Meshcacher - Revision history

Bassam: /* Installation */

2015-06-25T22:37:06Z

Installation

Bassam at 21:19, 25 June 2015

2015-06-25T21:19:43Z

Bassam at 21:04, 25 June 2015

2015-06-25T21:04:17Z

Bassam: /* Preserving Field guide rigged hair animation with "CASHIFY" property */

2015-06-25T21:00:30Z

Preserving Field guide rigged hair animation with "CASHIFY" property

Bassam: /* Preserving Field guide rigged hair animation with "CASHIFY" property */

2015-06-25T20:58:53Z

Preserving Field guide rigged hair animation with "CASHIFY" property

Bassam: /* Caching an animated character or asset in a shot */

2015-06-25T20:06:30Z

Caching an animated character or asset in a shot

Bassam: /* Usage */

2015-06-25T19:58:56Z

Usage

Bassam at 19:42, 25 June 2015

2015-06-25T19:42:42Z

Bassam at 19:32, 25 June 2015

2015-06-25T19:32:22Z

Bassam: Created page with "== Introduction == Meshcacher is for use with [http://www.blender.org/manual/data_system/linked_libraries.html?highlight=proxy#proxy-objects Linked groups and proxies], replac..."

2015-06-25T19:24:12Z

Created page with "== Introduction == Meshcacher is for use with [http://www.blender.org/manual/data_system/linked_libraries.html?highlight=proxy#proxy-objects Linked groups and proxies], replac..."

New page

== Introduction ==
Meshcacher is for use with [http://www.blender.org/manual/data_system/linked_libraries.html?highlight=proxy#proxy-objects Linked groups and proxies], replacing them with [http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Extensions:2.6/Py/Scripts/Import-Export/Export_PC2_Pointcache pc2 caches] and local meshes with the [http://www.blender.org/manual/modifiers/modify/mesh_cache.html?highlight=pc2 mesh cache modifier]. It can also optionally remove (actually just hides objects and remove [http://www.blender.org/manual/modeling/groups.html?highlight=groups group duplis]) the original linked group/proxy.
The reasons for doing this are:
# Simplify away rigging details and just use simple caches (can be faster)
# Allows local modifications of the meshes (bypassing the limitation of linked groups that does not allow local modifications)
# Easy retiming of animation by automatically driving all meshcache modifiers by a single empty
# Allow duplication of animated characters or objects with different animations (also bypassing a blender limitation with linked groups)

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 == Installation ==
-If you are a general user, download the script and install it normally. Tube Artists can also refer to the [[How to install Addons]] page that has some specific [[SVN and Helga access | SVN]]/ [[Sparkleshare]] instructions on getting tube addons
+If you are a general user, download the script and install it normally - currently it's available on the [https://gitlab.com/bkurdali/tube-addons tube addons gitlab]. Tube Artists can also refer to the [[How to install Addons]] page that has some specific [[SVN and Helga access | SVN]]/ [[Sparkleshare]] instructions on getting tube addons
 == Usage ==

@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 # Show cornea: makes her cornea visible otherwise it will not be there in the cache to render
 ==== Cache the Character ====
-# Go to the File->Export->Cache Proxied Linked Groups
+# Go to the File->Export->Cache Proxied Linked Groups[[File:Exportmenu.jpg|thumbnail|right]]
-# Browse and optionally create the directory you wish to cache in. for Tube this should probably be in non_svn/scenes/act_n/ansnn/ depending on where your shot is.
+# Browse and optionally create the directory you wish to cache in. for Tube this should probably be in non_svn/scenes/act_n/ansnn/ depending on where your shot is.[[File:Cachewindow.jpg|thumbnail|right]]
 # before caching, check the settings:
 ## Cache Subdirectory is where the caches will live
@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 # Press the Cache Group button at the top left, and wait
 ==== Tweaking the cache ====
 ===== Time ramping =====
 The cached animation meshes will all be children of a single empty, with the first part of the name of the proxy, the unique name of the Cache, and the word CACHE for instance : gilga_Purple_CACHE. This empty has a single animated property 'frame' which will default to allowing the cache to play linearly from frame start to frame end with no changes. You can animate this property to time ramp, slow motion or glitch your original animation speed.

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 For caching to work, the animation must happen from a proxy rig in your scene
 ==== Prepare Gilgamesh ====
 If you are caching gilgamesh, you need to go to the rig UI and toggle the following ON:
 # Show hair : makes her eyebrows and lashes visible

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 You can use the Group Layers for this, that way you won't cache more than you need.
 ==== Preserving Field guide rigged hair animation with "CASHIFY" property ====
-[[File:scenelayer_addon.png|thumbnail|right]]
+[[File:CASHIFY.jpg|thumbnail|right]]
 If you have a hair system, for example a ponytail, that is animated using hair guides, you can perserve this animation, so long as those guides are ultimately deformed by armatures (the armatures can be constrained to sims or the proxy rig): What you need to do is add the custom property CASHIFY to the curve guide objects, and to the armature/s, and to any intermediate objects between the armature and the curve guides. Additionally, go into edit mode on the armature/s and add the CASHIFY property to any bone that affects the curves or the hair. When caching, these will be made local, and the animation of the character will be baked frame by frame into the local bones, and driven by the same parent that drives the rest of the cache.

