Animate Bones From .fbx Import Inside Unity

Asset & Content Management
1

I just found out that Cararra 5 .fbx export only supports the exporting of geometry, bones and UV coordinates - no animation data. So, to animate a character for use in Unity would require one of two options: purchase MotionBuilder, (for around $1000), or animate the bones inside Unity, (please tell me that this is possible).

Edit: 3 options - don’t forget Maya
Edit Again: 4 options - and Cinema 4D

So far, I can’t see any bones in my imported .fbx file from Cararra. Is it possible to, first, see the bones, and second, to manipulate and animate these bones within Unity, itself? Is there any way to assign IK for bone chains inside Unity?

Greg Smith

2

It’s been a couple of days now, hoping for some reply to these questions. Here they are again: Can bones be manipulated visibly in the scene editor that have been imported into Unity via the .fbx format? Can animations from bone movement be produced inside the Unity environment? Can a makeshift IK system be setup in Unity for character animation?

Greg Smith

3

Yes, you can do that all.

4

Aarku:

Yes, I’ve read the Animation documentation and don’t see any pertinent information regarding the animation of bones within Unity.

Viewing my .fbx import files within Unity, I can see the mesh and its assigned textures just fine, but no bones are visible in the scene. They, of course, are listed in the hierarchy view, but that is the only place I can see them.

It seems that Unity only supports importing of .fbx animation data from Maya and MotionBuilder, (not sure about C4D). In fact, it seems .fbx is the only format containing animation data that Unity does recognize. So, for those of us who have purchased Unity, but don’t own Maya or MotionBuilder, and are limited to importing geometry and bones only, there needs to be some solution for producing character animation that can be used within Unity. And, without being able to view the bones in the scene view, it becomes really cumbersome to manipulate them, even with a strictly FK approach. That is why I am asking if there might be a workaround to produce IK behavior within the Unity environment.

Does anyone know the answers to these questions?

Greg Smith

5

When you select a bone in the hierarchy you can move it around in the scene view or inspector. Then each bone can have its own animation(s) that you can play on demand. I just tested this to confirm, but someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

-Jon

6

I too own carrara 4, Haven’t tried importing my bone animation yet. Will try some tonight. but I think it should work by dragging the bones to the character?? Is that how you did it Jon.

Thanks,
Ray

7

Yellowlabrador:

I’ve already tested the animation import through the .fbx format from Carrara beta 5. Animation data is not exported with the rest of the file. Only mesh, bones and UV coordinates are exported.

Greg Smith

8

Have you tried animating the object in C4D?

We don’t only import animation data from Maya or MB. We import animation data from fbx. If the 3rd party FBX export works, and animation has been set up, we will import just fine.

Lightwave can also export to FBX, btw.

We do no IK simulation in Unity - we might get some very simple stuff at some point, but the 3D apps are so much better than we’ll ever be.

Try to create a skinned C4D mesh with animated skeleton and try it. If it doesn’t work, then we’ll make sure that it will (unless C4D is completely fckd, in which case there’s little we can do)…

And no, we do not show the skeleton a.t.m. Would be feasible to do a small DrawGizmos script that you could attach to objects. The basic idea is that Unity doesn’t really know what a skeleton in. It just has a hierarchy of game objects.

9

as always, google is your friend;

Googling for “c4d fbx animation export”

gives this post as the top hit… :wink:

http://forum.otee.dk//viewtopic.php?t=90

10

Nicholas:

I and many other Unity users probably do not own copies of C4D, Maya, MotionBuilder, or any of the products that export animation data with their .fbx export files. In which case, we’re stuck with regard to character animation within Unity. How difficult would it be to provide a very rudimentary IK contraint within Unity? Of course, the pro applications do everything better, animation wise, but having some character animation ability within Unity would be better than nothing. No?

Greg Smith

11

Hard :wink:

Seriously, though… We’ll look into it at some point, but it is NOT a simple thing at all.

