LightWave [8]: Smart Skinning - Tutorials - LightWave 3D®- NewTek

Another Lightwave nugget that I’ve found working on the Impact comp is this smart skinning tutorial on the NewTek site. I’m not sure how I missed it before, but it’s really the ONLY workable way of doing corrective morphs I’ve found for Lightwave.

The problem has always been that because of Lightwave’s modeller/layout separation, it’s not possible to make the bone deformation, and then “fix” the joint problems directly on the model (since that needs to be done in modeller). Most of the other techniques I’d read involved a bit of trial and error, which to me seems like a waste of time. If I’m fixing a joint problem, I want to be sure that the fixes I make come out the way I want. Otherwise it’s an exercise in frustration (for me that’s a good description for the whole rigging process ).

This technique involves using Soft FX, without soft dynamics enabled to enable the use of EditFX in Layout. EditFX can be used to “sculpt” the fix directly on the model. Then the bone rotation can be easily unapplied, and the EditFX fixes remain on the model. This deformation is then saved out as an endomorph which can then be automated with JointMorph. Perfect, quick and easy!

I don’t think I’ll bother with weightmaps every again with technique available, since weightmaps require a lot of tweaking to get right on more complex models, and even then don’t always get you 100% of the way there. This technique guarantees a good result, just so long as your weightless bone layout provides a reasonable starting point.

Anyhow, good stuff.