Skeletons and arms

[meatlockerii]

Hi,

I'm playing about with skeletons atm but i'm having a bit of trouble with the arms.
How can i set up the arms and have them bend properly using a null as a control?

Plus when i attach the skeleton to my polygon model is there an easier way of sorting out the weight of the points? For example can't i just move the point and the weight adjusts automatically?

Or can anyone suggest a good way of setting up a skeleton for a dancing character?

Thanks

[fredc]

Q: "How can i set up the arms and have them bend properly using a null as a control? "

A: You are wanting an Up Vector Constraint. You can create one automatically for any skeleton wiith Skeleton/AutoUpVector.
However, if you already have a skeleton, just place a primitive Null and then select the first bone in the skeleton and select Skeleton/UpVector. It will prompt you to select the Null.

The up vector essentailly controls the roll of the shoulder, with an effector at the wrist doesn't account for.

Note: For hands and feet, such as the roll around the long axis, don't use up vectors, just use FK, by simply selecting the bone, then rotate it in X, and save a rotation key in X for the bone. IK and FK automatically work together in Soft.

Hope this helps,
Urp

[pomme]

For the question of weight. There has no other simple way to weight. And soft really won't give user any handy way to weight an object. The method which you mention: move the point and let it adjusts automatically. Which does help, but in the other hand which may change your original model to the way you may not want it tobe. Instead, weight manually will save you much more time and more acurrate. I do have the same problem as you do when i weight my model the first time. But don't be affraid of weighting. It will become easier by practice.