Genesis - Blender3d
khalibloo
Posts: 76
As a blender person, the first time i set eyes on DAZ Genesis, i wondered how i could make the 2 softwares work together. collada seemed like a good option, but it has its limitations:
1. bones without children are not imported correctly
2. the armature itself is pretty basic and has no IK controls
3. morphs and animations are not exported at all (not sure whether it's my fault or not)
Anyways, so i wrote a blender script to fix the issues above. the script provides tools for converting the rig to a rigify (much more usable) rig. it also renames the vertex groups to make them work with rigify.
As for the morphs, i couldn't write a specialized script since i can't tell which morphs u've bought for your Genesis figure. so instead, i wrote a non-specific script that copies every shape key (morph) from one object to another.
here's the recommended workflow:
NOTE: if you dont want morphs, skip to the "rigging" section.
MORPHS
NOTE: you only have to do this once.
1. in Daz Studio, under the parameters tab, enable hidden properties
2. export each of the morphs you need as an obj including the Genesis base
IMPORTANT: dont make the same mistake i made. be sure to test the export settings early in the process(after exporting about 3 morphs) to make sure it works well in blender. and also enable the "Keep vert order" option in blender's obj importer
3. import the base obj mesh into blender and then the rest of the objs. in order not to overload blender, import about 20 at a time and go to step 4
4. select all the imported morph objects and select the Genesis base as the active object and click the "Copy all shapes" button or Properties window>mesh data tab> vertex groups panel>transfer shape. delete the morph objects to make room for the next batch. go back to step 3 and import the next batch of morphs
by now you should have a Genesis figure with all the morphs. this will serve as your morph bank, so make sure you save it and make copies and backups.
so every time you import a Genesis character, just append (shift+F1) your morph bank into the scene. select your character and select the morph bank as the active object. go to Properties window>mesh data tab> vertex groups panel>transfer shape.
Scroll to the bottom of the list of shape keys and move the last shape key all the way to the very top. yeah, make it your 'Basis' shape key
RIGGING
1. export your Genesis character and clothes using collada
2. import into blender
3. select the character and click the "Setup Metarig" button (this does not work with Genesis 2 figures)
IMPORTANT: select any object and then select the metarig again before the next step
4. select the metarig generated in step 3 and then go to the properties window> object data tab> rigify buttons panel and click "Generate"
5. select the character and all clothing items and then click "Setup vgroups"
this rigging process is limited by the fact that neither blender nor collada has any direct support for tri-axial weight mapping. there are a lot more tools in the script.
i cant upload here, so please visit http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?321572-Khalibloo-Panel
if you find it useful, please share the script with others. and let me know if you have a suggestion or if you hit a bug
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Comments
Before you go too far down this road, have you seen this?
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2834649
here's my judgment on that
it's a lot slower than my method since you have to manually locate EVERY SINGLE morph you wish to export
there's no batch functionality(not 100% sure yet), so imagine if u had to go through 100 morphs. with my procedure it'll take 5 batches of obj importing as opposed to 100 iterations with this one.
but if you are more comfortable with it, by all means please use it. you can continue right at the rigging section of my method, it doesnt matter which path you take as long as it gets the job done.
Just that there is no obj export needed...works straight with the native dsf file.
Which, in my book is a major plus. Yes, it can be slow bringing morphs.
Both methods have their drawbacks to getting a fully rigged mesh into Blender.
My thoughts are...look and see if somehow both projects can help each other, instead of reinventing the wheel, as far as basic mesh importing, goes.`
that's a great idea. i'm gonna analyze the script and see if i can come up with a way to integrate the 2. there's no license block in his script, so i'll have to ask him for permission (assuming i do find a proper way of integrating them of course). thanks!
Nice! I'll have to give this a try soon. Posing in DS is such a pain, so I wish I could do it all in Blender.
The important part, from one of the last posts, from when the thread was active...
ok, i just released an update http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?321572-Khalibloo-Panel&p=2540628#post2540628
I added a button that loads all morphs form a specified folder (using millighost's addon). however, CTRL morphs will not work. if you need CTRL morphs, u'll have to import them as objs (using the method i described in post #1).
i recommend that you make a folder somewhere on your hard drive and then COPY all the morphs you need from their various locations. that'll save you a lot of time
Now to get some time to play... :-)
hahaha :D good luck with that
as for me, it's time to get some shut-eye
as always, if you find a bug or any more suggestions, just hola. thanks again!
