reference materialEliminating pinching in joints with Endomorphs and Joint Morph Plus
by Christopher Pope

This tutorial will teach you how to…

  1. Assign weight maps to an object’s vertices
  2. Create an endomorph for the object
  3. Edit an object in modeler using the new Create Joint Morph tool
  4. Model an endomorph to be used in Layout
  5. Convert skelegons into bones in Layout
  6. Associate the angle of a bone with the Endomorph using Joint Morph Plus

This tutorial assumes that…

  1. You understand how to create and edit skelegons in modeler
  2. You are comfortable navigating through menus in both Modeler and Layout

 

Getting Started

1. Create or load your object and its skelegons in Modeler.  Try to keep you skelegons in the same layer as your actual geometry. 

   
2. Assign weight maps to your object by selecting the desired vertices on the mesh, clicking on the W button at the lower right hand corner of the interface, then selecting (new) from the dropdown menu.  To see the weight map use Weight Shade as you preview mode.

   
3. Under the Setup tab, select the Skelegon Tree.  Use this menu to associate weight maps with the bones that control them.

   
4. Create an endomorph for the object.  This is done by clicking on the M button in the lower right hand corner of the interface, then selecting (new) from the drop down menu.  Name your endomorph something along the lines of left_arm.elbow_90 or right_leg.knee_60.  Naming you endomorphs this way help to keep things organized when you actually begin to assign the morphs to the bones.
   
5. While the endomorph is still selected, activate the Create Joint Morph tool.  This tool is found on the Map tab under Morph.
   
6. Hit n on the keyboard to bring up the numeric panel for Create Joint Morph.  You can use this menu to enter exact numeric values to create an endomorph.  Make sure that you set the mode to Before Edit and that Weight Map Normalization is checked.
   
7. After using the Create Joint Morph Tool to deform the geometry, manipulate the vertices until you have created the desired look for the endomorph.  Make sure that this is all being done on the same endomorph.
   
8. Send your object to Layout and convert your skelegons into bones.  To convert you skelegons, look on the Setup tab and click on Cvt Skelegons under Add.  After converting the skelegons, you can record the pivot rotation by selecting each bone, hitting shift + p, and then setting a key frame.  This resets the bone’s orientation to zero on all three rotational axis (i.e. the heading, pitch, and bank). 


   
9. Select your object and hit p to bring up the properties panel for that object.  Select the Deform tab and click on the drop down menu labeled Add Displacement.  Select Joint Morph Plus from the drop down menu.  After selecting Joint Morph Plus, it will appear in the field just below the Add Displacement bar.
   
10. Double Click on Joint Morph Plus to bring up its main menu.  If you skelegons were in the same layer as you geometry, then enter (self) in the Use Bones From Object field.  For the Control Bone, use the bone that you want to drive the morph.  For example, I am using the ulna or the left arm, which is the bone the bends the arm at the elbow.  Select the axis you want to associate with the endomorph.  The Angle < Min and Angle > Max tell Joint Morph Plus what you want it to do in case you exceed the values you assign the morphs to.  If you select (base) here, the endomorph will return to its base if you exceed the defined values.  If you select Min Morph or Max Morph, the any angles less than or greater then your defined angles will you the morph as defined for the limits respectively.  For Value 1, you will need to tell Joint Morph plus what to do when the bone is at rest (i.e. its angle is 0 degrees).  Enter 0 degrees in the Angle field, choose (base) for the Morph, and set the Percentage to 100%.  For Value 2, enter the angle you created the morph for in the Angle field, select the endomorph you created in the Morph field, and set the Percentage value to 100%.  Make sure you activated you values by checking their boxes.  Now when you rotate the Control Bone, your object will morph correctly, eliminating the unwanted pinching the often occurs when deforming geometry with bones. 


   


 
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