A bug report has been filed with the developers via SM support on this issue. (Animation Layer Bug)

RE POSER ANIMATION

The shaded green squares represent "tweens" between the keyframes.  The tweens is where animation systems stake over the heavy lifting with the animation, moving your parts around to realign from the current keyframe to the next. The interpolation method is what determines HOW that movement is made.  This hold true whether the animation is using Adobe Flash, or most any other animation system not just Poser.  Poser uses a graph to limit the motion of the tweens captive between keyframes.  The SPLINE / LINEAR / CONSTANT  (Green / brown/grey color) buttons indicate which type of curve on the graph is used for particular section of the section of the animation.  OPEN animation pallet window, Click on a node name (like HEAD) to the left of the keyframe panel, and you will open a graph that represents teh curve and keyframes for that NODE only, and a drop down on the rioght allows you to select the parameter (bend up, Y-Adjust etc). 

Hope this gets you off to a good start. 

Also... I found a possible bug in using Layers where the TOP layer exhibits some of  effects of the base layer.  Its better to make individual smaller animations, and save to  LIBRARY (PZ2) as multiple framed, poses JUST for the affected body GROUPS & layer.  Then you can reload these into a single, merged layer in SERIAL fasion.  Sel;ect entire Keyframe BEFORE next animation sequence merge and it will lay in fine.

Merging more than 2 layers with staggered stop/start times will be fustrating and have unpredictable results upon replay. Even if you get it saved off after a successful run, its merge tends to mangle the sequence or change the merge mode (ADD/REPLACE).  There is something wonky going on with respect to start-stop frames, maintaing spline and tween for whole animation that I cant seem to isolate. In most cases the top layer will be stretched to the same length as the base. Keep blank is better, but loading sequence in SERIAL on 1 layer method is best, rather than multiple staggered layers in parallel.

 

RE: Animation content for Poser.  Sure you can buy the SM prepared content, but the are many other facilities expand pose and animation content . For instance to import Biovision MOCAP files that dramatically expand the library of free and premium animation content.  Furthermore since POser models are compatable with DS, sthere are even more pre-made animations and standard poses that can be used.  

PoserPro animation possibilities are endless.  Its so easy to pose and animate, so you can easily create new animation segments. The close integration with Eon Vue (Vue Esprit and up) combnined with Cornucopia3D content library further expands the Possibilities.

Then you have all the plugins and Python exports to professional grade third party animation, modeling and rendering systems. 

The possibilities are what I really like about this medium, however its countered by the vexing task to link together an efficient pipeline with all the possibilities available.

Re-rigged the pig, and reverse engineered the old cr2.  What happened is, somehow the pig's BODY geometry scaled to 200%, I believe before it was JP & weightmapped.  You cant tell because body scale now says 100%.  This causes figure to sink into floor when zeroed or a partial pose applied.  Replacing the obj even with the same mesh reposituioned to Zero wouldnt fix it as the maps and skeleton are for an oversized frame, that caused rippiling problems thatare uncorectable.  Explains why I cant copy the figure/jp's to another rig (in poser, whitescreen).  This also explains some motion translation attenuations I had to make for BHV exports to work.  I am rebuilding the pig rig from the obj import forward in poser including hair. 

Ok, I can accept how DTF is used and how this explains the small Z translation. But  why does the figure sink to floor with a verified partial PZ2 pose (like above) applied??  I'm out of luck on transferring rigs too. It fails...trying to load it on another obj, even one exported from same. I think something with the weight maps may be causing incompatabilities (?) Can obj's be swapped out easily using PZ3 Editor or such?

The hip X & Y are Zero, and so is Body based on Phil's suggestion. I just double checked and created a loaded a new figure CR2 to the library with hip and body at z&x=0. XRot is set to -4 roll correction. Body xROT=+4 to counter.  From that same CR2 Create a simple 1 joint rotational pose  PZ2.  Close and restart, just to be sure all is clear.   Now I load in the new cr2 base figure, hes on the floor looking fine.  Then add the simple partial pose.... his hand waves BUT HE ALSO SINKS into the floor.    Hitting Drop to floor from there does 2 things... it raises the figure with Y=4.171 (ok enough) but also moves him bach with zTra=.309 (???)

WHat can I check for in the base CR2 that may be causing this if not in the PZ2...

[BTW Yes, in PZ2 saves no Morph Channels or Body transformation.  THIS is NOT the case with the Hormel Hogs beta download at FarmPeeps.com, his poses are all messed up and may infcat have morph channels or transformations.  Fixing that.]

Using a "No Nonsense Utility" (always makes me grin)  to edit the PZ2, I only see Actors for the coorsponding to the selected subset.   Dont see anything affecting figure translation.  Is there an option in PP2012 that I may have set that zeros a figure upon partial prop load?

I examined various poses, with simmilar results.  following is the pz2 for a simple 22 degree rotation of the right hand. Note I dont see any body translations.    What is "refactor" mean?