Try describing what programs you’re using for your 3D anims. The more info we have, the better our chances of finding a solution for you :wink:

12

Nicholas:

I’m really not sure what the majority of Unity users use for their modeling and animation solutions, but here is a rundown of my methods and software.

I model and texture using either Blender, (the latest CVS build), Wings 3D, or Hexagon/Carrara. I would love to be able to animate using Blender, alone, since the developers have added some of the most powerful and friendly animation tools that I have ever used. The only application, among these, which supports the .fbx format, at all, is Carrara beta 5. When I purchased Unity, I falsely made some assumptions about the .fbx file format and how Carrara utilizes it - it does not support animation data.

My intents for using Unity as a game development tool were primarily as a showcase for my character models and animation - gameplay programming will have to be an acquired skill, for me, I’m afraid. So, due to my own oversight regarding .fbx, I am lacking the tools needed to animate a character within Unity.

There are plenty of tools that are PC-based which feature the exporting of character animation solutions, at a very low cost, that export in the most common “game” formats. The .fbx format is not a very common “game” format. Programs like Milkshape and GameSpace provide a common and inexpensive solution. Unfortunately, I don’t think there are many inexpensive Mac-based animation .fbx export solutions available.

My initial perception of the Unity program was that it was a program for “Indie” developers on a budget, primarily because of its “Indie” pricing and streamlined workflow, allowing for individuals to actually finish small game projects. Maybe my assumptions were wrong.

If Untiy is a solution for the independent developer on a budget, there really should be an inexpensive character animation solution, since most of the successful modern game experiences feature character animation and most independent developers are on tight budgets. The only character animation solutions that I am aware of, capable of exporting content in the .fbx format, are expensive solutions like Maya, MotionBuilder and Cinema 4D. These platforms are out of my league as an independent developer.

Greg Smith

13

We have tried to get the Blender guys to get fbx export properly supported. So far they have been less than responsive :wink: Their basic approach is ‘if you want it, make it yourself’ (which I think is absolutely fair). I would try bullying a bit on their boards - the more people ask for it, the more likely fbx export is to be implemented

Unfortunately, we do not have resources to fix everybody else’s programs.[/b]

14

Nicholas:

So, from a development standpoint, which would be easiest to develop: facilities for importing other animated “game” formats that include skeletal animation, or an “in Unity” skeletal animation solution?

What am I going to do, now?

Greg Smith

15

How about starting a Blender FBX project?

16

What would the requirements be for an in-Unity anim system? would drawing the hierarchy and having some small selectable blobs for each bone suffice? In that case, I can cook up a script that would do it tonight…

17

Nicholas:

Yes, in a pinch, that would do, as long as you can select and manipulate each blob, but totally FK animation is pretty difficult. Thanks. However, it’s really the IK constraint functionality that makes animating a simple character economically practical. But, that’s probably the hard part.

Greg Smith

18

Nicholas Other Unity Guys:

It does appear that you appreciate the Blender development effort. As you may already know, the integrated game engine is not being kept current and the CrystalBlend project appears to be a long way from being completed. Last time I checked, the Elysiun Blender forums have over 15,000 members, many of whom are itching to do something non-linear in nature.

Unity is priced only a little out of the league of the average Blenderhead, and offers an attractive alternative to the Blender Game Engine. Think about it and calculate.

Most people still think of Blender as an arcane and unfriendly modeling and animation environment. They just haven’t looked at the latest CVS releases. The intuitive and new UV mapping system is absolutely fantastic and fast. The new set of tools, as far as animation goes, are really superior to anything I have found in the high-end products, and more friendly, to boot.

There is an overwhelming potential for Blender to gain substantial ground among newcomers and frustrated and impoverished oldcomers, alike. I wouldn’t underestimate the potential audience for a product combination like Blender and Unity, especially since one of them is free and open.

I think, though probably very difficult and time consuming, direct support for animated Blender files, whether in the .fbx format or not, would make a lot of economic sense in the development scheme for Unity.

Edit: As far as bullying the Blender developers - well . . . they do as they please. They’re from Holland, mostly.

Greg Smith