Character and Bones (3Ds Max) - SOLVED

Asset & Content Management
1

Well, first of all, hello guys.
We are just starting using Unity, and we are doing some tests, migrating from TGE (Torque Game Engine).

But I’m having some issues regarding character setups.
I know that you only need the character and the bones, but, when I import my model into Unity (Max or FBX files) the bones and controllers are visible. I know I can turn them off on Unity, but its a pain. I’m not using bipeds, just plain bones and shapes (and some dummies).
I noticed that the Lerpz model (on the tutorial) had dummies as bones…I wonder how that setup was made.

Thanks in advance
Rocky.

2

I’m using lots of bones and they don’t show up on Unity… are you using the latest fbx exporter in Max? In one of the previous versions I think there was an option to export bones as geometry. Look for that I uncheck it.

3

I’m using Max 9 with FBX exporter 2006.11. There is an option that says “Geometry used as bones, exported as bones.” But it does not matter if is checked or not, I get this error

Warning: Geometry conversion (47)

The plug-in does not support the geometry type of the following objects. They will be converted to a Triangle mesh. Morph and skin deformations may be lost: 
    -NGon05
    -Circle05
    -Bip01 ColunaA
    -Bip01 ColunaB
    -Bip01 Pescoco
       .
       .
       .

EDIT: For some weird reason, I made a test object with just a cylinder and some bones, and I did not get that error anymore. Maybe the problem is the controllers or the IK?

4

I just found out what the problem was.
Every geometry you use as a bone you must check “Bone On” on Bone Tools dialog box. But I had to remove the Skin modifier of my model and check the “Bone On” option BEFORE I added it to my bone list on the skin modifier.

The same is valid to my controllers. I must check the “Bone On” property so that Unity will not render the geometry (or spline). But since I don’t add the controllers into my skin modifier, I can change this option even when my model is already skinned.

So, in short terms:
-Make your skeleton
-Set every geometry used as bones to “Bone On” on the Bone Tools dialog box.
-Set every geometry or spline based controller to “Bone On”.
-Skin your model.
-Add your bones.
-Profit

5

Checking Bone On on my mesh which contains the bones makes unity not throw error messages and recognize the whole skelleton. But the mesh is ignored, I just have the skelleton. Ideas, how to solve this?