Body Skinning and Rigging

The body skeleton for G5 characters is basically composed of Base Bones and Twist Bones.

The Base Bones are mainly used for adjusting limb size and the Twist Bones are used to manipulate the surface mesh during rotation or scaling adjustments of the Base Bones.

These two kinds of bones can be arbitrarily skinned with meshes; however it is suggested that you follow the list below (note that the bones in bold style are Twist Bones) to skin the meshes:

Bones that don't need to be skinned

• Because the RL_Neck drives the RL_NeckTwist01 and RL_NeckTwist02 to move and roll, only the twist bones need to be skinned.
• The RL_R_Ribs and RL_L_Ribs roll the RL_R_RibsTwist and RL_L_RigsTwist for simulating the breathing motion, only the twist bones need to be skinned.
• The RL_Hips is mainly for adjustments of the height position for the character.
• The RL_R_UpperArm and RL_L_UpperArm drive the RL_R_UpperArmTwist01, RL_L_UpperArmTwist01, RL_R_UpperArmTwist02, and RL_L_UpperArmTwist02 to move and roll; only the twist bones need to be skinned.
• The RL_R_ForeArm and RL_L_ForeArm drive the RL_R_Elbow, RL_L_Elbow, RL_R_ForeArmTwist01, RL_L_ForeArmTwist01, RL_R_ForeArmTwist02, and RL_L_ForeArmTwist02 to move and roll; only the twist bones need to be skinned.
• The RL_R_Thigh and RL_L_Thigh drive the RL_R_ThighTwist01, RL_L_ThighTwist01, RL_R_ThighTwist02, and RL_L_ThighTwist02 to move and roll; only the twist bones need to be skinned.
• The RL_R_Calf and RL_L_Calf drive the RL_R_Knee, RL_L_Knee, RL_R_CalfTwist01, RL_L_CalfTwist01, RL_R_CalfTwist02, and RL_L_CalfTwist02 to move and roll; only the twist bones need to be skinned.
• The RL_R_Hand01_Floor01 ~ 06 and RL_L_Hand01_Floor01 ~ 06 are the markers for the floor contacts of Human-IK hands. They do not need to be skinned.
• The RL_R_Foot01_Floor01 ~ 06 and RL_L_Foot01_Floor01 ~ 06 are the markers for the floor contacts of Human-IK feet. They do not need to be skinned.
• The RL_R_Hand_Acc_Pivot and RL_L_Hand_Acc_Pivot are the locating points for the palms to hold accessories. They do not need to be skinned.

Bones that need to be skinned

The Base Bones that needs to be skinned shall be skinned according to their names that are corresponding to the body parts.

As for the Twist Bones, please follow the rules below to get them skinned:

• Skin the neck mesh evenly around the RL_NeckTwist01 and RL_NeckTwist02.
• Skin the chest mesh that covers the ribs to the RL_R_RibsTwist and RL_L_RibsTwist.
• Skin the upper-arm meshes evenly around the RL_R_UpperArmTwist01, RL_L_UpperArmTwist01, RL_R_UpperArmTwist02, and RL_L_UpperArmTwist02.
• Skin the elbow meshes evenly around the RL_R_Elbow and RL_L_Elbow.
• Skin the forearm meshes evenly around the RL_R_ForeArmTwist01, RL_L_ForeArmTwist01, RL_R_ForeArmTwist02, and RL_L_ForeArmTwist02.
• Skin the thigh meshes evenly around the RL_R_ThighTwist01, RL_L_ThighTwist01, RL_R_ThighTwist02, and RL_L_ThighTwist02.
• Skin the knee meshes to the RL_R_Knee and RL_L_Knee.
• Skin the calf meshes evenly around the RL_R_CalfTwist01, RL_L_CalfTwist01, RL_R_CalfTwist02, and RL_L_CalfTwist02.

Bones that can be optionally skinned

• The RL_Head is generally not skinned, because the G5 head mesh has its own particular specifications.
• The RL_R_Breast and RL_L_Breast can be skinned with the breast meshes of a female character for vibration movement; however, you are not suggested to perform the skinning procedure to these bones of a male character.
• The RL_R_Abdominal and RL_L_Abdominal do not have the need to be skinned with the belly mesh (for belly-vibration) because they are still under development.
• The RL_R_Hip0 and RL_L_Hip0 do not have the need to be skinned with the hip meshes (for hip-vibration) because they are still under development.

Synchronizing Scaling and Rotating

The current 3ds Max G5 template is able to simulate the synchronizing scaling and rotating for the base bones and their gearing twist bones, which is very similar to what you can also do in iClone 5.

• The RL_NeckTwist01 and RL_NeckTwist02 are simultaneously scaled and rotated along with the scaling and rotating of the RL_Neck.

Before scaling the neck base bone	The twist bones are scaled as soon as the neck base bone is scaled.

• The RL_R_UpperArmTwist01, RL_L_UpperArmTwist01, RL_R_UpperArmTwist02 and RL_L_UpperArmTwist02 are simultaneously scaled and rotated along with the scaling and rotating of the RL_R_UpperArm and RL_L_UpperArm.

Before scaling the upper-arm base bone	The twist bones are scaled as soon as the base bone is scaled.

• The RL_R_Elbow, RL_L_Elbow, RL_R_ForeArmTwist01, RL_L_ForeArmTwist01, RL_R_ForeArmTwist02 and RL_L_ForeArmTwist02 are simultaneously scaled and rotated along with the scaling and rotating of the RL_R_ForeArm and RL_L_ForeArm.

Before scaling the forearm base bone	The twist bones are scaled as soon as the base bone is scaled.

• The RL_R_ThighTwist01, RL_L_ThighTwist01, RL_R_ThighTwist02 and RL_L_ThighTwist02 are simultaneously scaled and rotated along with the scaling and rotating of the RL_R_Thigh and RL_L_Thigh.

Before scaling the thigh base bone	The twist bones are scaled as soon as the base bone is scaled.

• The RL_R_Knee, RL_L_Knee, RL_R_CalfTwist01, RL_L_CalfTwist01, RL_R_CalfTwist02 and RL_L_CalfTwist02 are simultaneously scaled and rotated along with the scaling and rotating of the RL_R_Calf and RL_L_Calf.

Before scaling the knee base bone	The twist bones are scaled as soon as the base bone is scaled.