Update on cr_HairReplicator v.1.21

 The next portfolio project I am working on here at FIEA is polishing cr_HairReplicator.
The GUI is seeing a full overhaul. Some of the first feedback I got was that the two sets of option menus were confusing how they affected different options.

The major UI changes centered around two major points
1) GUI is dependent on settings written to and read from XML
- This allows for more options about what "hair" you have in scene and what hair you have in the database
- This also allows users to save and load custom presets easily, as well as saving their info and not losing progress on a scene

2) All of the replicator options are now placed with their relevant hair card. As opposed to picking what the option menu affects, they find the relevant options underneath the Hair Card painting tabs
- Easier to read, less clicks to do things
- Collapsable

Here is a preview of the UI in progress:

 

As far as new technical features being implemented:
1) Global Controls
- This is almost there, settings changed from inside the GUI compound on top of changes that can be made from individual Hairs

2) Density of Hair
- This one is trickier, and will take some time to implement

 3) 3D Hair
- There are now two hair types, and different rigs and options result from 3D versus 2D hair
- 3D hair rigs will come with basic simulation and collision, but will only allow simple translation and rotations of placements

4) Preset System
- As outlined above, the settings will be save to presets
- Default Option
- Initial Presets (contributed to by other artists)

5) Color tracking
- When colors are changed in the GUI, the changes are reflected in the scene as well

Here is a look at the 3D Hair Rig in progress:

The Rig will be based on curves submitted along with the poly, or joints provided with the Poly Hair.
The hair is generated with simulation, the GUI providing relevant options for 3D hair strands, and the main piece is collidable.


More updates will come with some test cases of Hair Set Up

A quick update on the Librarian Rig progress. Still a lot to do, but it's off to a good physical start!I've been focusing a lot on scripting large portions of the process so that set up will be much faster once I get cranking on the smaller pieces of the rig.

Scripting:
So far I have a GUI set up and the future plans for it mapped out.
Auto follow through SIM: 100 percent
Joints along curve: 80 percent

Leg Auto Rig: 50 percent
Foot Auto Rig: 0

The Schedule so far:
Schedule for Librarian Rig

Monday Night
1) Finish Auto follow through script
2) Layout intial joint structure

Tuesday
1) Script the leg and inverse foot rigging process
2) Layout all Joints
3) Base Controls

Wednesday

1) First pass skin weights done

2) Legs Rigged, start Arm Rig scripting

3) Start skin weight painting

Thursday

1) Arms day2 rigging

2) Hands rigging begins

Friday

1) Arms are complete

2) Basic Facial Rigging

3) Jiggle physics on flaps Start

4) Investigate Robot Rig Features

Saturday

1) Jiggle physics complete

2) Robot rigging begins, custom controls

3) More polish on follow through to Piping

4) Short Test Animation

Sunday

1) Tweaking and Rig vulnerability fixes

2) GUI polish

3) Video Showcasing the Rig in action, Tools developed

Finally finished work on the Head Animation Project! The final results are pretty impressive for real time. Keep watching for the upcoming behind the tech video to show how I made it work.

Maya fur! Very neat stuffs you can do with maya fur. I did some work on the Hyena from BFT with maya fur effects.