{"id":9305,"date":"2024-09-06T14:03:35","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T13:03:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/?p=9305"},"modified":"2024-09-06T14:03:35","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T13:03:35","slug":"toolkit-animated-couples-poses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/toolkit-animated-couples-poses\/","title":{"rendered":"Toolkit &#8211; Animated Couples Poses"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a053faa84e86\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a053faa84e86\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/toolkit-animated-couples-poses\/#description\" >Description<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/toolkit-animated-couples-poses\/#initial-setuppose\" >Initial Setup\/Pose<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/toolkit-animated-couples-poses\/#select-all\" >Select All<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/toolkit-animated-couples-poses\/#object-mode\" >Object Mode<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/toolkit-animated-couples-poses\/#action-type-trigger\" >Action Type Trigger<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/toolkit-animated-couples-poses\/#timestamps\" >Timestamps<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: black; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 25px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%;\"><center><iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FXyrYRreqqk?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"description\"><\/span>Description<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In this exercise we take a look at using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/tag\/imvu-studio-toolkit\/\">IMVU Toolkit for Blender<\/a> to create a pair of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/tag\/animation\/\">animated avatar poses<\/a>. While the Toolkit is not specifically designed to do this, creating a matched avatar pairing is possible by duplicating the main control rig and using it as a proxy, a second rig we can use to create new, or modify existing, animated action sequences that can be exported to FBX. In addition, any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/tag\/furniture\/\">furniture<\/a> or room will need to be set up to accommodate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/tag\/poses\/\">custom poses<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b>Duration<\/b>: total c. 50 mins (00:50:00).<br \/>\n<b>Info<\/b>: 1080p.<br \/>\n<b>Suitability<\/b>: Beginner+.<br \/>\n<b>Source<\/b>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/files\/imvu\/katsbits - toolkit animated couples poses.zip\">KatsBits \u2013 Toolkit Animated Couples Poses<\/a> (c. 10 MB | *.blend, *.fbx, *.png).<br \/>\n<b>Product ID<\/b>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imvu.com\/shop\/product.php?products_id=68735787\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Animated Couples<\/a> (68735787) | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imvu.com\/shop\/product.php?products_id=68736049\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Animated Couples Facing<\/a> (68736049).<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"background-color: #ddecf3; color: #000;\"><p><b>Download<\/b>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/files\/imvu\/katsbits - toolkit couples setup file.zip\">KatsBits &#8211; Couples Pose File<\/a> &#8211; *.blend includes two avatars preconfigured for &#8216;couples&#8217; animation and poses. For use with the IMVU Toolkit for Blender v 1.1.4 or above.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Design note<\/strong>: some additional considerations to keep in mind when making animated couples poses using the Toolkit for Blender;<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"initial-setuppose\"><\/span>Initial Setup\/Pose<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Depending on what the poses are for a reference object or objects may need to be loaded in to the scene. Where this is necessary use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/imvu-append\/\">Append<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/imvu-throne\/\">import key elements<\/a> sufficient to pose the avatar\/s against, for example the furniture item or room shell the avatars interact with, so the furniture or room mesh, and seat nodes the poses are for. This should be done <em>after<\/em> an <strong>Animation Tool<\/strong> instance has been loaded into the scene &#8211; click <strong>Append Animation File<\/strong> [1] <em>then<\/em> use <strong>Append<\/strong> [2] to bring in the references else the pose rig will reset the scene and remove what&#8217;s been brought in.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/imvu-studio\/animated-couples-reference-objects.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 98.5%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/imvu-studio\/animated-couples-reference-objects.jpg\" alt=\"Append references\" width=\"900px\" height=\"500px\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>Where reference are needed load the <strong>Animation File<\/strong> first [1] and then <strong>Append<\/strong> [2] any meshes, seat and or root node objects &#8211; shown above a stool mesh, seat and root nodes have been appended around which the avatars would then be posed.