Tutorial: Automating Animation & Game-Ready Rigs
The Gnomon Workshop has released Automating Animation & Game-Ready Rigs, an advanced guide to developing a modular rigging system in Python, recorded by DNEG creature supervisor Nick Miller.
The workshop, which provides over three hours of video training, is aimed at riggers looking to sharpen their scripting skills, and aspiring coders.
An advanced guide to
In the tutorial, Miller explores how to create a one-click solution for rigging bipeds, with the potential to customise it to suit other types of characters, pipelines and projects.
He uses Maya‘s standard human IK skeleton as a template from which to build rigs, making it easier to use motion-capture data to drive them.
To demonstrate the system, Miller applies his tools to a downloadable character from Mixamo, to create a fully functional rig to which mocap data can be applied.
As well as character rigging itself, the workshop covers Object-Oriented Programming and the “moderate-to-complex” components of the Python programming language.
Miller also sets out how to organise rigs in a game-engine-friendly manner, making it straightforward to export the skeleton and character mesh.
Viewers of the workshop can download accompanying project files including Miller’s modular rigging package itself, and his asset build folders for three characters.
About the artist
Nick Miller is a creature supervisor at international VFX facility DNEG. He has previously worked for other major visual effects firms including Method Studios and Digital Domain.
He first sharpened his Python skills at Framestore, where he became the main contributor to the commercials department’s rigging package.
Price and availability
Automating Animation & Game-Ready Rigs is available via a subscription to The Gnomon Workshop, providing access to over 300 tutorials. Subscriptions cost $54/month or $499/year. Free trials are available.
Read more about Automating Animation & Game-Ready Rigs on The Gnomon Workshop’s website
Full disclosure: CG Channel is owned by Gnomon.