Quidam and MotionBuilder

[KBB]

Hi @ N-Sided,

could you help me with the question, how to get a Quidam Character into MotionBuilder?
Will there be a FBX Exporter for Quidam as well, some day?

Sure, one could go via Max or Maya but since one have to own this (I do not, but I own MB 7 Standard),
it is a more laborious way to get there and I'm sure that models would lack of something afterwards.

Any suggestions?

Thx
KBB

[sebastien]

Hello KBB,

The workflow from QUIDAM to 3DS MAX or Maya first via the QDM format, and then to MotionBuilder is what we recommend.

Maybe you could try to export to COLLADA directly from QUIDAM, as MotionBuilder can read this format:
http://www.collada.org/mediawiki/index. ... ionBuilder

Let us know!
Regards,

Sébastien
N-Sided

[KBB]

Hello Sébastien,

thank you for the information. Since I do not own Max or Maya and won't do in the near future, I'll give the collada way a try.
The collada exporter is a separate Plugin, right?

KBB

[sebastien]

Hello KBB,

Yes, the COLLADA exporter is a separate plugin.
(it is also included in the QUIDAM 2 Studio version).

Regards,

Sébastien
N-Sided

[KBB]

I am very sad about the fact that the Feeling Software Collada plugin for MotionBuilder (link above) is an export plugin only, so there seems to be still no way to get a .dae file into MB.
Since MB 7.5 there is a collada converter wich is part of MB, but there is no chance to me to get the 7.5 version because Autodesk sells MB as a Pro version only since MB 8.0 - and this Pro is way much to expensive to me (Pro is a version for big studios, not as my small one ).

There is little chance to do it via the external Autodesk FBX converter, but this converter works with FBX 2009 only (as MB 2009's standard is) wich I can't open in MB 7.0, but I'll furthermore have a closer look to it.

[sebastien]

Hello KBB,

Thank you for letting us know.
Yes, this is sad, and as you have seen the FBX is not the solution to everything, especially because there are multiple version of the file format...

Regards,

[bbuxton]

So far using Autodesk fbx converter seems to work for me. What doesn't work is Quidam's naming conventions for bones. What a mess! They are not even consistent within Quidam!
Please revise the names - preferably to follow MotionBuilder conventions but as a minimum ensure that the bone names are consistent between Quidam model packs.

Regards

[sebastien]

Hello,

We try to be consistent among the Model Packs (L_ for left bones, R_ for right, J_ for middle, etc), but I admit that the bone matching task in MB and other software can be tedious.

Kind regards,

[bbuxton]

Hello

It's a shame since everything else in Quidam is spot on (well fbx export would be nice).
Is there a quick way to rename the bones or create a template rig in Quidam?

Btw it is the extra model packs that cause the most problems, the rigs seem to be (to me anyway) just plain weird.
Even Animeeple doesn't like characters created with the pro paks.

One of the main features that makes Quidam (pro) so much better than cheaper alternatives is that I can concentrate on character design rather than spending lots of time rigging.
At the moment this is not working out so well for me.

Thanks
Brian

[sebastien]

Hello Brian,

I understand your point of view.

You may create your own rig for the models:
1) in the Edit Skeleton Mode:
- import a skeleton in BVH format (exported from MB)
- once it's correctly set inside the model, apply an autoskin for the model
2) in the weight paint studio:
- correct the skinning weights according to your needs.

Kind regards,

[bbuxton]

removed by bbuxton

[Pierre]

Hello Brian,

Btw it is the extra model packs that cause the most problems, the rigs seem to be (to me anyway) just plain weird.
Even Animeeple doesn't like characters created with the pro paks.

This is weird, have you asked directly Animeeple people? They were changing a lot of things in it and the problems you've got might come from the intermediate versions. Note that we have had no problem to animate the Model Pack Pro with Animeeple.

One of the main features that makes Quidam (pro) so much better than cheaper alternatives is that I can concentrate on character design rather than spending lots of time rigging. At the moment this is not working out so well for me.

We got it. The best is that you contact us directly at support to give us your technical infos

Cheers

Pierre
N-Sided

[atome451]

Hi Pierre,

Could you explain how you did to export the Woman Model pack Pro directly from Quidam (in Collada i suppose) to Animeeple ?
I've tried a couple of times but i'm unable to combine the original bones hierarchy of the woman model pack pro and the bones hierarchy of Animeeple. The main difficulty is the orientation of the hip. Some tips and tricks ?
I've tried again today with the last version of Animeeple without success.

Of course, i'm able to do that with an adaptation of the bones in Cinema 4D, but not directly between Quidam and Animeeple. This could be usefull...

[sebastien]

Hello atome,

You are true, there is a problem with bone matching in animeeple about this.
I can't assign the low parts of the skeleton...

I forward this to the animeeple team.

[sebastien]

atome,

First, export the woman pro with the option "convert from cm to m" ON, and uncheck "export neutral pose". The Pose of the character should be a perfect "T", so put the arms at 90 degree from the body.

Second, here is the correct matching in Animeeple to make it work with the woman pro:

J_Lumbar > Hips
J_Dorsal2 > Torso
J_Neck1 > Neck
J_Head > Head
(L/R)_Clavicle > Collar
(L/R)_Arm > Upper arm
(L/R)_Forearm > Lower arm
(L/R)_Hand > Hand
(L/R)_Index1 > Index finger base
(L/R)_Index2 > Index finger middle
(L/R)_Index3 > Index finger tip
(L/R)_Middle1 > Middle finger base
(L/R)_Middle2 > Middle finger middle
(L/R)_Middle3 > Middle finger tip
(L/R)_Third1 > Ring finger base
(L/R)_Third2 > Ring finger middle
(L/R)_Third3 > Ring finger tip
(L/R)_Thumb1 > Thumb base
(L/R)_Thumb2 > Thumb middle
(L/R)_Thumb3 > Thumb tip
(L/R)_Femur > Upper leg
(L/R)_Tibia > Lower leg
(L/R)_rotFoot1 > Foot