Export FBX animation?
- Thread starter Destiny
- Start date
Destiny
0
I think its a case of, the FBX formate does not support animated Morphs, but the FBX formate seems to be OK with IK Bones.. We have been at its for so long, trying to find a fix, we are still convinced there might be a way to animate objects such as a spring. The issues with animating a spring, even using Bones, the coil shape compresses.. We used C4D to animate a spring, it looks awesome. But no way to export the animation in 3D.. Not even as a COLADA... DAE, for 3D PDF's. The animation will not export.. The ABC formate exports the animation, but how to convert to an animated FBX... The FBX formate is accepted in many more 3D applications..
Lydia
Active member
I don't know what exactly you want to animate (character, spring?), but I would always do it with bones if possible, because everything else except position, rotation and scale doesn't work well in FBX.
For a spring, I would do it like the attachment. This works well as FBX and the spring is not distorted. It is also relatively quick and easy to set up. Make a long cylinder and a joint of the same length. Divide the joint into many segments. - Give the cylinder a skeleton tag and bind it. Give the last joint a Spline IK. Set your helix as a target. Animate the helix. Keyframe the joint hierarchy of the cylinder at each frame. Export as FBX.
This also works with IK handle you just have to keyframe the whole joint hierarchy.
For a spring, I would do it like the attachment. This works well as FBX and the spring is not distorted. It is also relatively quick and easy to set up. Make a long cylinder and a joint of the same length. Divide the joint into many segments. - Give the cylinder a skeleton tag and bind it. Give the last joint a Spline IK. Set your helix as a target. Animate the helix. Keyframe the joint hierarchy of the cylinder at each frame. Export as FBX.
This also works with IK handle you just have to keyframe the whole joint hierarchy.
Destiny
0
Wow... That's the first spring we have seen animated as an FBX.. Now our brains hurt thinking how you did it.. 
Experience will always win.. Thank you for your efforts in making the demo... Very cool!! You have confirmed that all our efforts in trying to animate and save as an FBX has been.... wasted!. 
An animated spring in C4D looks really nice and saved as an .abc is also beautiful.. Why a spring... Oh why not LOL.. We like springs.. They look so cool animated.. What else are we going to do during lockdowns.. We pretty much gave up with trying to work with sequences.. For now.. Basically, our final goal is to add animated 3D within a 3D Virtual Reality screen using Simlab Composer.. Viewing any animated 3D within a VR environment is very strange but so cool.. Partially wearing a VR Head Set.. You can view the object from any angle/view.. Young students absolutely love seeing animated 3D... Its a great visualisation tool... Many young students find it hard to visualise 3D, until they see it animated and are able to view from a multitude of angles.. Real pity the FBX has so many limitations..
Experience will always win.. Thank you for your efforts in making the demo... Very cool!! You have confirmed that all our efforts in trying to animate and save as an FBX has been.... wasted!. An animated spring in C4D looks really nice and saved as an .abc is also beautiful.. Why a spring... Oh why not LOL.. We like springs.. They look so cool animated.. What else are we going to do during lockdowns.. We pretty much gave up with trying to work with sequences.. For now.. Basically, our final goal is to add animated 3D within a 3D Virtual Reality screen using Simlab Composer.. Viewing any animated 3D within a VR environment is very strange but so cool.. Partially wearing a VR Head Set.. You can view the object from any angle/view.. Young students absolutely love seeing animated 3D... Its a great visualisation tool... Many young students find it hard to visualise 3D, until they see it animated and are able to view from a multitude of angles.. Real pity the FBX has so many limitations..
Lydia
Active member
True, but sometimes you just have to work with a few "tricks" or go other ways / detours.
Your brain doesn't have to hurt.
It's really not difficult to do, it's not more steps than I already described.I wish you and your students a lot of fun with the animations.
Destiny
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Yes, new and much gooder tricks We only play around trying and experimenting.. Somethings we get things to work but mostly they don't I don't know if you have been able to play about with C4D but oh my goodness... its awesome!!.. We are only leaning, always leaning.. Some skills we learn we can take to other 3D apps.. We have only just bought Cheetah 7... We only usually get to play about with 3D software over the holidays.. Christmas is great since we get 6 weeks.. We captured C4D spring animated.. No idea how to add bone in C4D so we will have to try using Cheetah..
We only play around trying and experimenting.. Somethings we get things to work but mostly they don't I don't know if you have been able to play about with C4D but oh my goodness... its awesome!!.. We are only leaning, always leaning.. Some skills we learn we can take to other 3D apps.. We have only just bought Cheetah 7... We only usually get to play about with 3D software over the holidays.. Christmas is great since we get 6 weeks.. We captured C4D spring animated.. No idea how to add bone in C4D so we will have to try using Cheetah..
, you can try a lot. Have a nice holiday!
Destiny
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Hi Lydia.. I imported your IK spring into Simlab Compser. Funny, its probably the very first truly animated spring ever to be placed into that software.. The sequence animation clip has been created, which is what I would use to add your spring to a Virtual Realty Scene...
Real shame other effect won't work..
Real shame other effect won't work..
Destiny
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Its ALLL Lydia. I just dropped it into SL Composer.. I just need a Super Guru.. To work out how to use things like Bulge and Bend and Squish and Twist etc a and export as an FBX. I know they do not work raw, saved as a FBX, so that is why I approached it using a sequence of obj's.. Its still the best way, but so far Simlab Composer does not see the value in importing a sequence of OJBs, or add the import .abc which also works really well.. C4D can export and import a sequence of obj's.. Good if SL Composer will import but sadly not.. Sooo much would be possible.. Pulsating heart, a SPRINGS , a melting block more and more.. I am certain there is a way, other than IK's but its beyond my skills..
, a melting block more and more.. I am certain there is a way, other than IK's but its beyond my skills..
Destiny
0
The main reason why I have come out with the idea of animating a spring etc, into a FBX.. Is, because I don't have a clue what works and what doesn't, but that's what makes it fun.. Because I am not bound by what has been taught or previous knowledge, I basically try anyway.. At the end of the day, I have realised that to export using anything other than IK Bones, is not possible using the FBX option.. It's just a protocol of that format.. So, I have to nag Simlab Composer to add ether the import sequence or import abc.. But, it was really nice to finally see an animated spring inside a VR, even though it was created using IK Bone..
At the end of the day, I have realised that to export using anything other than IK Bones, is not possible using the FBX option.. It's just a protocol of that format.. So, I have to nag Simlab Composer to add ether the import sequence or import abc.. But, it was really nice to finally see an animated spring inside a VR, even though it was created using IK Bone..