Moho Forum

Hi,

I've been experimenting with Moho (before I buy it) and I think it's great. Just getting used to a few things though.

At the moment, I have a problem with placing bones in a character that has a number of Switch Layers.

Basically, I have normal (vector) layers for things like the Head, Arms, Legs, Body, etc but I've made Switch Layers for the Eyes, Mouths, and Left and Right Hands. Within these Switch Layers are a bunch of different versions of elements eg. Frowning Eyes, Surprised Eyes, Squinting, etc.

When I put all the layers in a Skeleton (Bones) layer, and then try to place bones in my character all the Switch Layers won't 'bone' up. For example, I create bones in the arm and hand... but only the arm bones 'apply'. The final (hand) bone can't seem to get into that Switch Layer, with the hand in it. There's a bone there but it's just attached to the end of the arm - it won't affect the hand at all.

Would someone help me with this. I know it's probably something 'easy' but I haven't found a solution yet.

Thanks in advance. Really looking forward to a solution ('cos I spent all day making a character with multiple expressions and hand positions but I can't put bones in him at the moment).

Help would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

ALEX

Hi Alex,

no, bones don't go down multiple sub-layers.

You have a number of options.

1. Change your vector layers to higher-level layers then use layer visibility rather than Switching. Very clunky.

Preferred option:
2. Just assign the whole switch layer to a single bone for overall poitioning e.g. left hand bone, head bone.
(Make switch layer direct child of bone layer. Click on switch layer in Layers window. Click on Bind Layer tool - icon: bone sitting on sheet of paper. Click on bone which will control whole layer - if the bone didn't turn red, you missed, run through the procedure again.)
Animate the switch layer separately.

Alternatives, depending on your required level of control or style of animation:

(Warped, err, warping animator option: Might work okay for facial features)
2a. Set up one set of bones in the master switch layer (these bones will affect all sub-layers), perhaps for squishy facial animation, or

(Control-freak animator option: Should work okay for hands, possibly eyebrow, eyelid, )
2b. Make each switch sublayer a bone layer with a vector child layer, animate the finger bones separately for each switch sub-layer, or

(Cut-out laissez-faire animator option: "hey, I've drawn a bunch of hand positions, I'm not animating individual fingers")
2c. Just use switch layers to control how the hand looks, no bones except for the hand-layer positioning bone back up in the main skeleton, controlling the entire switch layer. Use Switching to animate the hand positions.

Myself, I'm currently in the 7-step withdrawal program to move from control-freak to laissez-faire after enjoying watching King Arthur's Disasters, now available on region 4 DVDs, and rewatching old Roger Ramjet cartoons, now out on DVD - now there's a show to watch for animation shortcuts.

Regards, Myles.