The Path to iClone

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  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 37,711
    edited September 2015

    I found motionplus with softcloth baked  imports with a start and end defined but has no keyframes on timeline

    it gets export failed please check your access right to the folder and disk space

    a normal motionplus without softcloth will both play and export

    Capture.JPG
    1928 x 1048 - 276K
    Post edited by WendyLuvsCatz on
  • 3dOutlaw3dOutlaw Posts: 2,470

    If you own the original rights to the base character, then I don't see that as a problem. 

    I sure don't own the original rights to Aiko3  :)  I bought Aiko3 (3rd generation Daz figure), but I think you are saying that if I own the characater.

    No, I was just unsure of how the mapping is made.  For example. folks can make and sell poses and animations for Daz characters...so I was thiking if the Facial mapping was just a file of presets, that can be imported, then those presets could be shared or sold.  

    Maybe not, I've still got a lot to learn, and I need to try one custom character import first and see what I can manage.

  • I believe that you can go through the facial mapping process in 3DXchange, and then save that as a '.3dxFaceAnimProfile'  file to share with everyone. 

     

     

  • argus1000argus1000 Posts: 701
    edited September 2015

    The process is very simple. I took the base clothed character in Character creator,. activated the "appearance editor" and applied some "old" morphs to the face. (See first clip).  Then I clicked the "Send to iClone" button. When in iClone 6.2, I applied the "Say hello" animation to it and clicked to "Edit in 3DCXchange" button. This time, the "old" morphs exported (Thank God for that), but not the dynamic hair or dress. The hair and dress  stayed non-dynamic in iClone 6.2.  When you do dynamic cloth in Daz Studio, you have to "freeze" the simultion before exporting it. Isn't there such a button for iClone?

    Anyway, I couldn't make a movie of my character in 3DXchange because there is no such option. I exported the fugure and the animation as an FBX to Carrara (See second clip). It exported well, except of course, for the main thing: the dynamic hair and dress.

    http://youtu.be/xddTnSqzsPQ

    http://youtu.be/JcSzmHX4FEQ

    Post edited by argus1000 on
  • argus1000argus1000 Posts: 701
    edited September 2015

    About the dynamic cloth issue: NEVER MIND! I got it. I got it now. You just have to click the "bake animation" button in the project settings. And you have to do it every time you start a new project. I spent the whole morning on that thing. I could kick myself.

    But what beautiful characters that Character creator makes, with the soft cloth and all. It's a dream come true.

    Post edited by argus1000 on
  • argus1000argus1000 Posts: 701
    edited September 2015

    The problems are not over:  I bake my soft cloth animation then export it to 3DXchange 6.2 pipeline, but  I cannot export soft cloth as FBX from 3DXchange. If I try to import the FBX in MotionBuilder, or Carrara, it will import everything except the soft cloth. I'm surprised that Reallusion leaves things that way. After all, 3DXchange can export physiocs simulations from Physics toolbox. Why not soft cloth?

    Post edited by argus1000 on
  • argus1000argus1000 Posts: 701
    edited September 2015

    What's worse is that any morphs created in the "appearance editor" of the  character creation pack won't be exported IN or BY 3DXchange 6.2.That is with the characters included. This has been a terrible day for me. I'm curious why Reallusion sells an export license for their CC essentials characters pack if you can't export neither the morphs nor the soft cloth.

    Post edited by argus1000 on
  • Hi Argus2000, 

    Thank you very much for bringing this up. For the morph data that you are wishing to export, can you explain better which morph data in particular? Also, for Carrara FBX import, do they actually allow for vertex animation to be imported in? Please send me more information on this. 

  • argus1000argus1000 Posts: 701
    edited September 2015

    Hi Argus2000, 

    Thank you very much for bringing this up. For the morph data that you are wishing to export, can you explain better which morph data in particular? Also, for Carrara FBX import, do they actually allow for vertex animation to be imported in? Please send me more information on this.