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 You can use the Group Layers for this, that way you won't cache more than you need.
 ==== Preserving Field guide rigged hair animation with "CASHIFY" property ====
 If you have a hair system, for example a ponytail, that is animated using hair guides, you can perserve this animation, so long as those guides are ultimately deformed by armatures (the armatures can be constrained to sims or the proxy rig): What you need to do is add the custom property CASHIFY to the curve guide objects, and to the armature/s, and to any intermediate objects between the armature and the curve guides. Additionally, go into edit mode on the armature/s and add the CASHIFY property to any bone that affects the curves or the hair. When caching, these will be made local, and the animation of the character will be baked frame by frame into the local bones, and driven by the same parent that drives the rest of the cache.
 === Caching an animated character or asset in a shot ===
 ==== Select the Proxy Armature ====

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:58, 25 June 2015
Line 24:		Line 24:
	== Usage ==		== Usage ==
	=== Preparing the Asset to be Cache-able ===		=== Preparing the Asset to be Cache-able ===
		+	==== Make sure all mesh motion is from modifiers, not object motion, parenting or constraints ====
		+	If you had used bone children, object children, drivers, or constraints to move objects in your Asset around based on proxy motion, you must replace these with modifiers, such as armature modifiers or hooks, since the meshcacher will not currently take object motion into account.
		+	==== Material animation must be driven by the proxy rig ====
		+	If you want material animation to be properly cached, make sure you drive it from the main (proxiable) rig. This is mostly going to be the case anyway.
		+	==== Hide any meshes you don't want to render ====
		+	You can use the Group Layers for this, that way you won't cache more than you need.
		+	==== Preserving Field guide rigged hair animation with "CASHIFY" property ====
		+	If you have a hair system, for example a ponytail, that is animated using hair guides, you can perserve this animation, so long as those guides are ultimately deformed by armatures (the armatures can be constrained to sims or the proxy rig): What you need to do is add the custom property CASHIFY to the curve guide objects, and to the armature/s, and to any intermediate objects between the armature and the curve guides. Additionally, go into edit mode on the armature/s and add the CASHIFY property to any bone that affects the curves or the hair. When caching, these will be made local, and the animation of the character will be baked frame by frame into the local bones, and driven by the same parent that drives the rest of the cache.
		+	=== Caching an animated character or asset in a shot ===
		+	==== Select the Proxy Armature ====
		+	For caching to work, the animation must happen from a proxy rig in your scene
		+	==== Cache the Character ====
		+	# Go to the File->Export->Cache Proxied Linked Groups
		+	# Browse and optionally create the directory you wish to cache in. for Tube this should probably be in non_svn/scenes/act_n/ansnn/ depending on where your shot is.
		+	# before caching, check the settings:
		+	## Cache Subdirectory is where the caches will live
		+	## Unique name: if you cache more than once in a file, make sure you name each one uniquely, otherwise, you'll just override your previous cache
		+	## Modifier Settings: Preview or Render: Preview is recommended, since you typically just need to subsurf more for render, and the caches will be lighter.
		+	## rate: if you need subframes, so far only 1 has been tested, use at your own risk!
		+	## Apply Subsurf: will result in denser meshes/caches, use at your own risk!
		+	## Hide Extra Objects: Recommended to hide curve guides/extra rigs that are CASHIFYed
		+	## Hide Original: removes dupli group from empties and hides proxy rig.
		+	# Press the Cache Group button at the top left, and wait

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:42, 25 June 2015
Line 20:		Line 20:

	== Installation ==		== Installation ==
		+	If you are a general user, download the script and install it normally. Tube Artists can also refer to the [[How to install Addons]] page that has some specific [[SVN and Helga access \| SVN]]/ [[Sparkleshare]] instructions on getting tube addons
		+
	== Usage ==		== Usage ==
		+	=== Preparing the Asset to be Cache-able ===

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:32, 25 June 2015
Line 6:		Line 6:
	# Easy retiming of animation by automatically driving all meshcache modifiers by a single empty		# Easy retiming of animation by automatically driving all meshcache modifiers by a single empty
	# Allow duplication of animated characters or objects with different animations (also bypassing a blender limitation with linked groups)		# Allow duplication of animated characters or objects with different animations (also bypassing a blender limitation with linked groups)
		+
		+	== What it does ==
		+	# This script replaces each visible mesh in the original group with an identical local mesh, squashing most of the modifier stack and adding a meshcache modifier to each mesh.
		+	# It caches the original meshes' animation frame by frame and saves into a directory of the users choice
		+	# Optional non mesh members of the groups (curves, empties, rigs) can be made local by adding a custom property called "CASHIFY" onto their objects.
		+	# "CASHIFY" armatures must also have "CASHIFY" custom property on every bone (in edit mode) that will be copied over; all other bones will not be made local.
		+	# Localized armatures will be driven, frame by frame, with the same driver that affects the mesh caches
		+	# Any modifiers in localized "CASHIFY"ed objects will attempt to be replaced by their "CASHIFY"ed counterparts.
		+	# Hair systems will be preserved.
		+	# Materials driven by the proxy rig will retain their driven animations using drivers.
		+
		+	The "CASHIFY" workaround is intended to keep hair systems that use curve guides functioning in the cache, since pc2 only supports vertex positions. care must be taken to localize the curve guides, and all objects that modify them (hooks, parents, armatures, armature bones)
		+
		+	== Installation ==
		+	== Usage ==