Turning all Limits Off on Genesis 2 characters (importing iMotion converted bvh) - how?

teknostorm

I have converted some iMotions from iClone in 3dXchange to bvh files, and exported them to Genesis 2 figure format.

When I import in Daz Studio I was getting some weird swinging movements, so I followed the instructions on the end of this page which says 'Forcing Motions to be Identical'. Basically it turns Limit Motion (rotation) off for all the bones in Genesis 2.

http://www.reallusion.com/iclone/help/3DXchange5/Pipeline/03_Pipelines/Exporting_BVH_Motions_to_DAZ.htm

After this when I imported the bvh the animation to Genesis 2 figure in Daz Studio it was perfect.

So I am importing the same bvh (and even aniblocks converted from bvh in Daz Studio) in Carrara and am getting the same swinging motions I was getting in Daz Studio before turning off limits.

So how do I turn off limits of all the bones of a figure in Carrara?

evilproducer

So keep in mind that I have Carrara 7.2 Pro, which means that I can't use Genesis, and also there may be some minor interface differences...

There is an icon at the top of the screen that will disable limits globally across the whole scene. This works great, but it's like using a pile driver to put in a tent stake.

You may also be able to edit the IK and constraints of the figure itself either on a joint by joint basis or by the figure's tree. This is where my qualifier about having C7.2 Pro enters the picture. Genesis may not work the way I expect a Gen 4 (or earlier) figure to behave.

To change the whole figure at once, select the Hip (the first bone in the hierarchy) and then choose the Animation menu at the top of the screen. Next click on IK and Constraints. A new window will open. If you set up the options the way I have them, all the joints should be changed at once. I would try using the ball joint setting first. the joint rotation will be free, but the bone is still attached to the other bones. This should avoid the Stretch Armstrong look.

You can also change the constraints of each joint individually by selecting the bone, and then selecting the Motion Tab, and using the pulldown menu to change the joint type. You can also set the constraints for the individual joint and type by using the sliders and constraint rings, or using numeric values.

Just a quick note: When I was following tutorials about building my own rigs in Carrara, when it came time to set IK and constraints, the constraints the tutorial used was limited. The constraint rings were set to limited and the rotation value was set from there. For instance, a knee doesn't bend forward or to the side (unless you're RGIII ;-) ), but the neck has a greater range of motion, so the constraints would be different.

evilproducer

And all my screen shots are out of order..... :-S

teknostorm

Thanks so much for the solution!

I also found an alternate method by Wendy (on forum search) to import from Daz to Carrara without switching off limits - export the animation in Daz studio using poser exporter plugin, then import that into the figure in Carrara. Worked perfectly also!