IF your script can set new(Rigfay Add on ) auto to the current Actor shape,
it seems very useful. it should be one of choice when I use daz genesis in blender.
(I believe it depend on what you intend to import genesis to blender)
Then I have one thing hope to ask you about your new scirpt for Rigfy
I usually use Collada to improt genesis (genesis2 )and I know the default rigs not so clean arranged.
though it can poze without problem , and after some set up, imported Collada animation work without problem.
Nowdays,, I think it seems not so important. how rig arranged about blender,,
because, if vertex group name of each meshes are same as the rigs
blender auto weight seems fine. (they do not use triax weight, so it is easy if I need to modify about hear, or some parts)
I just select and parent rigs which is most comfortable about current work.
to work easy, I make group by all meshes as actor mesh, then change Parent Amature only.
Sometimes, I use rigs made by Collada.
but I often import Animation from daz stuido, by BVH.
If I export the BVH bone animation made by current Actor shape,
the bvh bone fit to Actor meshes (imported as Collada) well in blender.
I only need to change parent "ALL actor gorup mesh" to the imported BVH rigs,
the animation work fine.
If I need to use animaiton as Collada,
on this case, I simply re-parent to Collada rigs.
Then,,, if your script change genesis or other items vertex group. (not vertex order)
to color weight for blender new Rigfay and change name,,,
Though,, I understand, Rigfay is more easy for pozing, and make it easy to set key,,
The actor can not use many bvh or animation exported from daz studio any more,,
is it my missunderstanding?
that's very thoughtful.
i didnt consider how my script would affect collada animations mainly because i haven't been able to export ANY animation at all from DAZ studio.
I'm gonna keep trying on my part, but in the mean time, could you try using MakeWalk (from MakeHuman) to retarget the animations to Rigify? Please let us know if it works
Thank you reply (I am afraid if my qestion out of point ^^; your tool seems very useful, and good scirpt for me too
thank you much)
I just asked if your new script save me from all steps to import gen2 or gen1 with animation from daz studio.
if the rigfy genesis can not use bvh files from daz studio,
I know many blender guys like to make new animation in blender.
and to poze genesis, rigfy is more easy than collada auto imported rigs ^^;
I have exported some genesis actor as collada , then usually re-rigged manually for pozing easy,,^^;
but it is terrible work for me,, and more worse,,, even though I modify collada rigs,
BVH motion can not fit the rigs ^^; I know some point to remove problem,
but actually I think I should not use collada rigs for BVH rigs improted from DAZ.
Collada rigs just fit and work with collda animation,,,it is same about BVH rig,,,
So that I hope to use your scirpt with new rigfy. and hope to send some report if I can found something.
today I tried to set rigfy manually genesis actor,,which imported as Collada,
yeah,, it work of course,,, but not so good,, because blender add on rigfy bones not much well as genesis2 rigs, I think..
so that now I really exciting to find your new script,, thank you much!!
(Then,, I hope someday if you think about to make genesis2female auto- rigfy script ^^; too)
================================
sorry to stuck some pics, to tell what I usually do, with bvh + genesis mesh (imported as collada) and why I asked ,,
if your figfied rigs can work bvh or easy re-parent bvh rigs, it seems so exciting@@;
if you are asking about an auto rigify script for genesis, that's well within the scope of this script.
To auto rigify a genesis character, follow the steps below:
1. Import your genesis character (with collada) into blender
2. select the character
3. press the "setup metarig" button
4. select the metarig and go to (Properties window> object data tab> rigify buttons panel) and click "Generate"
u'll have a rigify rig that suits your character exactly.
5. select your character and all the clothes and click the "Setup Vertex Groups" button
i'm new to this forum and i dont know how to upload pictures directly into a post. instead, i'll upload the illustrations to this thread http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?321572-Khalibloo-Panel as soon as i can.
i'm currently working on adding support for genesis 2 characters and i want the illustrations to cover genesis 2 as well, so please bear with me.
