Aniblocks vs NLA clips?

teknostorm

I was very conveniently using aniblocks to animate the characters in Daz Studio. There I can browse the aniblocks and hover my mouse over them and the character enacts that movement. In Carrara however, I have to import aniblocks just by reading the name, see what the character does (many of the times nothing, especially in the emotions / expressions aniblocks), then if that does not work, delete them tediously, and try the next aniblock. If I like something, save as NLA, which works almost like an aniblock.

Is there any way to batch convert aniblocks to NLAs?

Why don't we have NLA versions of aniblocks? Why is there a collection of aniblocks for Daz but no NLA that I can find for Carrara?

DUDU

Firstly because the aniblocks are commercial items, and DAZ is ultra commercial.
You can convert your aniblocks into NLA (Bake your aniblock to keyframes “Right click the aniblock line to get the option to bake to key frames. ”: cf: ManStan).
I also read that one can import an aniblock in C8.5 directly, perhaps with a plugin ?).
But it shouldn't be forgotten that an animation “click and go” is only a base of work to help you in your personal creation…
Carrara is a program where you can do everything by yourself and the NLA are useful only to have a base of data for animations, like the aniblocks.
I don't know for the aniblocks in DS, but the NLA tracks of Carrara can be combined for several types of movements, for example, a track for the movements of the body, another for mimic, etc…
I'm shure that they are some great specialists here on this forum.

Fenric

Yep...

http://www.daz3d.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=aniblock+importer+carrara

What you don't get is nice animated previews like Studio does. And you have to go find them with the open-file dialog rather than having them nicely in the browser.

Dartanbeck

teknostorm said:

I was very conveniently using aniblocks to animate the characters in Daz Studio. There I can browse the aniblocks and hover my mouse over them and the character enacts that movement. In Carrara however, I have to import aniblocks just by reading the name, see what the character does (many of the times nothing, especially in the emotions / expressions aniblocks), then if that does not work, delete them tediously, and try the next aniblock. If I like something, save as NLA, which works almost like an aniblock.

Is there any way to batch convert aniblocks to NLAs?

Why don't we have NLA versions of aniblocks? Why is there a collection of aniblocks for Daz but no NLA that I can find for Carrara?

Hey bud!
When it comes to using aniBlocks, I have found that it can be really beneficial to use both DAZ Studio and Carrara together.
In my ►►► Carrara Information Manual ◄◄◄ thread, I have an article called: AniMating in Carrara that talks about some of my experiences in this field. Have a look, if you like.

In short, I have purchased aniMate 2 for DAZ Studio, so I have the full set of tools that aniMate 2 has to offer, instead of just the free ones that come with DS. I love how fluidly the aniMations behave in DS for selecting the ones that I want, and the tools and video tutorials from GoFigure help in customizing and even making all new aniBlocks. Blend some together, alter the behavior of one or more of the figure's joints, convert PZ2 animated pose files to aniBlocks... aniMate 2 is a really beneficial tool if you enjoy working in that way - and I do. But when it comes to actual key framing my own animations, I get a headache when I try doing it outside of the mighty Carrara, where I find it to be quite pleasant!

I import my aniBlocks into Carrara and tweak the animations to my liking, and then save out NLA Clips to my Customized Browser in a way that I can grab all manner of motions for nearly any occasion. It works great - but it's something that is never to be considered a completed project. I've decided that it is far more efficient for me to just save the motions that I need, the way I need them saved (more about that in the AniMating in Carrara link above) when I need them, rather than continuing in my massive attempt to make an incredibly complete catalog of any motion imaginable. That exhaustive attempt was very cool though. It taught me a lot about how many different motions I could save, and finding efficient ways to catalog them for easy finding and using later - when I need them.

To that end, I'll make one NLA clip for the motion of the hip through each leg and foot - deselecting everything else from that particular clip save. This allows me to make my own motions for the abs, chest, neck, head, and arms. Other clips will be saved for arm motions, either both arms or each individually, depending upon what I want to use the motions for. Other clips might get saved including everything from the aniBlock for the full, intended animation. I have saved walks for my main Rosie character that include the entire walk cycle, some with everything except the head (so I can animate what her head does individually), and some that include everything except for the head and arms - which is most useful for having her walk with a rifle or holding a box - perhaps holding her hand over her brow to block the sun, etc.,

I can then mix and match various arm movements with different leg/hip motions... perhaps add one for the head, or animate the head by hand using key frames or a "Point At" modifier. So now I can add a Hip/Legs NLA clip for a looping walk and then grab an arm motion for throwing a football, and animate the abs, chest, neck, head, and the other arm using the conventional key framing method - which is now a lot easier with all of the other parts being controlled by real human data from a professional motion recording studio. The result becomes a very upset hero throwing a stone while walking angrily away from a disappointing situation!

Sometimes I'll get an idea for a motion that I need which is incredibly similar to something from my collection of aniBlocks from GoFigure, SKAmotion, or Posermocap, and I can envision a way to tweak the motion into exactly what I want, directly in the original file from within aniMate 2, using its powerful editing tools - and then save out some new aniBlocks to my ever-growing collection.