    I'm taling mainly about the head morphs that you can accede trough the appearance editor, like forehead age, strenght and roughness, and cheeks age, strenght and roughness, etc... They don't show up in 3DXchane 6.2. What if you did an expirement yourseld and see if you can export them? Yes, both MotionBuilder and Carrara allow verttex animation to be imported. And I tried them both. Maybe if  you checked it yourself and see firsthand??

     

     

     

    Post edited by argus1000 on
  • ReallusionReallusion Posts: 115
    edited September 2015

    Yes, I have tried this already and it does work. I even exported the character as a 3ds Max FBX file and all the facial aging morphs were all exported properly. I do have to mention that at the beginning I could not see the facial aging morphs on the character's face because in 3DXchange 6.2, I forgot to turn on the Pixel Shader and I was running on the Quick Shader mode. Please try this again and feel free to send me a PM if you have further issues. 

    The CC Character Creator Bundle export license does what it promises, allowing you to create a huge amount of character morphs and custom clothing. But the soft-cloth physics and dynamic hair is something that only iClone enjoys for the moment. We will keep the community updated on any upcoming patches and plans for this. 

    Post edited by Reallusion on
  • I sort of do not expect the soft cloth to export anyway as FBX, it would need to be another format such as Lightwave mdd or obj series  or Alembic abc where vertex movement is the focus.

  • The CC Character Creator Bundle export license does what it promises, allowing you to create a huge amount of character morphs and custom clothing. But the soft-cloth physics and dynamic hair is something that only iClone enjoys for the moment. We will keep the community updated on any upcoming patches and plans for this. 

    Thanks for the clarification about the softcloth export. Now I know what to expect if I buy the export license for CC essentials.

    About the facial morphs, they now show up in 3DXchange when I turn on "pixel shader" , but as I export the figure as FBX, I have to put the normal maps (since substance shaders use the normal maps for wrinkles and such), well I have to put those normal maps manually both in Carrara and MotionBuilder for the  aging facial morphs to show up. But it works, finally.

  • New to iClone (well, sort of -- I bought iClone 5 but absolutely NEVER even booted it up.  Bought iClone 6 this long weekend and have actually now used it and it's pretty amazing).

    I love the ability to do 3D animation - that is my goal as beautiful stills are, well, boring, but I do admire the wonderful Daz characters *faces* and wish there were a way to get the same beauty in iClone Character Creator.  Perhaps someday (and I hope development continues on it).  It would also be nice if we could even bring in custom faces into CC like you can do in iClone (again, someday?  Is development even continuing, as on the RealIllusion forum there are many who think iClone is now dead).

    In any case, my question here is about BVH import.  Based on what I'm reading here, am I to understand correctly that getting good BVH import is not just a matter of opening up the file in 3DXChange and sending it to iClone?  I sure don't want to do a lot of work for the hundreds (actually, thousands) of BVH files I have.  So before I purchase 3DXChange (I guess the Pro version is all I need) can you let me know exactly what the workflow is for "standard" BVH files (that work just fine in 3DS Max, for example, or Poser)?

  • bighbigh Posts: 8,147

    New to iClone (well, sort of -- I bought iClone 5 but absolutely NEVER even booted it up.  Bought iClone 6 this long weekend and have actually now used it and it's pretty amazing).

    I love the ability to do 3D animation - that is my goal as beautiful stills are, well, boring, but I do admire the wonderful Daz characters *faces* and wish there were a way to get the same beauty in iClone Character Creator.  Perhaps someday (and I hope development continues on it).  It would also be nice if we could even bring in custom faces into CC like you can do in iClone (again, someday?  Is development even continuing, as on the RealIllusion forum there are many who think iClone is now dead).

    In any case, my question here is about BVH import.  Based on what I'm reading here, am I to understand correctly that getting good BVH import is not just a matter of opening up the file in 3DXChange and sending it to iClone?  I sure don't want to do a lot of work for the hundreds (actually, thousands) of BVH files I have.  So before I purchase 3DXChange (I guess the Pro version is all I need) can you let me know exactly what the workflow is for "standard" BVH files (that work just fine in 3DS Max, for example, or Poser)?

    how to -

  • ReallusionReallusion Posts: 115
    edited September 2015

    Hey there Mike, 

    To be honest, I don't remember playing with BVH files that much. I've probably done it once or twice, and I don't believe there is much issue or extra work to it. What I recommend (the same I recommend to everyone), is to first play around with the free trial versions of iClone 6 and 3DXchange 6. There is a limit to the amount of exports/imports you can do I think, but overall it will give you a sense on the steps needed.  

    @ bigh - thanks for helping out with the video post!  wink

    Post edited by Reallusion on
  • Yeah, I need to use the free trial of 3DXchange (I already own iClone 6).  I also want to see if I have any luck importing FBX sequences and converting them to iMovie.

    So MUCH of this is confusing -- I'm still struggling to understand why the characters I generate in Character Creator can't be used with clothing that is sold in the store even if that clothing is specifically for G6 (because, for example, it has soft cloth enabled).  It seems to me this is a HUGE problem for using CC.

  • Well, I suspect I won't be buying 3DXChange because there is NO WAY I can figure out how to use it with only 15 test exports (the first three were trash and I'm not any closer to understanding what I'm doing wrong).

    I suspect it just doesn't work properly -- these are really standard BVH and FBX files I'm trying, and they aren't even close to converting (the demo video is of little help -- it's for an older version and it doesn't do what the narrator says it will do).

    I'm a software engineer and *I* can't understand this -- don't know how any folks without that kind of experience would fare any better.

  • 3dOutlaw3dOutlaw Posts: 2,470

    If you can, maybe offer to share the files, and maybe someone who has it may be willing to get it working, then give you the details?  I just got it, but I have not peeled the wrapper off (well it was a download, but you get the drift)  :)

  • It took me a long time using just the old 3dx2 and iC3std about 5 years before I finally got pro so cannot suggest much except that I became very familiar with that interface importing just DAZ obj props first.

    once you do figure it out it is easy but you prob need to find where you are going wrong and yes not much of a chance to test that in a trial.

     

  • I am not a software engineer either in fact I came to iClone a complete computer noob

    everything I have learnt about 3D was self taught and forum assisted yet I bring FBX files of all sorts in, stuff I rig myself in Carrara too so sorry to say it must be user error, just need to try simpler figures maybe .

  • Perhaps Carrara works with it, but I can tell you for a fact that Max does not (at least the newest Max -- and I've been using Max for two decades now, so I have a bit of famliarity with it).

    The only way I can get a BIP out of Max in FBX format is to bake it, at which point xChange basically melts down.  But worse, using standard BVH files (the kind that Carnagie Mellon produces, for example) don't map at all and don't export at all well (they come in twisted most likely because I don't have a t-pose I can use that works -- none of the supplied ones do).

    Those particular files (the Mellon ones) can be found anywhere, but here are some links if those of you who have had success with it want to give it a go (and if you do get it working I'd LOVE to see a video on how you did it, exactly):

     

    http://mocap.cs.cmu.edu/

     

    (And in case anyone is wondering -- yes, folks *have* converted a lot of these files into iMotion files, but I have many others that I cannot convert.  These are just examples of standard ones that don't work).

  • Oh, note that the CM files I linked to above need to be downloaded at the BVH hosting sites:  https://sites.google.com/a/cgspeed.com/cgspeed/motion-capture/daz-friendly-release

     

  • That Character creation app is out of this world. You can ceate any character you want. You don't have to buy separate extra skins, tattoos, make-up kits or whatnot, and throw away your money. No. And thenlevel of detail you can reach while working the character's skin is awesome.  You can almost create any clothing you want from the wardrobe if you buy the CC essentials. You don't have to buy separate pieces of clothing  for each character and you can customize your clothing with dirt, wear-and-tear, tattoos, etc... you don't have to throw all your money away. .  And everything is DYNAMIC! The hair too, and the hats, and the accessories etc. Much ol this because of the cooperation of Reallusion with Allegorithmic "substances". I have to give credit to iClone: they know where they are going. They lead the way.

