Toolkit – Furniture Node Setup for Classic

Description

To make the IMVU Toolkit for Blender functional and easy to use the node set-up used to build the underlying skeleton of a furniture item can cause issues in Classic Editor, largely because the older client is expecting the skeleton to be formatted in a particular way. Although the presence of custom nodes is tolerated so complex items can be made, animated furniture items for example, their order and relationship is more strict than for IMVU Studio, Desktop and Mobile clients. This difference typically results in seat node Handles being incorrectly (re)positioned to wherever the corresponding seat node is. The fix for Handles appearing in the wrong place is to reorganise the skeleton.

Duration: total c. 5 mins (00:05:00).
Info: 1080p.
Suitability: Beginner+.
Source: n/a.
Product ID: n/a.

Design note: more details on the Handle for for IMVU Classic;

Furniture Skeleton

A typical furniture skeleton has a ‘root’ node (“Root”) that, as the name suggests, acts as the root element to which everything is linked. This forms the ‘skeleton’ (skeletal) hierarchy necessary for IMVU to know what the objects is and what it’s supposed to do with it. A simple furniture for example, might have the following set-up in Blender when using the furniture tool;

» root (node)
» » Mesh (object)

This results in the object seen by the User (chair, table, truck etc.) being parented to root, forming a ‘skeleton’ of only two objects, elements or parts.

If this same simple furniture item then has ‘seats’ added (sitting, standing and custom spots for custom avatar poses), the furniture items structure might look as follows in the toolkit;

» root (node)
» » AvatarNodes
» » » Seat01.Standing
» » » » Handle01
» » » » Catcher01.Standing
» » » » » Pitcher01.Standing
» » Mesh (object)

Here, nodes form a more complex hierarchical skeletal structure, each new addition parented to the seat node first, Seat01, which is then linked to another node, AvatarNodes, that acts as a proxy container for all seat nodes as they are dropped into place, which is in-turn finally parented to root forming a relationship chain.

Using the Toolkit (1.2.x shown) the structure of furniture is organised for ease of tool use. However, everything is still parented to “Root”.

Handle Misplaced

Using the set-up described above, when products are exported using the Furniture Tool for use in IMVU Classic Editor and Client, a problem occurs because the app is expecting a skeletal structure that complies with the legacy system Classic uses. For example, where mesh and seat are included the legacy structure is expecting;

» root (node)
» » Seat01.Standing
» » Handle01
» » Catcher01.Standing
» » Pitcher01.Standing
» » Mesh (object)

The difference isn’t subtle, everything is parented directly to “root” regardless as to what the node does. This essentially flattens the skeletal structure and forms a strict hierarchy. When the client doesn’t see this, it ‘breaks’ the items behaviour in-game in various way depending on the skeleton, typically the Handle get repositioned at the seat node.

Using the default items structure generated by the Toolkit, imported projects into Classic Editor and Client may ‘break’ depending on the items set up – shown above the Handle node is (re)positioned incorrectly at the Seat node.

Correcting Handle Placement

To correct for this from within the Toolkit furniture items needs to replicate the structure Classic Editor and Client is expecting, that is, everything parented to “Root”. Depending on what the furniture is, select everything, A, and use Alt + P to Clear and Keep Transforms, or from the Object menu select Parent, then Clear and Keep Transform – Object » Parent » Clear and Keep Transform. This flattens everything inside their respective Collections.

Aside: everything should reside inside the FURNITURE_EXPORT Collection if its to be included as part of the exported FBX file.

Re-select everything, A, making sure to Shift + Click the “Root” node to set it as the active object to which everything is to be parented. Using Ctrl + P, link the objects together selecting Objects (Keep Transform), or alternatively from the Object menu, select Parent then Object. In the popup that appears lower left, ensure “Keep Transform” is checked – Object » Parent » Object » [popup] » Keep Transform. After export and assembly in IMVU Classic, seat Handle will then appear where they should, at about waist height to the avatar.

Unparent and then re-parent everything to the Root node, flattening the skeletal hierarchy to make it more compatible with IMVU Classic.

After reorganising the node-based skeletal structure furniture will appear correctly in IMVU Classic.

Timestamps

Times are approximate;
– n/a