Update 04 released http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?321572-Khalibloo-Panel
now supports Genesis 2 figures(male and female) as well
the user interface is pretty easy to understand, and there are lots of tooltips to help you. so just dive in
kitakoredaz, i hope this solves your question
RIGGING(Updated)
1. import your character into blender using collada
2. select your character and click "Rigify"
3. select your character and all clothing items and then click "Rigify Vertex Groups"
that's it!
as for animations, i think we just have to wait for an update on DAZ studio's collada exporter or BVH exporter because it seems to me like that's where the problem is
How good are you at holding your breath?
Because, even if you are, it isn't a good idea to do that while waiting for that particular event to occur...because every time it gets updated it seems something else crops up with it and it never is quite 'right'...somehow I don't think it's ever going to get past the 'mostly works' stage.
lol :D
i agree...
i've always had the feeling that DAZ doesn't like sharing. they don't even want their users to get the hang of their top-secret highly uncomfortable tedious process of making content for DAZ studio. perhaps it's their way of forcing people to buy characters and stuff, but in the long run, people will run away from it. their pipeline is too rigid.
i downloaded daz studio initially just to compare with makehuman and see which pipeline was easier and more usable. i started writing this script in an attempt to level the playing field, but even so, the work involved is just too much.
well, let's hope someone figures out how to import animations straight from their native formats. don't look at me, ask millighost :)
I tend to disagree, there is entirely too much theft and abuse of proprietary mesh assets on the web and the biggest reason behind it is how easy it is to go between different apps and platforms. The only ones I see running from it would those that can't use it for their less than ethical reasons. I have always felt that if you have financial and/or knowledgeable access to high end/high dollar apps such as 3DSMax or Maya, then you should be making your own mesh assets and not using existing ones such as DAZ ones. I don't blame DAZ one bit for being rigid, in fact i feel they should be more rigid. While i applaud your efforts, I can't help but see the misuse of it more than the usefulness, but then again, me and the Blender UI don't get along even though it is a great modeling app.
For me personally, I find setting up a scene and changing shaders/textures prior to rendering so much easier and faster in DS or poser than doing it thru Max to Vray or mental ray and I assume it would probably be the same for me with Blender
In my opinion there is a very good reason to buy content from DAZ: Quality. Considering the amount of work that goes into the entire system of products and how they integrate well together, I'd say that it beats the socks off Makehuman and BlendSwap.
Nevertheless, the way that DAZ Studio does certain things bugs the heck out of me. Scene navigation is much easier for me in Blender. Posing is much faster and far, far more accurate for me in Blender than the pathetic excuse for a posing system found in DS. It's really no wonder people prefer to buy pre-made poses and animations for their characters in DS. Sure, the Blender interface is anything but intuitive, but with some free and low cost training in animation (Blender Animation Toolkit) anyone can discover how to use a fully functional CG animation system that has been used to make quite a few animated short films. (Where are the animated short films made in DAZ Studio that are really worth watching?)
So, DAZ can fix the crappy posing and animation system in DS, or we're going to figure out ways to get the content we've paid for into programs that aren't so rigidly controlled.
One word...Sintel
No way could that have been made in Studio...maybe Carrara, but not Studio.
Yeah,,I finally sucess to download your zip ^^; sorry to ask you manytimes,,
it seems IE11 problem,, everytime just show me,, attachment.php etc ^^;
when I use Google chome,, it download zip as I expected%-P
even if the rigidity makes their content almost unusable in other apps? if you subtract all users of non-daz apps from this community, u'll be left almost no one at all. so i think it's in their interest to start playing nice with other 3d apps. by being rigid, their punishing both their honest customers and the pirates.
if i pay for something, then i definitely would wanna have all the freedom i need to use that something (within legal limits).
then there's their intentional lack of documentation. for crying out loud, even makehuman has decent documentation. and the way everything surrounding content creation is shrouded in secrecy, ...
that to me screams "You are not welcome! just buy content and keep buying content or GET OUT!"
like @daveleitz68 pointed out, daz should make their tools usable or they should at the very least, let us use other tools
if they didnt want people like me making tools such as this, then they should make them themselves
@kitakoredaz, great then. give it a try and see
I feel you are finding this community from a different community, the bigger CGI one.. "This" community is built around users of DS and poser, with community members sometimes using other apps in addition to DS and poser. Myself, I use 3DSMax, MODO, Blender, milkshape, Sketchup, Gmax, Makehuman, ZBrush and Rhino3D. When I purchase content from "this" community it is with the total understanding I am buying content for use in DS and poser, nothing more with no perceived idea that it should work in any other app since it is developed, rigged and marketed for that use only. There are plenty of sites, in and out of this community, that sell mesh for use in multiple apps and you usually pay for that option, which is why DAZ assets costs are much lower, they are designed for a specific app (and community).
