Physics + Model Shrinking

[psyric]

Hello everyone,

Let me begin by saying that GameCore is a very impressive piece of software and I greatly appreciate how all the tools are included in one license instead of nickel and dimeing us to death.

Here is my issue.

I import a custom model as an FBX.
Now here are some details that may or may not be important.
I'm exporting the FBX through XSI. If I do not select "export animations" then the resulting FBX seems to have no geometry when I import it into GameCore. If I add a single animation frame then the stationary model appears with bones, textures, etc. intact. I've also scaled the model (pre export) by 20 since by default the model is extremely small, at a scale of 20 the model appears around the same height as the soldier template. Without the scale the custom model is roughly the size of a flea when compared to the soldier.
I attach a physics sphere to a bone and set it to follow the bone's animation.
When I "test" the physics the portion of the model weighted by the bone shrinks to a very small size (possibly to a scale of 1 instead of 20) and falls through the terrain.

Has anyone had similar issues with importing models?

[pixel_legolas]

I have only used the bones from the default solder so far. Everything works fine. you know you can scale the object with script instead but it's always good to try to have it 1:1 from the start. It could be that you have to use reset xform or whatever the command is in XSI. Maybe you scale things after skinning? That is never good.

[psyric]

We have a winner. Pixel, your last comment hit the nail on the head. I did my skinning and animations a while ago for another project so I did in fact scale after the skinning. I've got 4 versions of the model, base, textured, skinned, animated. I loaded up the textured version and did the scaling, then re-skinned and re-animated.

I'd bet money that everything will work fine now.

I'll post an update when I actually get a chance to test.

[psyric]

That was in fact the problem. Scaling before setting up all the bones fixed the issue.

[Squat]

Just a note, if you're in Max. If you make this mistake, it can be a nightmare. Scaling bones actually doesn't even do anything, though they appear to be scaled due to being linked to a scaled mesh.

The best way to fix it is to save your weight table to an .env file and then pull off the skin modifier, rescale the object, reset transforms (xform if needed) and then reassign a new skin modifier, readd all the same bones (don't missmatch) and then go down the skin modifier tab and reload the weights. Done.

The key is to not allow yourself to even consider adding or removing even a single vertex inbetween skin modifiers. Any cutting or welding should be done under the skin modifier in the stack and then have just those weights fixed. Otherwise, you throw off an entire vertex ID# table.

Also, I hope everybody uses the mirror-weights tool. It saves hours.

[zknack]

I wish max still let us export .fbx with the physique modifier- I am horribly unfamiliar with the skin modifier,
and my character keeps deforming with it.. Though with Physique, it looks perrrrrfect.

*cue sigh*

I shall learn skin modifier, eventually.. Stupid Max... Grah.

[Squat]

I uncheck everything but vertices and then manually set the abs.value of the verts by selecting them and the right bone in the list. I grab the loops that share influence, give them 1 (100%) to one of the bones, then .5 to the other and that process clears any other malicious bones that may have had influence, which is why you're getting weird deforms.

[pixel_legolas]

If you looked at my video when importing custom character i think it is very quick to get a skinned mesh. I am not very good at it yet but i think it's fast with skin modifier. It fixes most by itself.

[gekido]

There is a maxscript on the net that converts from a physique to skin modifier (and opposite direction).  It's been extremely useful for models i've bought off of turbosquid - i'm the opposite - Skin is the only way to fly far as i'm concerned ;}

[zknack]

Aye, I know of the maxscript, but unfortunately it does not work on max 2009.

Only reasons I've been looking for a solution (for physique to skin) is that I don't
really understand the skin modifier yet fully, and because the model 'just works'
with the physique modifier...

Unfortunately though, looks like they totally nerfed max's ability to export physique
modifier linked animations in max 2009... Until either the maxscript is updated, or
a new workaround is found, (or I learn skin modifier), then I'm a little hosed.

Irony on all this is that I only use max due to it's abilities to rescale and convert
animation formats on the fly (and then bind to the character)- as opposed to
the insane amount of work to get the same to happen in milkshape and such.