Bending Tentacles and Snakes

bryanll1

Is there an easier way to bend tentacles and snakes other than clicking section by section and changing the bend and twist values?

sriesch

Sometimes objects will have parameters to do things like bend/twist all the sections at once, or all the sections before or after the selected node. The names and locations of these parameters vary from product to product.  See first screenshot for the morphing python, then the second screenshot for the easypose tube where the options vary depending in which node is selected.  If you get anything flexible or with a tail, try looking both in the root node or hip, and also the first and second of the identical nodes (like tail sections) and see what options might be there.

And of course if you have poses for them, you can use part or all of the pose to.  I do wish there were a lot more poses for these types of objects because it is pretty darn tedious to do.  You might also be able to select a bunch of nodes at once and use parameters like bend on them, but I'm not sure, and I think it might depend on options in the menu too.  I'm pretty sure I did it once, but then couldn't do it on another try, perhaps because I was doing it wrong at the time.

Richard Haseltine

You can also multi-select bones in DAZ Studio and change all at once - if this isn't working for you make sure you have Consoldiate Properties checked and Display Separate Items unchecked in the Parameters pane option menu - lined button in the pane's top corner, or right-click the pane's tab.

Syrus_Dante

prepare figure for ERC-Freeze:

{if} parameters pane > property group [currently used] @ [current timeline frame]

{is} populated with properties with values showing up in "white" {not} "grey"

{then} main drop-down menu [edit] > [figure] > [memorize] > [memorize figure]

{else} read ahead

multiselect:

scene pane > left-click [figure] > right-click [expand from selection] > hold down [ctrl] + [shift] + left-click [top hierarchy chain bone] > still hold down [ctrl] + [shift] + left-click [bottom hierarchy chain bone]

manipulate:

parameters pane > change property value (notice the number in brackets behind property eg. bend / twist / side-side)

create pose control: http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/software/dazstudio/4/userguide/creating_content/assembling/tutorials/pose_control/start

parameters pane > right-click [some random property] > context menu [edit mode] > right-click [some random property] > context menu [create new property] > new property dialog [enter name + make settings + click create] > right-click [new property] > context menu [ERC-Freeze] > click [accept] > (if you followed "prepare figure for ERC-Freeze" the list of properties to "freeze" will only show your recently manipulated properties)

save new figure property to library:

main drop-down menu > [file] > [save as] > [support asset] > [save modified assets]

 

sriesch said:

Sometimes objects will have parameters to do things like bend/twist all the sections at once, or all the sections before or after the selected node. The names and locations of these parameters vary from product to product.  See first screenshot for the morphing python, then the second screenshot for the easypose tube where the options vary depending in which node is selected.

Question:

Figures like this including an advanced property setup with a method called "easy pose" to pose bone-chains before or after the selected bone or all at once in the root node (bend before / bend after ect.).

Is there a DS script available for setup a bone chain with "easy pose" or a description / external editor to manualy hack the uncompressed DUF file in text editor like poser CR2 files?

richard.walter821322868

I like selecting multiple bones and using the yellow pose-ball in the pose tool for nice organic curves & bends. Enable the pose-tool in the viewport options, select your bones and away you go. Can be tricky to get the hang of it at first, I like switching cameras (front, back, top, etc) and using the rotate-tool axis lines as a kind of guide.