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Smart Bone not moving correctly on frame zero
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2025 5:32 pm
by runtgf
Hello, recently I have been building out smart bones into a character model and have bumped into something that I'm not sure if its an intended feature or problem. For some reason on frame zero when the smart bone dial is turned in the mainline the facial markings don't move, though on any other frame (frame 1 and on) they work and move just as I had animated them to in the head turn action. I have tried adjusting the sequencing but have had no luck getting those layers to move on frame zero. How can I get it to move on frame zero the same way it does on the other layers? I'll add a drive link below with the character model for reference:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19CLhZa ... sp=sharing
I'd appreciate any help I can get with this as it's had me stumped for a while now.
Re: Smart Bone not moving correctly on frame zero
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2025 6:23 pm
by Greenlaw
Hi!
Frame 0 is known as the Setup frame, and it's meant for rigging, not animation. Some animation features may work on frame 0, but you should not depend on the result being accurate or working at all on frame 0.
To properly test a rig feature, you need to be on an Animation frame, which is any frame other than 0.
Typically, I like to test my Smart Bones, IK, Target Bones, etc., on frame 12 or 24...for me, it's just easier to keep track of on these frames, and far enough away from 0 to see the difference from the rest state. I may also set a key at a later frame to see how it transitions from the first keyframe.
One neat feature in Moho is Toggle Frame 0. This command lets you switch between an animation frame and frame 0 and back again, by clicking on a button (above the timeline) or with a shortcut. (BTW, this was called Design Mode in earlier versions of Moho.) This is handy for testing the rig from any animation frame in the timeline.
Stepping back and forth between frames 0 and 1 also works, and it may be good enough for testing many things.
Hope this helps.
Re: Smart Bone not moving correctly on frame zero
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2025 6:47 pm
by runtgf
Greenlaw wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 6:23 pm
Hi!
Frame 0 is known as the
Setup frame, and it's meant for rigging, not animation. Some animation features may work on frame 0, but you should not depend on the result being accurate or working at all on frame 0.
To properly test a rig feature, you need to be on an
Animation frame, which is any frame other than 0.
Typically, I like to test my Smart Bones, IK, Target Bones, etc., on frame 12 or 24...for me, it's just easier to keep track of on these frames, and far enough away from 0 to see the difference from the rest state. I may also set a key at a later frame to see how it transitions from the first keyframe.
One neat feature in Moho is
Toggle Frame 0. This command lets you switch between an animation frame and frame 0 and back again, by clicking on a button (above the timeline) or with a shortcut. (BTW, this was called Design Mode in earlier versions of Moho.) This is handy for testing the rig from any animation frame in the timeline.
Stepping back and forth between frames 0 and 1 also works, and it may be good enough for testing many things.
Hope this helps.
Thank you, this is definitely helpful. I did test the smart bone by moving it on frames other than 0 and it moves exactly as I want it too so I don't think it's broken, it only doesn't move correctly on frame zero for some reason with only the vector layers within the head mask not moving. Though as long as it doesn't affect my end results or anything down the line I'm going to continue rigging things up. I'm aware no animation is done on frame zero but with other models I had made as test in the past I recall being able to manipulate my smart bones just fine on frame zero without any layers being stuck like they are now. Maybe I did something a bit differently back then though? I'll have to see if I can find an old model for comparison.
Re: Smart Bone not moving correctly on frame zero
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 3:27 pm
by Greenlaw
Tip: If any rigging features work in frame 0, it's likely that they are being operated using the
Manipulate Bones Tool. I'll sometimes use it on frame 0 to check simple things, but as mentioned, I wouldn't count on it for accuracy or reliability because it's really not
meant to work on frame 0. Just because it (sort of) works there, doesn't mean it's safe to use it there.
Generally speaking, it's a bad idea to test at frame 0, as it opens the possibility of
unintentionally editing the artwork, rig, and Smart Bone controls. In my opinion, it's not worth the risk, especially when it's easy enough to step into the next frame for accurate testing.
BTW, if
Highlight Frame 0 in Preferences is disabled, I recommend enabling it. This option draws a red box around the working area, reminding me not to do things like rig testing in this frame.
Hope this helps.
Re: Smart Bone not moving correctly on frame zero
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 11:34 pm
by runtgf
This really helps thanks! I had been using the manipulate bone tool with my smart on zero for this model and another. With my other simpler model it looked the same when testing it on zero as it did on other frames so I assumed that if my current one wasn't functioning the same that something was wrong! This is really helpful and I will continue to test on frames other than zero (12 and on) to ensure things work properly and I'm glad to see this is more of an intended feature and not an error I randomly found. I was stuck for a while mainly because I thought I did something wrong since I had been doing it that way for a while lol. Thanks again!