While personally I would LOVE to have DAZ assets working natively in all my other apps, as a commercial addon developer for games, I have seen (and experienced) first hand the theft and abuse and totally understand it not being an option. I am not that selfish to think that my needs should circumvent the greater good.
I hope you can name a place where you can buy content which is universally and natively working in all applications or any Pro software that have non closed proprietary system? As the rigging system is different from one app to another I don't see it coming. That is not only DAZ but all applications. Nobody to blame here. If you want DS content to work in other apps you HAVE some work to do to make that happen
For Blender, I'm not even sure Collada is completely functionnal.
As for making content it works mostly like for any other application when speaking of modeling and if you need information, a lot is in the wiki and some information are in the forum, but in my view, you just need general 3D knowledge and apply to DAZ particular system. Nothing difficult. And the tools for content creation is now free. DS 4 Pro wasn't free at the beginning. So now anybody can create.
As FSMCDesigns points it, DS content is aimed at DS or Poser. They have no obligation to provide support for 3rd party software
@FSMCDesigns:
oh, that makes sense.
but really, if they want to keep their content within their softwares, they should improve their softwares and tools. i wouldn't mind working in DAZ Studio if it had everything i needed.
however, i still hate the lack of decent documentation and the unnecessarily difficult way of making content for DAZ studio.
that's not what i meant... of course, there's no way a 3d app would work with another's native format (except in a few instances). but that's why they all have exporters and importers
i'm simply asking that DAZ Studio's collada exporter be improved.
to show you it's not blender's collada importer's fault, try exporting from daz studio and then importing the same collada file into daz studio.
also, try exporting from daz studio with and without checking "Animations". the files you get are identical, meaning the animations are NEVER exported.
try with shape keys also.
if those options worked as they should, i'm sure i wouldn't be complaining
almost forgot, try the bvh exporter also. i'm sure blender has an excellent bvh importer, since i frequently use it and i've never had a problem with it.
Makes perfect sense, especially when coming from other feature rich app use, there are features in every app i use that i wish were in other apps. I wish DAZ would combine DS with carrara since there are some features i love in each that are app exclusive. The collision model in DS is pretty basic from what I have used in high end apps, but it is what it is at the moment. I would LOVE to have quite a few of the features CD4 has added to DS, but that is a pipedream, LOL. DS is constantly being worked on and usually getter better with each version, but I doubt it will ever be as full of features as some of the high end apps that cost much more. I would recommend keep voicing what you would like to see changed in the forums or even contact DAZ, who knows. Since you write Blender scripts, maybe try to help with DS development.
Documentation, well that is an ongoing issue and one shared by many in the forums. As for making content, there are detailed examples in the MP that can be purchased that cover this.
Now I am testing with your tool, then there are some questions^^
usuall my work flow is like that (if someone feel frastration about export collada to blender, try my way,,@@;)
1. export genesis2female actor (morphed) with clothings and accessory as collada, without animation.
I usually check off "merged bones", because before I tested with blender, it seems work bette about color weitght
I tested many times, now I think it seems best )
2 import the collada, I recommend you cehck off, Collada import >import unit
next I remove all nodes which made for each clothing instances, in Edit mode.
(without accessoriy which have no node) then, now I have only one set nodes of amature,
Rootnodes>Armaterure> genessi2female
3 I apply scale by Ctrl + A ,about root node. to prevent many problems
after that ,all mesh instances parented Root node change scale 1 to 0.01.
then apply scale to each instances of mesh (genesis and clothings) again.
now all mesh and rig scale is 1.00 and keep correct size. (exproted contents from 0.01% scale is correct size for blender)
by these step, I get any problem, when I tweak morphs and keep relation ds and blender.