<\/i><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"select-all\"><\/span>Select All<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Regardless of any initial poses, when selecting the rig for proxy duplication, make sure to use <strong>Select \u00bb All<\/strong> [3], <span class=\"shortcutkey\">A<\/span>, to ensure the <strong>Anim<\/strong> and <strong>Morph<\/strong> data elements are included. This can be verified in the Outliner by checking to see if the <strong>Anim<\/strong> and <strong>Morph<\/strong> entries are highlighted [4] and\/or whether the avatar meshes distort out of shape when the selected objects are moved in the 3D Viewport &#8211; the avatar meshes should remain intact. If this is not done the proxy rig won&#8217;t work correctly.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #fc0; color: #000; width: 98.5%; padding: 1.0em;\"><strong>Important<\/strong>: to avoid issues and conflicts it&#8217;s critical to duplicate the scenes contents as described rather than adding a new toolkit instance. In other words <strong>do not click <em>Append Animation File<\/em> again<\/strong> as this duplicates the underlying project structure, all that&#8217;s needed is the avatar and the corresponding control rig.<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/imvu-studio\/animated-couples-select-all.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 98.5%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/imvu-studio\/animated-couples-select-all.jpg\" alt=\"Select All\" width=\"900px\" height=\"500px\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>Make sure to Select All [3] to ensure the Anim and Morph [4] data blocks are included so the proxy rig works correctly.<\/i><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"object-mode\"><\/span>Object Mode<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>If an avatar instance needs to be rotated, moved or positioned away from the master rig, always use the &#8216;proxy&#8217;, and ensure this is done in <strong>Object Mode<\/strong> [5], while the rig is highlighted orange; DO NOT do this type of manipulation in <strong>Pose Mode<\/strong> unless the pose is supposed to move relatively, i.e. the avatar is animated facing one direction then turning to another. Orientation is generally defined by seat nodes.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/imvu-studio\/animated-couples-object-mode.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 98.5%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/imvu-studio\/animated-couples-object-mode.jpg\" alt=\"Orientation and location\" width=\"900px\" height=\"500px\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>If an avatar needs to face a particular direction this can be done by manipulating the proxy rig in Object Mode [5], which is then match up to a corresponding seat node.<\/i><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"action-type-trigger\"><\/span>Action Type Trigger<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Avatar poses are created relative to what they are supposed to do in IMVU. This typically means they are either interacting with each other, furniture or room seat nodes\/pose spots. In practice this means actions are triggered when seat node is used, or if not set, they default to the avatars idle standing until a pose is triggered by typing a phrase, or from the avatar menu (when available) &#8211; poses and animations need to be set up specifically to do one or the other in Studio by setting the <strong>Action Type<\/strong> [6] appropriately for a given <strong>Action<\/strong>; when <strong>Avatar<\/strong> is set actions can be triggered using a word or phrase; when <strong>Room<\/strong> is set, or the option is left blank, actions automatically trigged when seat nodes are used.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #ededed; color: #000; width: 98.5%; padding: 1.0em;\"><strong>Aside<\/strong>: in this context avatars are not &#8216;interacting&#8217; as they would be when engaged in a &#8216;<em>co-operative action<\/em>&#8216;, actions both avatars perform together when triggered through the avatar co-op menu (right-clicking an avatar), instead actions are activated as soon as a seat node is occupied.<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/imvu-studio\/animated-couples-action-type.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 98.5%; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/imvu-studio\/animated-couples-action-type.jpg\" alt=\"Action Type in Studio\" width=\"900px\" height=\"500px\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<i>Set the <strong>Action Type<\/strong> [6] to define whether a given action activates a custom pose automatically or when using a seat node.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"timestamps\"><\/span>Timestamps<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Times are approximate;<br \/>\n&#8211; 00:00 : Overview<br \/>\n&#8211; 03:00 : Pose 1<br \/>\n&#8211; 10:00 : Pose 2 &#038; Export<br \/>\n&#8211; 23:00 : Furniture Setup &#038; Export<br \/>\n&#8211; 28:00 : Studio Assembly<br \/>\n&#8211; 34:00 : Pose 3 &#038; 4, Furniture Setup<br \/>\n&#8211; 43:00 : Studio Assembly<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9310,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,37,230],"tags":[945,217,622,871,473,549,951,203,195,194,738,835,623,423,744,630,869],"class_list":["post-9305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blender","category-imvu","category-tutorials","tag-action","tag-action-editor","tag-animation","tag-animation-tool","tag-append","tag-avatars","tag-couples-poses","tag-fbx","tag-furniture","tag-imvu","tag-imvu-studio","tag-imvu-studio-toolkit","tag-keyframes","tag-object-mode","tag-pose-mode","tag-poses","tag-rig"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9305"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9305\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9326,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9305\/revisions\/9326"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/codex\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}