VastPark developer zone

Hi Ben,

The VastPark creator does not include any form of polygonal modeling tools or rigging tools. This would need to be accomplished in something like 3ds Max, and then Published as a model which can then be brought into the Creator.

VastPark utilises the LIXA animation format for avatar animations. These are XML based animation files referenced by the Avatar Controller plugin.

I have added some details on the creation of custom avatars in the wiki: http://www.vastpark.org/wiki/vp/Creating_Custom_Avatars

Please let us know if you require further information on this topic.

Thanks,

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy,

Thanks a lot for the immediate response. As mentioned, I have installed the LIXA animation plug-in and its working in 3DS MAX. Now, I need to explore the sample avatar 3DS MAX file (VastPark-DefaultAvatar-ProxyMan).

For this, I need more help from your side.

I will get back to you soon.

Thanks,
Ben

Hi Jeremy,

It will be very helpful if you could give me a short description or a simple tutorial on how to use the LIXA Animation Exporter plug-in in 3DS Max.

Thanks
Ben

Hi Ben,

Once the LIXA exporter has been installed and 3ds Max has been restarted, help can be accessed via 3ds Max's "Help" menu, selecting "Additional Help" and choosing "LIXA Animation Exporter" from the list.

The help file is currently still in development, however it does include a "Quick Start" guide which should help get you up and running.

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy,

I got a start to use the LIXA plugin by reading the help file from 3ds max.
I have made a group of bones with animations on it, and after exporting that group of bones I got an XML file.

Ok, then how will I integrate this XML file with the avathar? I got stucked there. Kindly help me on this.

Thanks
Ben

Hi Ben,

Ben John wrote:

Ok, then how will I integrate this XML file with the avathar? I got stucked there. Kindly help me on this.

The XML file first needs to be placed in a ZIP archive (We recommend something like 7zip) and hosted somewhere online. This file is then referenced in the IMML.

Once the zip file containing the LIXA .xml file has been placed online, it can be referenced in the plugin via the AnimationSource parameter, for example:

<Plugin Name="AvatarController" Enabled="True" Source="...">
    <Parameter Key="AnimationSource" Value="http://www.example.com/animation-file.zip"/>
</Plugin>

When publishing your avatar model, it is important to check "Model contains animation data or bones" under the "Animations" tab. This ensures that the models bones are included with the asset.

Let me know if you need any further assistance.

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy,

Thanks a lot, now I am in the right track. I'll let u know if I face any more issues.

Thanks
Ben

Hi Jeremy,

I have created a bone group named 'walk' in the LIXA plugin panel and exported the XML file. Then I placed it in a ZIP archive and the same is referred in the IMML. Now , I would like to know how will I call this animation (walk) using the 'character plugin'. I need my avatar to walk when I press 'W' on my keyboard.

Should I create my own character plugin or use the existing plugin to perform my animations.

Waiting for your valuable assistance.

Thanks
Ben

Hi Ben,

Ben John wrote:

I have created a bone group named 'walk' in the LIXA plugin panel and exported the XML file. Then I placed it in a ZIP archive and the same is referred in the IMML. Now , I would like to know how will I call this animation (walk) using the 'character plugin'. I need my avatar to walk when I press 'W' on my keyboard.

Contained within the help file, under the "Quick Start" topic, is a table showing the naming convention assumed by the Avatar Controller plugin for the default animations. If your sequence names match one of these names, then that sequence will play on any groups containing the sequence when that action is undertaken.

For example, naming your walking forward sequence "walkforward" will mean that sequence will play when the avatar is walking forward.

Key combinations for controlling the avatar can be defined in the IMML as plugin parameters, with the option for a primary and alternate key for each input, for example:

<Plugin Name="AvatarController" Enabled="True" Source="...">
  <Parameter Key="ForwardsKey" Value="Up"/>
  <Parameter Key="BackwardsKey" Value="Down"/>
  <Parameter Key="LeftKey" Value="Left"/>
  <Parameter Key="RightKey" Value="Right"/>
  <Parameter Key="RunKey" Value="RightShift"/>
  <Parameter Key="AltForwardsKey" Value="W"/>
  <Parameter Key="AltBackwardsKey" Value="S"/>
  <Parameter Key="AltLeftKey" Value="A"/>
  <Parameter Key="AltRightKey" Value="D"/>
  <Parameter Key="AltRunKey" Value="LeftShift"/>
</Plugin>

In this example, both the arrow keys and the WASD keys will move the avatar, and left and right shift will both work for making the avatar run.

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy

Thank you very much.

That means I can create animations only for the default Sequence Names (as mentioned in the "Quick Start" topic) by using the existing Avatar Controller plugin.

How will I include my own animations (something like 'hand wave', 'shake hand' etc.) to the Avatar Controller plugin?

Thanks
Ben

Hi Ben,

Ben John wrote:

How will I include my own animations (something like 'hand wave', 'shake hand' etc.) to the Avatar Controller plugin?

The default animations are there to handle the most common animation sequences to minimise how much needs to be handled in the IMML.

It is also possible to set override animations on individual groups, and this can be done for any sequence at any time. For example:

avatarcontroller:setoverrideanimation('leftarm', 'wave', false)

The above script tells the avatar controller to play the sequence named "wave" on the group named "leftarm". The last value (In this case, false) specifies whether it should loop the animation.

If playing a looped animation and you wish to have it return to the default motion, you can use nil as the sequence name, for example:

avatarcontroller:setoverrideanimation('leftarm', nil, false)

It's also possible to check whether an override animation is playing on a specific group by getting the override animation, for example:

avatarcontroller:getoverrideanimation('leftarm')

This will return the name of the override animation on the "leftarm" group, or nil if no override animation is playing.

I have attached a simple sample IMML, pressing "G" on the keyboard plays the "wave" animation on the upper body groups.

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy

Thank you so much for the info and for the quick turn around. It did help me.

But the IMML file which you have attached is not working. When I tried the script with another Avatar it was working.

Jeremy am little confused with the group names to be given in the LIXA exporter.

Looking forward for your valuable assistance.

Thanks
Ben

Hi Ben,

Ben John wrote:

But the IMML file which you have attached is not working. When I tried the script with another Avatar it was working.

May I ask which version and build number of the Player you are running? This may be why the sample IMML didn't function correctly for you. I'm guessing the avatar loaded correctly, but pressing "G" didn't cause the avatar to wave?

Ben John wrote:

Jeremy am little confused with the group names to be given in the LIXA exporter.

Sure, I'll try and clarify groups.

The reason for specifying groups is so different parts of the avatar can play different animations at the same time. In this way, you can accomplish actions such as walking and waving.

Group definitions are entirely up to the user. You can have as many groups as you like, with any naming you like. For example, the default animation file includes the following groups:

• legs
• spine
• neckhead
• leftarm
• rightarm

However, if you wanted to play specific animations on the hands alone, you could then refine the group list to something like:

• legs
• spine
• neckhead
• leftarm
• lefthand
• rightarm
• righthand

So you really just need to decide which bones need to work independently of others based on your animation requirements, and create a group for each.

I hope this clarifies things for you.

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy,

That was a good information about the topic. Let me play around with this and will let you know if I face any issues.

Thank you so much Jeremy.

Ben