Rigging Project: Helryx - February 2021

Rigging Project: Helryx

February 2021

This is the newest project in practicing character rigging. Nothing too special about this rig aside from hose cables that travel between multiple joints. This character includes all standard sets of joints and controls of a biped rig. The rig includes an FK/IK switch for all four limbs, able to be toggled within the root control. The rig also includes a set of accessories to be parented and used during animation. This rig was made as a follow-along to a rigging tutorial set, however it was largely a matter of taking the lessons and retrofitting them for the base model of my own choosing.

The limitations of this rig are largely a matter of the base model used. Very dynamic poses can be accomplished with the rig, so the only thing holding it back is the user's desire for realistic movements or not. For example: the base model's elbows are implied to only rotate and twist on one axis. So, while I have put restrictions on the rig's FK elbow controls for said axis, the IK controls make it so that the arms are free to move around as they like with the help of the pole targets. This may break the immersion implied by the model, but again, it is up to the user and their interests.

 

FK/IK switch attribute panel in root control

 

In order to complete this rig, I needed to learn how to implement an FK/IK switch, which did not prove too difficult a task. Secondly, I needed to include extra joint chains (and pole target controls if necessary) that would deform the multiple hoses. The pole targets for the IK controls move proportionally, such that animations and poses can be made fairly extreme before invoking any wacky joint results.

It was particularly challenging to figure out what joints needed to be parented to one another to properly convey the proper connection points from A to B. For example: the two hoses that connect the head and torso are parented to the spine joint, but the chains' IK targets are subsequently parented to the head, so that when the head moves, it also drags/carries the hose geometry as if they had weight and moved in real space. Furthermore, one hose connects the torso and left forearm, and another connects the torso to the right leg. In consequence, the connections prompt a bit o foresight for users, as the corresponding body parts can only be moved so much before stretching the hoses beyond their limits.

  A rendered image of the model

This blog post will be updated with demonstration video(s) soon.