Introduction to rigging xsi

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Roymillersinn
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Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by Roymillersinn » 04 Dec 2018, 18:29

Beginner looking for a comprehensive playlist describing the fundation of rigging and just general overview of softimage its self since most youtube videos on si are pretty bad

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Draise
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by Draise » 04 Dec 2018, 19:17

I can PM you a link to watch a few that I have on my cloud. I have an introduction to Softimage 2012 online already.
I also have all the rigging tutorials I can think of. Just let me know.

Roymillersinn
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by Roymillersinn » 04 Dec 2018, 21:08

Yes please! Any resources you have would be appreciated thanks

Roymillersinn
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by Roymillersinn » 05 Dec 2018, 00:07

Yes pm me the link thanks!

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mattmos
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by mattmos » 05 Dec 2018, 08:57

Don't waste your time learning softimage in depth now.

Its still a great package, but has no future, and almost no present any longer, especially not in studios.

The community is shrinking, so you'll find it harder to get help and plugins/resources are dying off.

Take a look at blender/houdini instead.

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rray
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by rray » 05 Dec 2018, 10:54

agreed, not the package of choice right now if you're a new user .. what's left to hope is that Blender takes lots more of inspiration from XSI, especially when they're implementing a new particle system they should do something with a deep foundation in the software like ICE had.
softimage resources section updated Jan 5th 2024

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nicole
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by nicole » 05 Dec 2018, 16:43

mattmos wrote: 05 Dec 2018, 08:57 Don't waste your time learning softimage in depth now.
is blender as interesting and simple & powerful to use for rigging as softimage though?
might be nice to start studying rigging in a clean environment.

of course i have never used houdini, but from afar it doesnot seem as clean as softimage.

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Draise
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by Draise » 05 Dec 2018, 17:55

I like rigging in Blender. Other than the driver workflow (SI is so much better) - it's nice and easy. Bendy bones and the IK system is easier to use than Softimage (but less control). The only thing lacking is ICE rigging systems, through nodes.. which kiiinda can be done (not very optimized) with Animation Nodes.

But in general, rigging in Blender is relatively straightforward, and the constraints available are powerful enough to do.. moooost things. But I still prefer Softimage for its power (though it takes a little more to learn and master)

But Bendy Bones in general, alone, as a feature... is probably worth learning in Blender (it's awesome). Softimage doesn't have this.

These days the UI of Blender is becoming a lot more standard with most 3D software, so learning it won't be a big issue.

I'll soon upload riggin in SI. ;)

Roymillersinn
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by Roymillersinn » 05 Dec 2018, 20:46

I'm riding si to the end when its completely irrevelant i'll migrate to 3dsmax

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Rork
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by Rork » 06 Dec 2018, 13:39

Roymillersinn wrote: 04 Dec 2018, 18:29 Beginner looking for a comprehensive playlist describing the fundation of rigging and just general overview of softimage its self since most youtube videos on si are pretty bad
Hi,

I already gave you a link to a forum area with basically ALL training on Softimage that is (still) to be found on the web.

But to agree with others, don't put your time in learning Softimage. It is EOL for a while, and used less and less everywhere. Most people moved on to Maya, Houdini, Max or something else.
Also, this forum is one of the last with some kind of active userbase, which isn't good for future questions.

If you want to learn 3D in a professional capacity, e.g. getting a job, decide what area you're mostly interested in (modeling, shading, lighting, FX etc.), and invest time in that with e.g. Maya, Houdini and/or Max.

This may sound a bit harsh, but it's just common sense.

And if you're playing around with 3D on a 'hobby' basis, learn Blender as it is free.

rob
SI UI tutorials: Toolbar http://goo.gl/iYOL0l | Custom Layout http://goo.gl/6iP5xQ | RenderManager View http://goo.gl/b4ZkjQ
So long, and thanks for all the Fish!!

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nicole
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by nicole » 07 Dec 2018, 01:33

Draise wrote: 05 Dec 2018, 17:55

These days the UI of Blender is becoming a lot more standard with most 3D software, so learning it won't be a big issue.

I'll soon upload riggin in SI. ;)
hey. could you herald me, there's something i don't get:
are people sometimes using different softwares for a same movie?

i have tried to fbx a rig into blender 2.8 from softimage
and it really seems like blender does not understand what is a softimage bone and even the weighted mesh is crashing once in blender...

thanks.

