IK binding many small objects...
 

Greetings - a Skeleton / Bind question...

I have modelled some pants for a character out of nurb patches, but I must be missing something when it comes to IK'ing them.

I built explicit stitches running down the seams, as I need to create an obvious stitched look, bump mapping wont cut it. Each stitch is an instance of a master stitch object, so I can edit its shape and have all the rest update, if need be.

Also, the various nurb patches and stitch models are grouped under a "Pants" Group node. This is the node Im selecting to do the bind.

Now, when I bind and deform said pants, the little stitches fly off in all directions - why do they not lock to the joints?

Ive tried deleting history, and freezing the transformations of the little stitches, but Maya tells me it cant freeze transforms because I have instanced geometry.

EG - here's before & after the bind/deform...

Hard one to fingure out with out seeing the file. Try selecting all the little stich nodes in the graph editor not just the top group node when you go to bind.

If that don't work try parenting the little patches to the pants geometry instead of the joints.

And if that dont work i'll have to think about it for a bit see what I can come up with.

it depends on how you made the stitches, were they modelled? or a texture?

The stitches are modeled, not texture/bump mapped.

They had to stand out, so I modelled one stitch model, and instance-duplicated it, placing them one by one in their path down the seam.

Just when I bend the leg, they go flying off in random directions.

???


Dan

It may be due to the instancing. Does it do the same if you just copy the stitches without instancing them?

I do not believe instances are what you want to use... from what I understand, the instance would be affected by the master's movements, which would throw them out of whack, especially if they don't have the same rotational pivot and so on. I think your best bet would be to use straight copies instead.