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Importing facial mocap /exporting characters with rigged faces

Posted By race_34 7 Years Ago
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Importing facial mocap /exporting characters with rigged faces

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race_34
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I am using faceware retargeter for my facial mocap setup and ultimately need to know how to use this data with my iclone characters.    Right now I am having trouble finding anything relevant on how I would do this...all of the "tutorial" videos about the subject are on youtube are several years old and outdated and I see things like "facial mocap" "import custom facial animation" being an advertised feature of iclone but I see no actual way to use facial mocap data.  If I can't import facial data then is it at least possible to export a character with a facial control rig?  Faceware can use bones or morphs, and while I see there are all the morph maps in place on the character, again,  I don't see any way to actually utilize them outside of iclone.  
but0fc0ursee
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race_34 (7/28/2017)
I am using faceware retargeter for my facial mocap setup and ultimately need to know how to use this data with my iclone characters.    Right now I am having trouble finding anything relevant on how I would do this...all of the "tutorial" videos about the subject are on youtube are several years old and outdated and I see things like "facial mocap" "import custom facial animation" being an advertised feature of iclone but I see no actual way to use facial mocap data.  If I can't import facial data then is it at least possible to export a character with a facial control rig?  Faceware can use bones or morphs, and while I see there are all the morph maps in place on the character, again,  I don't see any way to actually utilize them outside of iclone.  

Hello,

One Way to transfer faceware animation data to iClone:

1. Drop the faceware (Raw Animation Data) into a curve editor.
2. Instantiate the raw animation data to Reallusion's bones.
How much experience do you have??

Note: If you don't know what I'm saying.... Please wait for the Plugin.


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7 Years Ago by but0fc0ursee
race_34
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Thanks for your reply, it's giving me some hope for this working.  I do know how to use a curve editor.  I guess my main problem comes at the rigging stage.  I take it that the characters from CC need to be rigged in maya separately?  I think that is where my first problem arises.  I have also heard about this new plugin for iclone7, which I am hoping does the trick but I need to learn how to make this all work independently first I think.  
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race_34 (7/28/2017)
Thanks for your reply, it's giving me some hope for this working.  I do know how to use a curve editor.  I guess my main problem comes at the rigging stage.  I take it that the characters from CC need to be rigged in maya separately?  I think that is where my first problem arises.  I have also heard about this new plugin for iclone7, which I am hoping does the trick but I need to learn how to make this all work independently first I think.  

Yes... you know how to use a curve editor.
If you want to learn to do this independently...

...Remember this:
A bone is a bone... it doesn't matter what program made it.
Make Reallusion bones follow faceware animation.

faceware raw animation data is displayed on the
Move
Rotate
Scale
...animation tracks.

Tell Reallusion's bones, "Hey, you follow this bone and you follow that bone.
Bone by bone.... track by track... Instantiate Reallusion bones and they will accurately follow.
_____________________________________________________________________________

It's easier than you think..... Let's pick (Faceware's Root Bone).
1. COPY the Position Track
2. PASTE it onto the Reallusion (ROOT Bone's) Position track.

3. Copy the Faceware root bone's (Rotation Track) and...
Yep, you got it now...
Repeat for every bone.

One last thing.
When you paste to the reallusion bone tracks... PASTE A INSTANCE!
Now the Reallusion bones are "Instantiated.

Faceware and Realluson bones are IN SYNC! Wow


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7 Years Ago by but0fc0ursee
dr.zap
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It seems you are using the Maya faceware plugin? In that case, maybe you can use the 3dxchange software to export your iClone character to Maya.  It should also export any facial morphs (blendshapes).  Then it's only a matter of creating a control interface.  This might help you... https://www.highend3d.com/maya/script/rig-export-converter-for-maya-89364
There are also many free scripts on that website to help with making a facerig suitable for use with Faceware.

<edit>  Faceware doesn't require bones.  In fact, blendshapes are in many ways superior to bones.  So you should be able to make your face morphs in iClone (following the guide in Faceware) and export it all out to Maya.  In maya, you make the actual control rig.
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7 Years Ago by dr.zap
but0fc0ursee
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race_34,
Here's the beauty of a curve editor... Faceware to iClone (through Maya)

1 Select all of the faceware animation tracks.
2. Select all of the Reallusion facial bones.
3. Open the curve editor.
4. Copy fw bone tracks and paste them into RL bone tracks.
5. Paste as an Instance.

You don't need to rig, nor construct a control panel.
You simply need FW animation data and RL's bones.


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7 Years Ago by but0fc0ursee
freerange
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Export the character from iClone to Maya. If it is a current gen character you will have your 60 blendshapes in Maya which cover the default set Faceware wants (characters are already Faceware ready)

You will then need to use Retargeter to map the Faceware set to the iClone character set. Now you should be able to drive the character using your Analyzer data.






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dr.zap
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freerange (7/28/2017)
Export the character from iClone to Maya. If it is a current gen character you will have your 60 blendshapes in Maya which cover the default set Faceware wants (characters are already Faceware ready)

You will then need to use Retargeter to map the Faceware set to the iClone character set. Now you should be able to drive the character using your Analyzer data.




iClone characters automatically have Faceware ready blendshapes?  That's good to know.  Then it is super easy to Retarget.  Making the required blendshapes is the hardest part.  So what about cleaning it up?  Can he use the control rig in iClone or is it cleaner to do it in Maya?
paulg625
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dr.zap (7/28/2017)
freerange (7/28/2017)
Export the character from iClone to Maya. If it is a current gen character you will have your 60 blendshapes in Maya which cover the default set Faceware wants (characters are already Faceware ready)

You will then need to use Retargeter to map the Faceware set to the iClone character set. Now you should be able to drive the character using your Analyzer data.




iClone characters automatically have Faceware ready blendshapes?  That's good to know.  Then it is super easy to Retarget.  Making the required blendshapes is the hardest part.  So what about cleaning it up?  Can he use the control rig in iClone or is it cleaner to do it in Maya?


Yes it is one  of the new features in 7.


race_34
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Thank you for all of the great replies,  I will test these methods out and let you know how my results are.  



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