How to Apply Skeleton Pose : IV

» Sun May 08, 2011 7:06 pm

I've created a statue in Blender using clothes and body parts from the actual characters in the game, and posed the skeleton the way I want the statue to stand. My question is, can I apply these changes and delete the skeleton? I would like to keep the statue in the pose that it's in, but I don't want the skeleton to be there.

» Sun May 08, 2011 1:04 pm

http://s212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/Armor%20Displays/?action=view¤t=6aad9a0a.pbw

Yes you can - I used MAX but Blender should allow the same.

» Mon May 09, 2011 4:55 am

I've created a statue in Blender using clothes and body parts from the actual characters in the game, and posed the skeleton the way I want the statue to stand. My question is, can I apply these changes and delete the skeleton? I would like to keep the statue in the pose that it's in, but I don't want the skeleton to be there.

I'd like to second this request. I also want to know how to pose a character with skeleton in Blender, then delete that skeleton, while the pose remains. It'd help simply statues, and allow the deletion of a bunch of Ninode data that would otherwise add to the filesize.

Koniption

» Mon May 09, 2011 2:36 am

In max you would probably pose the skeleton, then just select the mesh and press "snapshot". which will make a clone of the mesh in that pose.

failing that you have a specific tool to do this, I would expect creating a new bind pose for the skeleton would be another workflow route. one that's done you can delete the skin and skeleton leaving the mesh. In max there at least 2 ways to do this. one would be in the skin modifier itself, the other I believe is in the animation tab.

so just be on the lookout for anything to do with the bind pose... then press it and see what happens.

» Mon May 09, 2011 12:27 am

When you finish working in the pose mode in Blender, then switch to Object Mode. Select your mesh and look in Editing Panels (F9) for Modifiers Tab. Now you need to press "Make Real" button and "Apply" all modifiers there. After this you can delete skeleton and export mesh as simple static object.

» Sun May 08, 2011 3:27 pm

Edit: too late

Get a skeleton and a mesh, parent the skeleton to the mesh.
Make your pose.
I->Loc Rot or whatever you used to get the keyframe data set at frame 1.
Object Mode with skeleton selected: Apply Scale/Rot to Oject Data (ctrl A 1)
Delete Skeleton.
Make sure you have buttons window open (standard view with 3d at top/mesh tools at bot).
Modifiers->Make Real->Apply-> *Apply.

There you go, you have a posed mesh ready for export.

» Sun May 08, 2011 6:03 pm

Glad to see the Blender users finally showed up !! -- I was pretty sure there was a fairly simple way to get it done in blender as well (though getting the entire model in and posed correctly isn't always easy !!) but didn't know the steps needed with Blender since I do not use it.

One thing I do which helps in the process - is once I get the entire model imported (since the armor has several pieces as well as the character) is make a save once all is imported and ready to pose (just in case something goes wrong in the posing process - you have a point to go back to instead of starting completely from the beginning ! - also another time saver is to import one of the .kf animations to use as a beginning for the pose since those are already setup and you can normally find a frame that is close to what you want and make smaller changes from there instead of recreating the entire pose !

» Mon May 09, 2011 1:25 am

Thanks all!

Koniption

» Sun May 08, 2011 10:25 pm

I used to have a whole tutorial on how to do this....lost to the forum pages now though...somewhere....

Here it is, pretty cool for making statues and whatnot out of creatures and people, it also explains what to do if you have a seperate head mesh that has morph animations (it uses the skeleton creature for the example).

I have done this before, so ill wlak you through it.

NOTE: throughout this I will refer to the armature bones as "skeleton", the actualy mesh of the skeleton as "skeleton mesh" and the skull as ... well "skull".

1. You need the lastest blender-nif scripts.

2. Import skeleton.nif and in the settings hit default then import the keyframe file that you want for the pose (eg. onehandidle.kf or twohandidle.kf) and select "Import Skeleton Only + Parent Selected"

3. Import

4. hit A then import skellie.nif and skull.nif using defualt settings make sure you also clear the animation box.

5. Delete the extra bones that get imported with those two nifs

6. Right click on the skeleton mesh, then shift-right click on the skeleton. Hit ctrl P and select "Armature" and "Dont create groups"
6.1 At the moment it only in the pose it starts in (frame 1 of the animation) to change that: Hit control-left arrow use the timeline to play the animation, find where you like it and then hit control-right arrow to go back.

7. Now for the skull, go to Shapes and choose whether you want the 'scream' or 'basic' setting for the skull, delete the one you dont want first, then delete the one you want it set as (cause it will then stay like that).

8. Now go to edit and position the skull where you need it to be, then go back to object mode and Right click on the skull, then on the skeleton mesh and hit ctrl-J and join them.

9. Finally, click on the skeleton mesh, go to Editing -> Modifiers -> Armature Parent Deform and press make real then apply.

10. Delete the skeleton, and you'll be left with just the mesh in the position. For cleanup, click on the mesh and delete all the vertex groups, they arent needed anymore.

11. Now you'll also need a weapon, for that you'll have to place it youself though, just import one and rotate and trasform it around till in the right position.

You'll have to go about making havok for it, if you dont know how to do that, here is a quick way:
Split a window and set the type to scripts, then, with your skeleton mesh selected go scripts -> mesh -> hull -> convex -> OK
You might need to edit it a bit to get the collision over the skull aswell, but dont be picky, its doesnt have to be perfect. This is just a quick way to do it though, there are some much better ways, if you know them use them instead.

and tada your done, heres a pic of mine (no havok shown or weapon)
http://www.invision.tesalliance.org/forums/uploads/1264331088/gallery_108_44_8016.jpg

EDIT: You can also change the texture to that of stone so that it appears more statue like and not real...but thats up to you...

» Sun May 08, 2011 7:02 pm

I used to have a whole tutorial on how to do this....lost to the forum pages now though...somewhere....

Here it is, pretty cool for making statues and whatnot out of creatures and people, it also explains what to do if you have a seperate head mesh that has morph animations (it uses the skeleton creature for the example).

Thanks for the in-depth tute, da mage.

Koniption