So I'll always recommend keeping DAZ Studio installed onto any machine that is being used for working with Genesis (1 or 2) in any way - even in Carrara, as well as working with the aniMate/aniBlock system. I find that it is SO much easier to actually work with key frames and making my own animations in Carrara over anything else I've tried. But I still like to keep the other tools that have helpers - like Poser and its Walk Designer and DAZ Studio with the amazing aniMate 2 plugin by GoFigure!

We can go into Poser and lay out a path with a custom walk cycle and save it as an animated PZ2 (Poser pose) file and then load that onto a figure in DAZ Studio, bake the keys into an aniBlock and save it, tweak it... you know... aniMate!

WendyLuvsCatz

You could import all the aniblocks on a figure preferably without translation and save them as NLA clips.
I find them both usefull and a curse in DAZ studio as they include translation and transform data that is hard to alter for things like parenting to other objects that are animated, keymate and graphmate may help if I get around to figuring them out.
In Carrara you get keyframes for your imported aniblocks but they do tend to be every bone on every frame which is one reason I find premade keyframed Poser animations much easier to work with.
If I want precise walk cycles with terrain/ foot contact and exact distance per step iClone is my prefered software using a persona and it does export as bvh but best saved in DAZ studio for carrara import as a motion be it duf or pz2 or even an aniblock.
Poser walk designer quite good too except I have yet to get comfortable looking Genesis etc walks.
I get too much footsliding in my videos due to shadowcatch and video backgrounds!!! Rather than badly executed walks per se as those you do no see how bad it is until rendered, the obvious answer is to NOT show the legs doing it!! Unless no camera movement.

Dartanbeck

That's one thing that makes me prefer to animate the Generation 4 figures over the newer Genesis...

Fenric's PZ2/BVH Export tool for Carrara can export an animated PZ2 of a motion and, like Poser pose export (save), you may choose to NOT include translation, causing the entire motion to move 'in place', which may then be applied to a motion path, etc., - the stuff Wendy refers to above.

While on the subject of Translation, I like to go into Poser and create a simple situation that resembles the situation that I have in my Carrara scene. Then set out a path and use the Walk Designer to have the figure walk the path, and then save the animated PZ2 (with translation) for use in my Carrara scene. Works great.

I've not yet tried motion paths in Carrara. It would be fun to see how well a user could use GoFigure, SKAmotion, and Posermocap walk cycles, except set to 'not' include translation, and set it upon the path. Nerd3D's Walk Cycles for V4 and M4 would probably work really fine - and can be easily tweaked in the Poser Walk Designer in preparation for the scene, and then saved without translation. I'll have to give some of this stuff a try. The only reason I haven't yet is because of the translation success I've had from using the aniBlocks that I've picked up from GoFigure, SKAmotion, and Posermocap so far. There are many others I'd like to collect as well. As much as I have really come to love key frame animation by hand, I still love the time-savings and just plain variety of motions that I get from purchasing good animation sets. I love GoFigure's V4 and M4 moton kits, and have found that I can use most of them for many other purposes which defy the original intent - with a bit of manipulation. Posermocap has a real fluid feel to his sets, and I've found that I can use portions of them as cycles for certain things, as well as using portions in combination with portions of other motions to create unique animations. And I am totally a big fan of what SKAmotion has been turning out. Now I want to try out the new animation artist here at DAZ 3D, whom sells action sets and the like... I think that they might fit in nicely with what I'm after - even though many of them look to me to be very similar to a lot of the animations I've already been making myself - but it's always nice to have MORE!

All of those include translation. Any of them which can be applied to Generation 4 figures can be made without translation either through Poser or via Fenric's wonderful plugin. But I've been finding the translations to work very well for my work.

teknostorm

Thanks for all the replies. Dartanbeck your detailed instructions will be very helpful, as I plan to import and convert all my aniblocks to NLAs.

And thanks for the tip wendycatz - not showing the legs will work for me!

I wonder if you are able to get the emotions / expressions aniblocks to load?

However my question still is, why haven't aniblocks been implemented for Carrara, since they are the same company, or why aren't NLA versions of the aniblocks made for sale by the people who make the aniblocks? Would make it very convenient rather than import and convert each aniblock.

Dartanbeck

teknostorm said:

However my question still is, why haven't aniblocks been implemented for Carrara, since they are the same company, or why aren't NLA versions of the aniblocks made for sale by the people who make the aniblocks? Would make it very convenient rather than import and convert each aniblock.

The format included in the package is the responsibility of the PA (Published Artist)
To try and start a trend, I have created both of my NLA packs to include both Poser PZ2 and DS aniBlocks as well.

dB Animation Kit - Swordworks for M4
teaser video

dB Animation Kit 1 for Millenium Dragon 2
teaser video

teknostorm

That's an excellent move Dartanbeck! I hope the other creators follow your idea.