SOLVED: 3DXChange?

BC Rice

Okay -- figured it out. And...it does look like there's a 60% off sale right now on the bundle on their actual store, so...hm. Might bend to the $299.

So I was going to grab the iClone bundle in the DAZ store. It includes iClone, 3DXChange, etc. Right now it's like 200 bucks if you load up to the 50% off sale. 

Anyway, I know lots of folks here use iClone for stuff. My only interest with iClone is to be able to export BVH files (made in iClone) to be used in Carrara. I just picked up Poser Pro to help out in this regard, and figured that iClone could be another tool...

But from reading up on it, it appears that you need something in addition to all those products called "Pipeline" in order to export BVH files from iClone/3DXChange? Pipeline isn't sold here at DAZ, apparently, which basically means I'll probably ditch the iClone idea. Just wanted to verify here first that Pipeline is indeed a separate item that you have to purchase in addition to iClone and 3DXChange. 

Thanks!

argus1000

There is 3 versions of 3DXchange. The regular version, the pro version and the pipeline version.The pipeline version doesn't seem to be sold in the Daz store. You'd have to buy it from the iClone store.

Jonstark

I'm very interested in iclone too and have been for a while.  I'm willing to shell out the $ for pipeline, but the last report I heard is that it will export the movements of the characters fine but not the dynamics of clothing done under iclone physics.  If this is fixed though, I'm willing to buy, but have been waiting on the export to be fixed to include the cloth movements too.

BC Rice

Jonstark said:

I'm very interested in iclone too and have been for a while.  I'm willing to shell out the $ for pipeline, but the last report I heard is that it will export the movements of the characters fine but not the dynamics of clothing done under iclone physics.  If this is fixed though, I'm willing to buy, but have been waiting on the export to be fixed to include the cloth movements too.

So since they export FBX now...I feel like that would indicate that perhaps clothing (and organic) physics are probably able to be exported. Don't quote me on it tho. 

I hate to dish out more cash for a program. Poser and iClone are really similar in terms of their native abilities to create animation. iClone, though, does have a steep library of mocap and would also be an effective for large group scenes of animation (both animals and people). 

I use a multi multi layered shading technique in Carrara, though, for my animations, which iClone wouldn't be able to help duplicate. But...if it was shot from a distance? I could probably fudge some things. 

Basically, I think iClone has a lot of value for creating animation (BVH files, etc), and to a lesser extent large group scenes (animated within iClone). Their render engine is largely terrible though. I'd be interested to see how much you can manipulate shaders within iClone. If I could get them 70% to where they get in Carrara, I'd happily use their renderer for large group scenes. 

Jonstark

I think it was Wendy who said the FBX export works for everything except the dynamics/physics of clothing, which is a big part of why I want Iclone.  My thought is to create the animations in iclone, export it/import it into Carrara for final scene building and rendering with both Carrara's native renderer and Octane.  iClone does have a limited version of Indigo render plugin that you can purchase as an add on so is capable of really good render quality, but it's an expensive plugin and also by report on the slow side.  And the native render in iClone looks a lot like Studio quality to me (which I really don't like the quality of).  So I never had in my plans at all to use iClone as the final scene assembly/renderer as I don't think that is its strength, but rather the animation tools and cloth physics to be applied to partially conforming clothing just looks very good to me.  On the other hand though, that plugin being developed for Poser (and the creator has posted it will very likely be able to export MDD for Carrara users too) looks like it's great too, so if that comes out soon it might be the easier option.  But I do still want to play with the animation capabilities of iClone, and I also think homemade mocap creation is very much something iClone is pushing to achieve, and even though it's not quite there yet by reports, I still think iClone is probably going to get there first.

WendyLuvsCatz

yes no dynamic cloth export as of yet

they are adding an update to it later but do not mention it so would not assume it can

 

aspin

I hoped to import V4 as FBX to iClone, animate and export BVH... but fingers are completely twisted.

argus1000

aspin said:

I hoped to import V4 as FBX to iClone, animate and export BVH... but fingers are completely twisted.

I did that many, many times. As a matter of fact, IMO that's the main advantage of using iClone.

BC Rice

Hm...I'm not in front of a computer, but do you mean when you import the BVH her fingers are messed up? Can't you just open up the NLA track and remove the corrupted hand keyframes?

I usually delete hand, neck and head keyframes from any baked animations that I drop into Carrara, and then animate those by hand (and in the case of hands I'll often use premade hand positions as key poses throughout an animation). 

Auroratrek

argus1000 said:

aspin said:

I hoped to import V4 as FBX to iClone, animate and export BVH... but fingers are completely twisted.

I did that many, many times. As a matter of fact, IMO that's the main advantage of using iClone.

Sorry to resurrect this thread after so much time, but I have recently purchased the iClone Suite and am also hoping to use 3DXchange/iClone to retarget bvh files to V4 bvh files. Argus, you said that you have done this. Could you share your workflow?