( make morph, import export, or add contents from ds later etc,, )
4 next,, I make group about mesh of genesis, and colothing, accessory, ( use vertex parenting about earing to genesis)
to easy re-parent rigs (collada, or bvh or which you customized rigs)
usually these are,, my set up for collada rigs improted from ds, and if I hope to apply collada animation ,
select amatrure hip node, in edit mode, then In property window>bone, off connected with root.
so that Collada animation work without many problems (As for me)
anyway I save the scene to keep it,,
====================================================
from here,, I try to apply add on rigfy bone sets to Actor by khalibloo tool!!!
=====================================================
1 I select genesis2 mesh instances ,then Numeric pane (N) in 3d view righs side, found khnaibloo tool
(I serched long time your tool, in Tool pane (T), ^^;,, yeah,, I found Knaibloo panel in right side Numeric pane of 3d view)
2 change general to genesis2, then select female,, from top column ,
3 I click big rigfy button @@; now,, it seems make new rigfy for my gen2 actor mesh auto,,
the size and scale seems good , so I may need not modify them,, (I do not know new rigfy well though^^;)
4 then,, from here,, I hope to correct step ^^;
now my genesis mesh is still parented by Collada root node. and it work by Collada amature.
yes,, their vertex group and weight are fit to imported Collada node.
5 as Khaibloo guide,, I select genesis node instances again,
then click Rigify vertex group it seems auto change vertex group ,names, for new rigfy nodes,
(I expect it,, so no need anymore to collada rigs, It can not fil collada rigs any more, I believe.
I simply hope to play with new rigfy now ^^;)
Actually when I move collada generated hip node, other clothings move with it, but genesis mesh not move.
6,, Now,, I clear-parent only the genesis-mesh with new vertex group, from colada root node,
and try to re-parent to new rigfy,,
( About other clothings , I test later,,)
7 next I set parent genesis mesh to "rig" (there is meta-rig too,, but I think "rig" seems right choice,,)
picture 1
8 then,, I find some weight seems not fit to current rigs,,, eg,, foot, toes,,
(most of part move with rig, but there is some vertcies not colored well about the rigfy node,
I think,, I may need to re-color weight about problem parts, eg r toes and L toes,,
then I colored them,,
and about head part ( when I move head, eye and mouse seems not colored at-all,
about this problem, if I need to add more nodes for rigfy?)
I know, there may need some improvements, Anyway,, it seems great start to rigfy with genesis ^^b
Then,, If I make some mistake, in these step?
Remember when buying content from DAZ you do not own the content, you own a license to use the content and that license spells out what you can and cannot do with the content.
guys,, what Do you hope to talk in this topic?
I know you, users or vendors use many tools to make content for daz studio.
on the other hand,
when someone try to make daz figures or items more confortable in their 3d aprication,
then said some complain or fact about daz figures compatibility with another aprication,
you as if really like to deny everythings.
I know all right are resreved by daz, then I believe most of user of blender not sell or release which made from daz figure
without asking daz or vendor.
this topic is simply for how to use genesis in blender with new script.
why you , users need to hold on some words? why not takl about this scirpt ? or usage about collada
which imported from blender?
if it is out of range in this Common forum?
lol kitakoredaz, thanks for reminding us why we are here :D
i noticed the problem you mentioned just shortly after i released update04.
check again for update05. it fixes the problem.
@FSMCDesigns, i'm not a veteran script writer, this is in fact my first addon :) and yeah i considered scripting for daz studio, but i didnt want to embark on something i wasnt sure i could finish...you know, the lack of documentation and all. and the fact that i might have to pay for scripting tutorials....
on the other hand, scripting in blender made complete sense. i didnt have any help at all from anyone, tutorial, manual or website. i didnt even have internet access when i started. all i had was the autocomplete feature in blender's python console. Oh and i used the addons that came with blender for reference. but that was all it took.
blender even as an open source 100% free software polished its features to perfection(everything works the way i expect it to). you can understand now why i'm particularly disappointed by DAZ studio's collada exporter not working well.
@jestmart, yeah...but still doesn't explain why a feature as big as collada should be left buggy and incomplete. it's even like the opensource developers are harder-working. even a makehuman nightly build wouldnt have problems of this magnitude