Dartanbeck opened this issue on Nov 25, 2023 ยท 27 posts
Dartanbeck posted Sat, 25 November 2023 at 5:38 PM
Free Alternative to Bone Minion
Using zaz777's amazing animated pose conversion script along with the necessary rsg's "Updated: Daz Studio Posing Scripts (now for G3F)" available on sharecg.com has brought great results for me over the couple years I've been working in Daz Studio for animation.
So zaz777, Thank You So Much!!! Fantastic!!!
However, if we Really want a more True conversion that includes the new rig joints for rotation and all, Bone Minion does a much more accurate job.
This was never an issue for me - the dials I demonstrate making in my course, make this pretty much unnecessary. However, I must say that since I started using Bone Minion for my conversions to be saved as new aniBlocks, the outcome aniBlocks are much better, making them easier to work with.
If you don't want to, or cannot spend the money on the Bone Minion you need, however, do go and download both zaz777's script and the pose conversion package it requires. It's free and it's an excellent solution for getting those excellent aniBlocks and animated poses from earlier generations forward.
One thing, however, is that I didn't have a means to use zaz777's script for Genesis 8. The required product, rsg's "Updated: Daz Studio Posing Scripts (now for G3F)", does have instrauction on how to create the retargeting files for the script. If it is able to convert to G3F, I have a feeling that we could make the necessary file for G8 as well.
Keep in mind that this script doesn't work going from, say V4 to Genesis 3F, it only works going from V4 to V7, for example. They have to be Victoria or Michael figures, not the base figure. But it does include conversion scripts for A3, V3, H3 and M3 and 4 version for all of those. Check zaz777's thread for better explanations of how this all works - but it's easy for the figures already supported - just click the older generation figure that the poses were made for, then Ctrl+click the target figure, and run Zaz's script and it starts plugging through the animation.
I have the full workflow along with things to watch out for in my course, but you can get this!
Last night I spent some time with Bone Minion converting and saving a bunch of my Reisormocap files to Genesis 8 aniBlocks. When I'm tired and really need a break, this is a fun excercise that gives me time to just sit back and wait for conversions, create new aniBlock and move on to the next, etc., while I enjoy a nice cup of coffee or a glass of scotch... whatever.
Just this morning I loaded up some of my new aniBlocks and it's just as if they were made for my character. Very freaking cool!
So I took a little time with my morning coffee making a few partials that I need for what I'm working on now. When I finish making the partial that I know I need right now, I often go through and keep making more that might come in handy. I really like having and working with partial aniBlocks. It allows me to use actual motion capture data made by professional motion capture studios on the bulk of the changes I want to apply to the original aniBlock.
The use of partials to get closer to what I want can almost always allow me to leave the entire range of motion capture intact on the timeline, and just alter certain joint rotations using my dials to perfect it - making for a much better result in my honest opinion.