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Draise
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by Draise » 07 Dec 2018, 02:21

Interpolation of rigs between any 3D software is more often a no go. FBX workflow needs rigs that would be compatible with game engines (few drivers, or no drivers, baked keyframe transform data, no lattices, etc) - like 150 bones max limits, limit 8 bone influences per vertice, etc. Also try keep poly count under a million. Half million. Third million. Also hierachy - like have a root bone and all child bones/nulls as children.

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mattmos
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by mattmos » 07 Dec 2018, 11:34

A lot of movies get made with multiple different softwares, but rigs are rarely transferred. Most of the time they will use something like alembic to transfer mesh data across DCCs.

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Rork
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by Rork » 07 Dec 2018, 13:50

nicole wrote: 07 Dec 2018, 01:33
Draise wrote: 05 Dec 2018, 17:55

These days the UI of Blender is becoming a lot more standard with most 3D software, so learning it won't be a big issue.

I'll soon upload riggin in SI. ;)
hey. could you herald me, there's something i don't get:
are people sometimes using different softwares for a same movie?

i have tried to fbx a rig into blender 2.8 from softimage
and it really seems like blender does not understand what is a softimage bone and even the weighted mesh is crashing once in blender...

thanks.
If I understand your question correctly, yes, when making a movie there's a TON of software used. It's not -just- Maya, or Houdini or..... It's a huge mix of different 2D & 3D applications.

And rigs will never port over from software A to software B. There's too many differences in the core engine, or approaches between software.

rob
SI UI tutorials: Toolbar http://goo.gl/iYOL0l | Custom Layout http://goo.gl/6iP5xQ | RenderManager View http://goo.gl/b4ZkjQ
So long, and thanks for all the Fish!!

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nicole
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by nicole » 07 Dec 2018, 14:18

Rork wrote: 07 Dec 2018, 13:50

If I understand your question correctly, yes, when making a movie there's a TON of software used. It's not -just- Maya, or Houdini or..... It's a huge mix of different 2D & 3D applications.

And rigs will never port over from software A to software B. There's too many differences in the core engine, or approaches between software.

rob
oh. no i use mudbox and other 2D like corel painter with softimage, i knew.

what strikes me is that even between Maya (which i have not (yet?) learned) and Softimage
the fbx does not be used to transfer fully rigged characters.

each time you switch application, then you rebuild your rig from scratch ?

if it is so, then it is because its big studios, or teams of animators with much money, no?

may-be i should take that example in my own autonomous feature movie no budget and if i have
a wish to make use of blender pbr nodes for certain scenes, i'll have to learn re- rig my si characters
in Blender ?

thanks.

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Rork
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Re: Introduction to rigging xsi

Post by Rork » 07 Dec 2018, 14:29

nicole wrote: 07 Dec 2018, 14:18
Rork wrote: 07 Dec 2018, 13:50

If I understand your question correctly, yes, when making a movie there's a TON of software used. It's not -just- Maya, or Houdini or..... It's a huge mix of different 2D & 3D applications.

And rigs will never port over from software A to software B. There's too many differences in the core engine, or approaches between software.

rob
oh. no i use mudbox and other 2D like corel painter with softimage, i knew.

what strikes me is that even between Maya (which i have not (yet?) learned) and Softimage
the fbx does not be used to transfer fully rigged characters.

each time you switch application, then you rebuild your rig from scratch ?

if it is so, then it is because its big studios, or teams of animators with much money, no?

may-be i should take that example in my own autonomous feature movie no budget and if i have
a wish to make use of blender pbr nodes for certain scenes, i'll have to learn re- rig my si characters
in Blender ?

thanks.
TL:DR: Yes! :P

But in all seriousness, -every- 3D application has it's own rigging philosophy. And non of them are compatible. Too many differences.
So yes, rigging is a major pain between applications.

That's why animation between applications is often transferred as Alembic, as was mentioned. Or baked down FBX. Something that is basically just point data + transfer information.
Or is used for big projects, where you want to work on scenes as light as possible, and when the rig isn't needed anymore, bake the results and start with that. E.g. for rendering, or simulation/FX.

But this is a topic that can get technical very quickly ;)

rob
SI UI tutorials: Toolbar http://goo.gl/iYOL0l | Custom Layout http://goo.gl/6iP5xQ | RenderManager View http://goo.gl/b4ZkjQ
So long, and thanks for all the Fish!!

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