Pz2 Format edited to simplify reading here...

version
number 9
thighLength 0.417316
targetFigure Hormel Hog
refFigure JamesG2
actor rHand:1
  channels
      rotateY yrot
         keys:                k 0 0
      rotateZ zrot
         keys:                 k 0 0
      rotateX xrot
         keys:                 k 0 60
      translateX xtran
         keys:                 k 0 -0.000140305
   trackingScaleMult 1
       translateY ytran
          keys;                  k 0 0.485201
    trackingScaleMult 1.000000
         translateZ ztran
            keys:                  k 0 0.0357903
     trackingScaleMult 1.000000
 figure
 refactor rHand:2
    channels
       rotateX xrot
         keys:            k 0 60
        rotateY yrot
          keys;            k 0 0
      rotateZ zrot
          keys:            k 0 0
      translateX xtran
          keys:            k 0 -0.128259
      trackingScaleMult 1
      translateY ytran
          keys:            k 0 0.530797
      trackingScaleMult 1.000000
      translateZ ztran
          keys:            k 0 0.0338803
      trackingScaleMult 1.000000
figure
version
number 9
thighLength 0.417316
targetFigure Hormel Hog
figure
figure

Good stuff there Les.  I need to rework the walk animation in this Pig... The walk path hight makes sence to use, because a creatures feet will conform to the terrain anyways I suppose.  My issue is that the figure seems to want to Zero mid torso rather than the feet.  While XROT in teh Body Center fixed the rotational, not seeing where top set Y trans adjustment.  yOFFSET in parameters of Body parameters... is thsi it?

With respect to the method PhilC suggested, while improved due to the inclusion of the XROT adjustment I had omitted, I get the similar results.  Its not tilted, but a partial pose saved from the figur (memoriozed at Zero with the XROT adjustment and Z, Zero X with Y at DROP to ground hight), will cause same figure restored, to sink into ground to ZERO Y when the partial pose is loaded.  By partial pose, I am saving the pigs ears in teh back position, and adding to pose library with just head, and both ear (and ear hair) groupings as selected subset.  I woudlnt think a loading a partial pose affects body world translations.

Wondering as I write this... Could there be something in this CR2, like an errant morph channel that is causing this translation upon load? 

Thanks (again) Phil, this is the guidance I needed.  :) Happy Saturday!

You probably noticed Rhinos price. Should have warned you.  Do try http://moi3d.com/ Its affordable and you WILL be able to make this project within the trial.  Its a snap to learn and nurbs model. You can also easily group a single mesh by applying various texture to any area of the mesh, key to make hard models interactable in Poser, such as car doors opening.  The textures will be retained as group names, and you can weld on export.  Great for quick prototyping unique shapes and paterns.  Awesome at turning and booleans.  You can put graph paper or a template, on background. Sketch a spline, flip perspectiove 90 either rotate on axis, or add a sketch another curve and sweep a face to create a form.  Extrudes, Filets offsets, blends all the necessary tools are within easy reach.  Its that easy.  The  Rhino is high nd and much more complex, however very capable.

One big downside with MoI... Last I checked it didnt import obj, just .3ds and common cad files. It WILL export all these into .oj though.  I think its because its as NURBS  needs the interspace data not just the relational vertex data stored in a obj.

Attached Link: http://farmpeeps.com/farmpeeps_products.html

I have tried all these apps in my pipeline, and coming prior from CAD user perspective, I would think the furnature would be best skinned with carved venieer strips with a NURBS app such as MoI3D or Rhino3d. Even Alibre Design would be fine.  SubD isnt needed for hard, non-deformable surfaces and you will easire time replicating intricate design carvbings along the surface, maintaing consistant depth. This way you could scale it, 3D print it or even send it to your CNC router for the real thing.    In Z-Brush you could scratch along teh surface, maybe use a spline to control pattern path.  Beter yet, stamp an impression.  Still it would be harder to make IMO than a design package were po.s & dim. values and ratios can be maintained as you go along the surface.

With regard to character figure modeling, and re-topo work high resolution meshesl work (for game development?) I tried 3D coat first (OK by hand, kind of cumbersome,auto reto didnt produce decent results though and needed total rework on my complex and under tucked samples)   then Topogun (Much better to pick up, nimble and rather intuitive. Could actually be fun but then you get out of hand..).  But now days I model in Z-Brush.  It was the game changer for me, as it has phenominal modeling and painting capabilities. Works great with Poser if you get the mesh subttool grouping export process down  to keep mesh from tearing... (? me if you get stuck w/ that).  

ZB was a major investment in time and effort learning but its a joy when you get the hang of it.  Expend to spend lots of time staring at the interface....wondering WHY.   Also in the freetrial period, like an autodesk product - you will never break ice and warm up before you cant save anymore and need to decide.  Its heck of a bullet to bite.  And just when you get the current version down, another one is out.  ZBrush is a rapid development team for sure.  

oh today I posted lots of 3D game development stuff that you may be interested in at farmpeeps.com  Terrains, skyboxes and even a 3D demo game using hardware acceleated Flash Stage3  technology.  Link attached

Good luck Toxic Wolf and happy modeling...

Gone... I think not. His legend lives on in his works that inspired generations of artists that followed his lead and also in the dreams of the minds he influences with his work.  Moibus achievements will still be influencing generations to come.  

Something to aspire torwards - after all its a just a ride, ride, ride ....on Heavy Metal!  

Hey - got some great feedback already that will make this Hog much better.  Re-working the poses so that the figure is zero transformations.  Embarrased to say that didnt occur to me, as the poses were done independantly and I then focused on smoothing joints and the walk animation the last month.  I didnt go back and see how poses apply in actual scene settings.  I should know better, its always key test the app (products) in the users workflow...

Also got soime advice to mke ears, nose and mouth morphs rather than rig joints so they can be combined with bone movement.  THere is a verient of the pig rigged mote complex with collar, buttock, mandible, snout and belly bones, but I went simpler when JP's became a nightmare.  WIth experience I may attemp that rig again, but with morph for facial  expressions.

Wow,nice model.  Can we get one of these controllers for XBOX?