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[geezbtw]

I've just created my first model (polygons), created a skeleton using skeleton works from bonus tools. I've added IK handles and bound it to the polygon models skin. All the movements and poses work and animate correctly, until I actually move the character within the scene. I select the character, all handles, the skeletons root and the model to move it. While I'm moving it the skeleton is sliding away from the model until it comes out of the model entirely. Then I get all manner of weird effects.

I just froze transformations (foolish) on the skeleton using skeleton works and now I cannot move the skeleton and body without deformations, and it wont move,

Many thanks.

[mtmckinley]

don't select the geometry. Moving it AND the skeleton is creating a double transform.

[geezbtw]

Many thanks. Thats my problem, and putting too much into a character set also. Will rebuild my cycles now.

[maya4todd]

OK, let me see if I get this right:

After boning a character and binding the bones to the geometry I should animate the character by selecting the bones to "move" and animate the character, and avoid selecting the geometry?

[Dann]

that's about right Todd. I often create 2 groups once I've riggerd a character. Group 1 has all of the bones and control objects, and group 2 has the geometry models. I then will lock all of the channels of everything in group 2 and put the in a display layer that I set to "R" so that I don't even have to worry about accidently selecting the models.

[mtmckinley]

yep, any geometry bound to a skeleton forfeits its own controls to the skeleton.