joints do not have any keyframes on them to export because only the IK handles have translation keys. Its for real time playback in a 3D engine, so IK is not something supported.

I have a couple of ideas for work arounds, but ideally I would like a direct solution to getting keyframes off the joints. The work arounds involve getting the keyframes from the IK handles then going through which joints are affected by the relevant IK handle and exporting the rotations/scale of the joints at the specific times.

Does anyone have any ideas for different solutions or at least have the same problem as me?

Ben Lee
Semiotic Studios

2

You can bake the channels on the joints and then you will have keyframes.

3

Thank you heaps, this is my first experience both using and programming with Maya. Too bad you need to sample the solvers for the keys but its still better than nothing.

Ben Lee
Semiotic Studios

4

I work on same task too. My current solution is to ignore keyframes at all - I export some sufficient amount of frames set per clip, and later probably will implement a compression based on tolerance.
The problem with iksolvers is that you must implement them realtime. You can`t ignore the fact that while handle may move smoothly, it does not necessarily affect joints smoothly.
This will present interpolation problems.