Re-tackling rigging again after a fairly long hiatus, I've been wondering, and seem to have reached a mental block relating to Gimbal mode, Gimbal lock, and rotation order.
Quite simply, I can't really put my finger on why using Gimbal mode is useful or important enough to warrant it's use and the risk of Gimbal lock. However, I realize there must be a good reason.
From my mist of confusion arise a few simple, but admittedly long questions:
Can a rigger dictate the rotation mode of a joint/control? (So that the animator is forced to use Gimbal mode.)
If so, can the rigger choose for some joints in a rig to use Local rotation mode, and some to use Gimbal?
What is the advantage of using Gimbal mode? I can't think of an example where Gimbal would be more useful than Local, or why.
I understand Gimbal mode, and why rotation order is important. But I cannot think why using Gimbal and selecting a certain Rotation order is desirable. At first I thought Rotation order was just a natural limitation, but now I think that there must be a use for preventing axis rotation. However, since in local mode there is the option to uncheck "Degrees of Freedom", wouldn't that suffice as a way to prevent use of an axis? For example, on the forearm:
- If you only allowed the wrist joint to twist the forearm (typically, around x-axis), and locked out the x-axis twist on the elbow joint, wouldn't that be a substitute for any effect gained by selecting a particular rotation order?
I apologize if I'm not being clear with what I'm asking. I just want to be able to rig and want to know the significance of Gimbal related stuff, and why I should be so concerned with it along with everything else that makes rigging difficult to process and learn, when it could all be avoided by not using Gimbal mode rotation, nor how optional it is to use either when rigging or animating.
I look forward to some valuable insight and I thank you for your time and patience in answering my rookie questions.