AUTOWEIGHT V. 0.

060
CONTENT
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. What Autoweight is ..................................................................................................................................... 1 What Autoweight can do for you... ................................................................................................................ 1 What Autoweight won't do for you................................................................................................................ 2 What is new in this autoweight version ...................................................................................................... 2 Where you can get an Autoweight-Tutorial ................................................................................................ 2 How You Install Autoweight ........................................................................................................................ 2 With which Max-Versions Autoweight works well ...................................................................................... 2 What the UI means ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Which Issues exist ........................................................................................................................................ 4 What the Legal Note is About ................................................................................................................. 4 How you can contact me ......................................................................................................................... 4 What you can do if you encounter strange errors .................................................................................. 4

1. WHAT AUTOWEIGHT IS
Autoweight (Automatic Weighting) is a Max Script that was designed to make skinning more comfortable and faster than it is now by manually setting skin weights. It works with bones, standard Biped from 3D Studio Max and CAT-Bones. If you have any suggestions feel free to send me an email (see 11. Contact) or start adding some features on your own. But in every case keep me updated.

2. WHAT AUTOWEIGHT CAN DO FOR YOU...

Autoweight will find bones (normal, biped and CAT) automatically that shall be added to your 3D object and puts them into a skin modifier. Since version 0.060 you can also add a custom hierarchy which makes it possible to pick every object you want to use as a bone. Autoweight will set skin weights automatically for every bone according to a user-defined input and/or the bone length.

3. WHAT AUTOWEIGHT WON 'T DO FOR YOU...

Autoweight won't take all of your skin-weighting work. There will be times when you do have to correct skin values or bones manually.

4. WHAT IS NEW IN THIS AUTOWEIGHT VERSION

In this version (0.060) Im happy to tell all users of 3DS Max 2008 and 2009 that Autoweight has come to your versions as well. I found the problem with these older versions so you can now fully use the script. You can now create region files (AWB) storing your defined regions. Of course you can also re-import the files. With this feature I want to react to all the great feedback from you mentioning this issue the most. Having the import/export function it is no longer possible to select all polygons and import the current color of a face storing it as a new region as in prior versions. There were also many of you guys who wished to use custom bone objects or just a single bone rig from the scene. This is now possible by using the Get Hierachy button. Just pick the root bone of your hierarchy and use Autoweight as usual. Using a .Net Listbox instead of the Max-Script Listboxes you may drag the listbox columns around to change their size. This might be handy if you have bones whose names are longer than the listbox is able to display, so you dont need to guess a bone-name anymore.

5. WHERE YOU CAN GET AN AUTOWEIGHT-TUTORIAL

Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX35677xJRU to watch a video tutorial that covers the main workflow of Autoweight 0.030 which is equal to the workflow of this version. There are a couple of new functions explained in chapter 8. What the UI means

6. HOW YOU INSTALL AUTOWEIGHT

Install Autoweight by running the Autoweight -Setup.exe. When you are asked for a 3DS-Max folder, use the root folder of the Max Version for which you want to install Autoweight. If this exe does not install Autoweight correctly, contact me (Chapter 11)! After the installation, run Max, go to Customize -> Customize user interface, browse the category for Kogens Tools under Action select Autoweight and drag it into one side of the Quad-menu for example.

7. WITH WHICH MAX-VERSIONS AUTOWEIGHT WORKS WELL

Autoweight 0.060 works with 3DS-Max Versions higher or equal 3DS Max 2008. Note that prior versions of Autoweight only work with 3DS Max versions higher or equal 2010.

8. WHAT THE UI MEANS

Image Name Import Export Set Description Allows the user to import Autoweight-data from a file to use formerly set-up regions. The file is a binary file (AutoWeight-Binary, AWB). Allows the user to export Autoweight-data to a file to use defined regions lateron. The file is a binary file (AutoWeight-Binary, AWB). Sets up a color for a new region according to the selected faces. Select a couple of faces and define one specific new region. Select no faces to auto-define regions according to the bones or according to the elements (radiobuttons) of the selected 3d object. Colors regions automatically based upon the closest bone to the 3D object or individual elements of the 3D object. Clears all stored colors and makes the 3D object one single region. Selects all polys that belong to a region. Select one or more polygons from one or more regions. If the regions have been set up all polygons of the appropriate region(s) become selected. Mirrors the selected region(s) along the X, Y or Z direction (radiobuttons). Select all polygons of those regions you want to become mirrored on the other side, make sure youve checked the right Mirroring Direction and click the button. If youre experiencing imprecise results, try selecting and mirroring each region separately. Mirroring direction (world space X, Y or Z) Mirroring precision, the higher this value is the more tolerant the mirroring algorithm will be with polygons on the other side. If you encounter problems by having an imprecise mirroring result set this value higher and mirror again. Calculates the colored regions and stores them in the Regions -listbox. If AutoFind Bones is checked it uses the closest bone for the specific region. If it is unchecked only the region is stored in the listbox. Removes a bone from the selected region in the listbox. Moves the bone from the selected region in the listbox to the upper / lower region. Lets the user pick a specific object which is considered to be the Root -bone of the complete hierarchy (if the object has parent objects Autoweight will ignore them). You can use any of the Max objects. As long as an object name is present on the pick button Autoweight will use the provided object and its hierarchy. Rightclick on the pickbutton, to disable the custom object and its hierarchy. Lets the user pick a specific bone for the selected region in the listbox. If no custom hierarchy is provided it is only possible to select bones (normal, CAT, Biped). If a custom hierarchy is provided by the Get Hierachy button it is possible to select any object. Adds a skin modifier according using the bones and regions from Regions listbox. Using the transition value and the transition curve and / or the Bone-

Bone, Element

Erase Get

Mirror

X, Y, Z Threshold

Calculate Regions

Remove Up / Down

Get Hierachy

Pick

Add Skin

Length checkbox. Transition Defines how large the falloff will be. The falloff is used at the border of two polygon-regions. The Transition value defines how large this border will be. Defines the falloff within the transition border. The standard value is 0.5 for Transition-value = 1 and 0 for the max Transition-value + 1Change curve by clicking and dragging the curve points. Uses a local Transition-value according to the longest bone. The longest bone uses the set transition value. Every bone that is shorter as the longest bone will have a lower Transition-value according to its length.

Falloff Curve

Bone Length

9. WHICH ISSUES EXIST

Autoweight might pick the wrong bone for a region if you have bones that are very close to each other or in some cases of using CAT-Bones (mostly for central HUB bones like the chest or twist bones). If that occurs use Pick to get them manually and the Up and Down arrows to set -up the correct region hierarchy according to the correct (CAT)bone hierarchy.

10. WHAT THE LEGAL NOTE IS ABOUT

Though Autoweight and its attached files were tested on viruses and errors Mirko Haenssgen won't guarantee that. If the script or other files you receive from Mirko Haenssgen cause damages to your data, hard disc or computer Mirko Haenssgen is not responsible for that and won't be liable for defects. Furthermore you accept to use the software on your own risk. If you do not agree to these conditions, do not install or run the script and delete all attached data.

11. HOW YOU CAN CONTACT ME

Website: http://www.kogenspage.com Email: M.Haenssgen@kogenspage.com

12. WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU ENCOUNTER STRANGE ERRORS

Since I want to make this version a stable one I need your help if you encounter errors, so please dont get mad on Youtube or Scriptspot, write me an email describing what you did as detailed as possible and what error

occurred. You may also add an image or even better if you are allowed to attach the current obj ect youre having trouble with in a maxfile. I will then get in contact with you shortly.