Create and customize Configurations

Setup New Configs

The setup process is quite unique, so lets break it down in steps. Objects which have been generated during detection contain an ID to display additional properties in the object properties panel. Those object properties can be modified to either change the current mapping configuration or even create completely new configurations!

The setup options are location in the Object constraint properties > BlendArMocap.

Note

mapping object - an object with instructions and constraints
driver object - a generated driver object based on instructions
target object - copies values from driver_object using constraints

Concept

Target

Target bone or object which should be driven by constraints.

Target Type [Armature, Mesh, Any]: Apply constraints to target (copies constraints from this object)
Sub Target [Object, Bone]: Target may be a Bone.

Drivers

There are three core concepts to set up drivers. In a nutshell [Remap Drivers, IK Chain Driver, Remap by Distance Drivers].

Remap Drivers

Object values (especially rotations) may get remapped using a remap driver. To do so, navigate to Value Mapping and select the properties you want to remap - for example rotation x, y, z. From min, from max, to min, to max is used to define slopes, those are similar to the map range convertor node in the shader editor. Therefore, input the min and max values in radians from the selected object and the to min and max values in radians you want to have as result. (pi = 180°) If necessary, you can also use the factor and offset however, slopes can deliver better control once you got the hang of them. You can do so for all axis separately if necessary, press the + icon to do so. To get some information about the current select object, navigate to Tools and press the Log Object Info Button, you’ll find min and max values from the object in the info panel.

Note

Remapping object values driver properties

without remapping object: slope = (to_max - to_min) / (from_max - from_min) offset = to_min - slope * from_min f(x) = (slope * property_value + offset) * factor + offset
with remapping object: slope = (to_max * remapping_value - to_min * remapping_value) / (from_max - from_min) offset = to_min - slope * from_min * remapping_value f(x) = (slope * property_value + offset) * factor + offset

IK Chain Drivers: The idea of ik chain drivers basically is to construct an ik chain in reverse order. The end of the ik chain neither has a parent and nor gets remapped - it’s mainly a reference. The next chain link has the chain end as parent, and gets remapped by the bone length which separates itself from the parent. Repeat this till you are at the ik start. As Example:

Note

objects: shoulder_obj -> elbow_obj -> hand_obj bones: shoulder_bone -> elbow_bone -> hand_bone

shoulder_obj(target=shoulder_bone, parent=None, remap_bone=None) elbow_obj(target=elbow_bone, parent=shoulder_obj, remap_bone=shoulder_bone.length) hand_obj(target=hand_bone, parent=elbow_obj, remap_bone=elbow_bone.length)

Recursivly applies: dist = distance between parent and obj f(x) = (dist / remap_bone_length) * (obj_location - previous_chain_obj_location)

Checkout the rigify rig implementation of the arms as example setup.

Remap Drivers by Distance: When using remap drivers by distance, we aren’t using any of the object values. In this case, the distance between two objects gets used as driver value, which then gets remapped similar to the remap driver. The single difference is that the offset gets multiplied by the remapping value, which allows to basically offset in % (which usually isn’t wanted for rotations). However, this time it makes a lot of sense to remap the value by a bone of the target armature as we are working with position and not rotation data - this makes remapping the values a lot easier. Again, to get some information about the current select object, navigate to Tools and press the Log Object Info Button, you’ll find min and max values from the object in the info panel.

Note

slope = (to_max * remapping_value - to_min * remapping_value) / (from_max - from_min) offset = to_min * remapping_value - slope * from_min f(x) = (slope * property_value + offset) * factor + offset * remapping_value

Constraints: Finally, add constraints to the object - the constraints will get applied to the target when transferring. As mentioned in the beginning, the target objects copies values from the driver using constraints. You may use any constraint to do so and modify the constraint properties to your likings to adjust transfer results.

Tools

Transfer Selection: Run transfer only for selected objects. When transferring chains the entire chain has to be selected, not just a link.
Smooth Animation Data: Run Blenders internal smooth f-Curves for selected objects.
Log Object Info: Log min, max values and information about the selected object to the info panel.

I/O Transfer Configuration

Transfer configurations can be imported and exported. If you create a new configuration and want to share it with the community let me know via hello@cgtinker.com.