  • Perhaps Carrara works with it, but I can tell you for a fact that Max does not (at least the newest Max -- and I've been using Max for two decades now, so I have a bit of famliarity with it).

    The only way I can get a BIP out of Max in FBX format is to bake it, at which point xChange basically melts down.  But worse, using standard BVH files (the kind that Carnagie Mellon produces, for example) don't map at all and don't export at all well (they come in twisted most likely because I don't have a t-pose I can use that works -- none of the supplied ones do).

    Those particular files (the Mellon ones) can be found anywhere, but here are some links if those of you who have had success with it want to give it a go (and if you do get it working I'd LOVE to see a video on how you did it, exactly):

     

    http://mocap.cs.cmu.edu/

     

    (And in case anyone is wondering -- yes, folks *have* converted a lot of these files into iMotion files, but I have many others that I cannot convert.  These are just examples of standard ones that don't work).

    The CMU files tend to be a nightmare to get right. I might have another go at them, but I did convert the ACCAD ones a while back. The versions iMotion files at Trailerspark are all distorted. It can take a bit of work getting all the bones oriented nicely. Once you do though, you can convert an entire library in a batch process. A library of motions from the same will usually all use the same skeleton.

    Here is a link to my converted ACCAD libraries. Yes, they took a while to get one right for both male and female, but then it was a simple matter of importing the rest into 3DXPro where they were automagically converted. Enjoy! :)

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3nsNVGroEz6dkE5S0RXOGdRenc/view?usp=sharing

  • argus1000argus1000 Posts: 701
    edited September 2015
     

    Here is a link to my converted ACCAD libraries. Yes, they took a while to get one right for both male and female, but then it was a simple matter of importing the rest into 3DXPro where they were automagically converted. Enjoy! :)

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3nsNVGroEz6dkE5S0RXOGdRenc/view?usp=sharing

    Hey, those are very good motions. Where did you get te "ACCAD librairies"?

     

    Post edited by argus1000 on
  • argus1000 said:
     

    Here is a link to my converted ACCAD libraries. Yes, they took a while to get one right for both male and female, but then it was a simple matter of importing the rest into 3DXPro where they were automagically converted. Enjoy! :)

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3nsNVGroEz6dkE5S0RXOGdRenc/view?usp=sharing

    Hey, those are very good motions. Where did you get te "ACCAD librairies"?

    Here you go!

    http://accad.osu.edu/research/mocap/mocap_data.htm

     

     

  • 3dOutlaw3dOutlaw Posts: 2,470
    edited September 2015

    So, I have imported a non-standard character into iClone via DS -> FBX -> 3dXchange, and that worked great!  I have a character, morphs, etc.

    Now if I want to add clothes....?  Do I import through 3dXchange the clothes using the same process, and then I can put clothes on the character.....or do I import the character, over and over, with the different outfits already applied?

    I found this forum post, which says it cannot be done, and I must import a clothed character each time.  Is that right?

    Ongoing investigation...looks like "Conforming Clothing" is available in the Character Creator (link), but I don't see anything for non-standard characters via 3dXchange

    Post edited by 3dOutlaw on
  • bighbigh Posts: 8,147
    3dOutlaw said:

    So, I have imported a non-standard character into iClone via DS -> FBX -> 3dXchange, and that worked great!  I have a character, morphs, etc.

    Now if I want to add clothes....?  Do I import through 3dXchange the clothes using the same process, and then I can put clothes on the character.....or do I import the character, over and over, with the different outfits already applied?

    I found this forum post, which says it cannot be done, and I must import a clothed character each time.  Is that right?

    Ongoing investigation...looks like "Conforming Clothing" is available in the Character Creator (link), but I don't see anything for non-standard characters via 3dXchange

    I find its easer to bring the model over with clothes .

    Not had much luck the other way .

  • You can link severed heads to headless bodies, I have done that with a few full outfits

  • aspinaspin Posts: 219

    No more path to iClone? It has vanished from the DAZ store. Does this mean no Genesis 3 support?

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