Locking Bones (New for 5)

When you are moving a specific body part with an effector point in the dummy pane, you may find that the chain-reaction happens to other body parts. This is because these body parts are connected to each other with virtual bones.

Although you may not break the bones, you may lock some effector points from the dummy pane so that when you are moving or rotating another body part, this locked one will try not to be moved or rotated.

Lock Move

If you use the Lock Move, then the corresponding body part will be pinned to where it is. So that when you move another body part, it still remains.

  1. Apply a character with a start pose. You may need the left hand and foot to be pinned when you move another body part.
  2. In the dummy pane, select the left hand and foot effector points and activate the Lock Move (Direct puppet panel) or the Pinning Move (Motion Layer Editor panel) box.

    Direct Puppet Panel - Lock Move

    Motion Layer Editor Panel - Pinning Move

    You may also right click on one of the effector points to quickly switch its status.
  3. Select another effector point.
  4. Move the corresponding body part of the effector point. The locked left hand will stay where it is.

    This is what you see if the orientation of the head is not locked.

Lock Rotate

When an effector point is moved, and you do not want another specific body part to rotate itself, then you can use the Lock Rotate feature.

  1. Apply a character with a start pose. You may need to lock the head orientation when you move another body part.
  2. In the dummy pane, select the head effector point and activate the Lock Rotate (Direct puppet panel) or the Pinning Rotate (Motion Layer Editor panel) box.

    Direct Puppet Panel - Lock Rotate

    Motion Layer Editor Panel - Pinning Rotate

    You may also right click on one of the effector points to quickly switch its status.
  3. Select another effector point.
  4. Move the corresponding body part of the effector point. The head tries to keep at the original angle.

    This is what you see if the rotation of the head is not locked.

Realistic Shoulder

If you want to produce a motion layer key or a puppeteering a motion with the hands raised up high, then you need to activate this box. It ensures you with optimized results.

Realistic Shoulder = Off

Realistic Shoulder = On

However, when you lower arms down, the shoulders may shrug. Please set motion layer key to fix them back to normal.

Shoulder shrugs.

Note:

  • Please note that if you select any effector point that is , , or , then you can still move, rotate or even puppet it because your control has higher priority than the locks or pins.
  • Only in the Edit Motion Layer panel can you select multiple effector points by holding your Ctrl key and clicking on the desired effector point.
    Multi-selected effector point
  • The multi-selected effector points can then be locked or pinned at the same time.