How to have tracked FBX Avatars in vizconnect using 3DSMax and Mixamo’s Auto Rigging

Posted February 15, 2019. Filed under Art Workflow, Avatars. Tags: .

The Autobiped script was created by Ofer Zelichover and Dan Babcock and it is freely released to Mixamo customers

The script will convert any character rigged using Mixamo auto-rigger into a Biped system in 3dsMax

  • If going from Fuse just send to Mixamo and Auto-rig

    • Go to mixamo.com

    • Select “Upload Character”

  • If coming out of other programs (such as Character Creator)

    • Bring avatar into 3DSMax and delete the skeleton (for some models may also have to merge meshes)

    • Export the mesh as an fbx

    • Upload to Mixamo and auto-rig then download

  • Import downloaded avatar into 3DSMax

  • Check size of avatar (Under Utilities- Measure)

  • May have to uncheck “Always Deform” on the mesh (except for feet) - Under Modify- Advanced Properties. This is if you get undesirable results on how the skeleton attaches to the mesh.

  • Add and run this script (AutoBiped) to convert to 3DSMax biped mesh object (Scripting- Run script)

  • Click on "Create Biped"

  • Rename all bones from Bip001*  to Bip01* in 3ds Max (Tools > Rename Objects). Expand all bones in the skeleton and select them all first.

  • Export with Cal3D

  • Use as an imported Complete Character in vizconnect

    • Start Vizconnect by going to Tools- Vizconnect in Vizard

    • Setup your trackers/ inputs/ etc. For help with vizconnect and avatars see the Vizard documentation. You can also choose from one of the common presets.

    • Click on “Avatars” tab and remove the current avatar if there is one there.

    • Add new avatar

    • Choose “imported Complete Characters”

    • In Settings under file, choose your exported .cfg file

    • Make sure to then go to the “Animator” tab under "Avatars" and map whatever trackers you are using to the avatar model

    • Drag the main camera under the head component in the scene graph, as well as any tools you may be using under the hand components.

    • Lastly, add gestures and map them to your input device

  • Afterwards you will want to manually edit the vizconnect file where the avatar is added to change the lines to use vizfx instead of viz.add :

  • import vizfx

  • avatar = vizfx.addChild(filename)

  • If wanting to change the avatar, you can just change the path in the code.