Proxy Rigging using RapidRig (linguini pipeline)

 MAKE SURE RAPIDRIG IS INSTALLED

-There is a tutorial offering the scripts and the instructions to use them on this website, search rapidrig

Creating the Proxy Rig

1. Open up your Linguini shot. Delete the history from the torso, arms, legs and feet. Don’t delete the history of the head the regular way. Instead: Edit>Delete By Type>Non-Deformer History. ARE YOUR BLENDSHAPES and UV maps STILL THERE? Double-check! Save your shot as ‘PROXYrigging.01.mb’

2. Template the Linguini model.

3. Step 1.1: Click the CREATE NEW PROXY RIG button. Notice you get a cube, which RapidRigcalls RRM_Root. Translate the cube so that it’s in his hips. Look at it from both Front and Side. Select the cube before the next step to 'grow' the spine joints from RRM_Root.

4. Step 1.2: Add Modules. Ribbon Spline Options: Name: spine Joints: 5 Click: CREATE SPLINE. Put the ‘Pyramid’ so that it’s in his clavicle area. Take a few minutes and translate the joints so that there’s a slight curve ie from the Side view. Select the pyramid before the next step to 'grow' the arm joints from the clavicle.

5. Creating the Arm Options section:

Name: arm (not Left or Right)

Upper Roll Joints: 2 (sometimes called upper twist joints)

Lower Roll Joints: 4 (sometimes called lower twist joints)

Click: CREATE ARM

Notice it created both arms, let’s work on the character’s left arm by selecting the pyramid called RRM_l_arm_wrist.

The arrow is meantto go behind the elbow.

You want a slight bend atthe elbow.

Take a few minutes to place each joint.

To mirror: Select the pyramid called RRM_l_arm_wrist and click on LEFT TO RIGHT.

Save!

6. Legs

Select the Cube (AKA RRM_Root)

In the Leg Options category:

Name: Leg (not Left or Right)

Upper Roll Joint: 2

Lower Roll Joint: 2

CREATE LEG

Place the knee and ankle joints in the appropriate places.

Scale the ovals at the bottom Make sure they don’t overlap or cross the Y axis.

Place the locators at back of heel and on either side of the feet. Mirror by clicking on Left to Right

Hands

1. Select the pyramid at the wrist(it’s called RRM_l_arm_wrist)

2. Scroll down to the appropriate module:

FK Chain Options (Fingers, Toes, Tail, etc.)

Name: Finger (Notfingers)

Chains = 4

Joints Per Chain: 4

X Outward is good

CREATE FK CHAIN

You will get giant finger chains; before positioning the finger chains, create the thumb chain:

Select the pyramid called RRM_l_arm_wrist and go to the same section (ie where we typed ‘finger’) and type: thumb

Chains = 1

Joints Per Chain = 4

+Z

3. Scale them all and position them inside the hand geometry.

SAVE

4. To mirror: you have to select each joint in the of the fingers, eg

Shift+select joint 1, joint 2, etc. and then mirror.

Neck

1. Select the pyramid at the top (it’s called RRM_spine_Top)

2. Go back to the Ribbon Spline Module

Name: neck

Joints = 2

CREATE SPLINE

3. Drag its pyramid (AKA RRM_neck_Top) into Linguini’s neck area.

Head

1. Select the Neck Top pyramid

2. Scroll down to the Head module

Name: head

Make sure jaw is checked

CREATE HEAD

3. Place the pyramid called RRM_head_Top in Linguini’s forehead. Scale the joints so they fit.

4. Place ‘headjaw’ where the pivot of the jaw would be.

5. Place ‘jawend’ straight out at the end of Linguini’s mouth.

Last semester, Rapid Rig’s LookAt Objects caused Maya to crash, so we made our own custom

LookAt Objects after binding. Next, we’ll generate the FINAL rig:

Generating the FINAL Rig and Binding (AKA Skinning)

1. Select Master Control (at the very bottom) AKA RRM_MAIN

2. Go to the tab called: Generate Rig

3. Go to: AddCustomPrefixName>CharacterName:Linguini

4. Click on Generate Modular Rig - - - Give it a second ---- the rig magically appears!

5. Do you want to generate a Single Hierarchy Joint Set? NO. Untemplate your geo.

6. Select one of the custom controls, eg a circle around the arm, then click LOAD RIG.

7. Hold down Shift and then click SELECT SKINNING JOINTS

8. Success! Now Shift+Select the geometry you want to attach to the rig: Do this by holding down Shift and selecting all the pieces of your model EXCEPT for the eyes, teeth, gums and tongue. (Extra Credit: Why don’t we want to select the eyes, teeth, gums and tongue? [because these will need to move separately])

9. To Bind/Skin: In the upper left: Change to the Rigging menu. Go to Skin>Bind Skin Option Box

10. Click on Reset. Skinning Method: Classic Linear

Max Influences: 3

BIND SKIN

SAVE

Test out the different custom controls eg, Translate the foot up by selecting the curves around

Linguini’s feet.

10. Does he have a chef’s hat? Parent it to headtopJNT.

11. Parenting the teeth: Select UpperJawGRP and notice where the pivot is. Move the pivot to headtopJNT (Hold down D and V while doing this).

12. LowerJawGRP: Move the pivotto jawJNT.

THE TUTORIALS "Creating FaecCams" AND "Creating Custom LookAt Objects" continue this tutorial, in that order.