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Can I create a skeleton in DAZstudio?

SnapperTrxSnapperTrx Posts: 22
edited December 1969 in Daz Studio Discussion

So I found a model extractor for one of my favorite online games that works really well. I can pull a model in .obj format, import it in and even pull and apply the texture/bump/normal maps. Unfortunately, however, the model is static and has no points of articulation. Is there a way, in DAZstudio, I can create a skeleton so I can start bending/posing some of these models? I see there is a Joint Editor tool, but I have no idea how to use it. Can someone point me towards a tutorial, maybe, on how to start using it, if this is the tool I need to use? Thanks!

SnapperTrx

Comments

  • SickleYieldSickleYield Posts: 7,631
    edited December 1969

    Hi!

    Creating an articulated figure skeleton is a specialty in and of itself, and creating one for a biped character that looks good is particularly time-consuming.

    With that said:

    If you import the obj through the Figure Setup tab, and it still has any vertex groups from the extraction, you can drag the geometry over to the hierarchy to generate bones. Then you need to drag the bones onto each other to place them in parented relationships, and change the joint rotation to YZX for the ones that are vertical (the legs, spine, etc.).

    When you click Create it will create a figure in the 3d window with bones but no weight maps. You can generate unsmoothed weight maps using right-click, weight editing, and assign weight by selection sets. That will give a result that bends pretty badly on an organic figure. It's possible to smooth all the weight groups by selecting all the geometry and all of the bones and then using smoothing on X, Y and Z from the Weight Group Editor (alt shift w activates that tool).

    And then it will still bend pretty badly in a lot of cases. If you look at Genesis 2 Male and Female you can get a good idea of what decently bending weight maps look like. It's doable, but it's an art and science that takes some time to learn.

  • SnapperTrxSnapperTrx Posts: 22
    edited December 1969

    Well many of them certainly aren't bipeds, and a lot of them don't have arms/legs/etc. I understand the undertaking, but I guess if I want to learn I have to start somewhere. Thanks for the heads-up.

  • SickleYieldSickleYield Posts: 7,631
    edited December 1969

    This advice still works for non-biped critters, definitely.

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