rigging problem - can't mirror
 

My first problem i've needed to post:

I've created a basic head using polygons and i'm now rigging it for facial expressions. I've seen a load of tutorials where whilst they are rigging characters they switch between half the poly character and the full subd character and i can't for the life of me find anywhere on the net that shows me how to do this.
I am rigging it with half of the head (as below) and when i built the head i used a connect poly script to mirror it in the x direction and merge all the vertices - it worked fine.
i assumed whilst rigging i could just use this script to mirror the head and see how he is looking, but it will no longer mirror it.

what i am essentially asking is:
What is the standard way whilst rigging with half a head to have the rig apply to a mirrored side of the head?

this tutorial guuy was just clicking buttons and the subd model would appear, mirrored and rigged the same as his half head, or he could just switch to the low poly model again.

I am willing to start the rigging again, i just want to know the correct way to do this so at the end of the rigging i have not just half a head!

Nay help would be great!, thanks

you might try this one. first of all the reason for rigging the low-res polyObject instead of the subDVersion is all about performance issues. put the low res on a layer, put the subD-version of it onto another so you can turn visability on and of for both.

do not bind the subD to the skeleton. bind the low-res and use it like a lattice to influence the subD. in case you have a complete body, cut it into symetric pieces and bind them to the skeleton. to influence the subD with the lowPolyObject select 1 part of the lowPolyObject and shift-select the subD´s controlvertices wich are overlapped by the lowPolyObject, goto -> submenu Animation - Deform - Create Blendshape.

I think it is Create Blendshape, but am not 100% sure about cause I have no internet at home right now, so can´t prove it. but I hope you did get the idea of it. this way you can swap between low-res and subD any time. update time of smoothed versions is horror, so stick to lowest resolution geometry wich is bent to the joints.

cheers!

So i create a new layer for the subd and set it to a blendshape of the original low poly model?
then when i animate it it will also animate the subd layer?

i'll try it first thing tomorrow morning (off to bed now though)

hey, thanks for the quick response dude, MUCH appreciated

P.S heres the modl;e in question in case you wondered: