Transcript GDC 2005 - Christopher Evans: 3D Modeling, Set

Christopher Evans
Technical Art Lead, Crytek

Responsibilities:




Artist in R&D
Pipeline tools
Character technology
Digital Janitor
Mathias Lindner
Technical Animator, Crytek

Responsibilities



3rd Person Human Animations
Animation Tools
Motion Capture
What is this stuff?

A look at some scripted tools
development at Crytek.

Beginner Maxscript Tutorial

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
Using example code from tools at Crytek
We started our maxscript journey from
scratch
Crysis Scripted Tool Examples
A close look at the Animation
tools/pipeline
Intended Audience

Beginner to Advanced




Code examples in slides for beginners
Tool videos/source online for advanced
Technical Artists/Animators
Anyone who wants to work faster
and better in 3dsMax
Session Overview


CryTools Background
Beginner Tutorial

Easy Street
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Basics
Loops
Animation
Transformations
User Feedback
Hacking with DOS
Production Examples
Session Overview
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Animation Tools
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Structure
Function definitions
Motion Capture Cleanup
CryTools: Background

In the beginning: 2006

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Current: 2008
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14k+ of lines of code
used by artists/animators across 3 studios
2 main contributors
Scripts load from latest build on local
machine


No scripted tools
No previous Maxscript experience (MEL)
Pipeline/Architecture built from scratch
Can also sync via Perforce/LAN/Http
Modular design based on users

Rigging, Animation, Art
CryTools: Background

Tools are freely available as part of the
CryEngine2 ModSDK

SDK:
http://www.crymod.com/filebase.php?fileid=1074&lim=0
Easy Street: The Basics

Do Not Store Global Variables
--my script
test = "hellow world“
print test
--total noob
--my script
(
test = “hellow world”
print test
)
--hardened veteran

To store things globally, make global
struct
Easy Street: Not so Basic
(But Important!)
--creating the struct
struct _myTools_
(
fn function1 = (return "myFunction1"),
fn function2 = (return "myFunction2"),
var1,var2,var3
)
--instance your struct
myTools = _myTools_()
--testing your struct
myTools.function1()
"myFunction1"
myTools.var1 = "storeMe"
Print myTools.var1
"storeMe"
Easy Street: The Basics

Use the Listener/Macro recorder
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Maxscript docs rock (go Bobo!)
Read other people’s scripts

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
www.scriptspot.com
Use the Debugger!
Easy Street: The Basics
showproperties $bone
.width : worldUnits
.height : worldUnits
.taper : percent
.length : float
. . . .
showinterface layerManager
Interface: LayerManager
Properties:
.count : integer : Read
.current : Interface : Read
Methods:
<Interface>getLayer <integer>which
<Interface>newLayer()
. . . .
Easy Street: Loops
for i=1 to 4 (m += 2)
for item in array do (print item.x)
for obj in selection do (append obj array)
for obj in $C3D* do (obj.parent = $node)
for i=1 to (polyOp.getNumVerts obj) do
(
append locations (polyOp.getVert obj i)
)
Easy Street: Loops
--sometimes you want to start later
ss = SplineShape pos:(obj.position.keys[1].value)
addNewSpline ss
for i = 2 to obj.position.keys.count do
(
addKnot ss 1 #corner #line obj.position.keys[i].value
)
--or end sooner
for i=1 to (items.count-1) do
(
rotBind items[i] root 0 0 180 false
)
rotBind items[items.count] root 0 0 180 true
Easy Street: Simplification
for obj in selection do
(
if (classof obj) == Sphere then
(
if obj.wirecolor == red do
(
obj.pos.z += 10
)
)
)
Easy Street: Simplification
for obj in selection do
(
if (classof obj) == Sphere then
(
if obj.wirecolor == red do
(
obj.pos.z += 10
)
)
)
Easy Street: Where!
for obj in selection where (classof obj) == Sphere and obj.wirecolor == red do
(
obj.pos.z += 10
)
--another example, this puts all spheres into an array called ‘spheres’
spheres = for obj in selection where (classof obj) == Sphere collect obj
Easy Street: Loop Examples
--if a selected object had a turbosmooth modifier change it’s prefs
for obj in selection do
(
if (obj.modifiers[#turbosmooth] != undefined) do
(
obj.modifiers[#turbosmooth].iterations = 1
obj.modifiers[#turbosmooth].useRenderIterations = true
obj.modifiers[#turbosmooth].renderIterations = 2
)
)
Easy Street: Nested Loops
--this removes bones in an array from a skin modifier
for u=1 to remBones.count do
(
for i=1 to (skinOps.getNumberBones obj.skin) do
(
if (skinOps.GetBoneName obj.skin i 0) == remBones[u].name then
(
skinOps.removeBone obj.skin i
print ("removing " + remBones[u].name)
)
)
)
--how can we simplify?
myBones = for i=1 to skinOps.GetNumberBones obj.skin collect \ --cont next line
(skinOps.GetBoneName obj.skin i 0)
for i=1 to remBones.count where (finditem myBones remBones[i]) != 0 do
(
skinOps.removebone obj.skin (finditem myBones remBones[i])
)
Easy Street: Animation/Time
--stepping through frames
with animate on
(
for i = animationrange.start to animationrange.end do
(
slidertime = i
obj.pos.x += 10
)
)
--same as above, but much faster
with animate on
(
for i = animationrange.start to animationrange.end do
(
at time i (obj.pos.x += 10)
)
)
Easy Street: Functions
fn cutString stringIn cut =
(
startCut = (findString stringIn cut)
return (replace stringIn startCut cut.count "")
)
--simple usage
cutString “chicks dig technical artists” “ technical”
“chicks dig artists”
--more complex
(getnodebyname ((cutString obj.name "C3D:") \
+ "_bone")).pos.controller = Position_XYZ()
Easy Street: Self Referencing
--returns an array containing all children
fn getChildren theNode =
(
nodeArray = #()
for obj in theNode.children do
(
append nodeArray obj
join nodeArray (getChildren obj)
)
return nodeArray
)
Transformations
$.transform
(matrix3 [1,0,0] [0,1,0] [0,0,1] [23.1612,0.667526,0])
[-----orientation-----] [-----position-----]
--maxscript cannot set parts of a transform like so:
$.transform[1] = [1,0,0]
--but this will work:
new = $.transform
new[1] = [1,0,0]
$.transform = new
Transformations: Dealing with Biped
--let’s get the position of a biped object
print $'Bip01 Head'.position
-- Unknown property: "position" in $Editable_Mesh:Bip01
Head @ [-25.684864,-37.348450,118.445419]
--fail, ok let’s check out what properties does have
showproperties $'Bip01 Head'
false
--again: fail… when all else fails, go the transform
print $'Bip01 Head'.transform.position
[-25.6849,-37.3484,118.445]
Other tips: Variables
a = 5
b = a
a += 2
print b
5
a = "ftw"
b = a
a[3] = a[1]
a[1] = "w"
print b
"wtf“
--this is because of how subsets are stored in memory
--for data-types that are groups of items (strings,
arrays, etc) use ‘copy’ instead, example:
b = copy a
Other tips:
--try/catch
try (print $.name)
catch(print “nothing selected”)
--reach into rollout floaters to pass vars
myTool.rollouts[1].variable
--create undos
Undo "make point" on
(
point name:"test"
)
--is an object animated?
obj.isAnimated
--getting a position at a certain time
print (at time 11f obj.pos)
Altogether:
Better User Feedback
On checkbutton changed state do
(
if state == true then
(
if selection != undefined then
(
objs = (selection as array)
checkbutton.text = (objs.count as string + “ objs selected”)
)
else
(
messagebox “No objects selected”
checkbutton.checked = false
)
)
else
(
checkbutton.text = “Select Objects”
)
)
--sample ui in course materials
Altogether:
Better User Feedback
On checkbutton changed state do
(
if state == true then
(
if selection != undefined then
(
objs = (selection as array)
checkbutton.text = (objs.count as string + “ objs selected”)
)
else
(
messagebox “No objects selected”
checkbutton.checked = false
)
)
else
(
checkbutton.text = “Select Objects”
)
)
--sample ui in course materials
Altogether:
Better User Feedback
try
(
throw "This will be the name of your error"
)
catch
(
messagebox (getCurrentException())
)
--you could also use this to write out error logs on
remote machines, have people send them to you when
they get an error (or automatically send it)
Hacking Things in DOS
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DOSCommand [command <string>]
CryTools has a silent command line fn
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crytools.scmd [command <string>] [wait? <bool>]
Many general uses
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Moving files
Perforce, AlienBrain
Glean info from ipconfig (domain, ip, MAC)
Get external info
Run small executables
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Hash generator
Building/Executing external scripts
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VBS/Python
DOS Example 1: Simple
--This function will make a file writable, I use this a
lot before writing to files.
fn minusR path =
(
if doesfileexist path == true then
(
doscommand ("attrib -r \"" + path + "\"“)
)
else
(
print (path + " does not exist")
)
)
Getting info from DOS
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First figure out the DOS command

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Dump generated text to a file with ‘>’
Then look at it’s output
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Figure out how you want to parse it
Getting info from DOS
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Then look at it’s output
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Figure out how you want to parse it
DOS Example 2: Output
fn local2unc letter =
(
cmd = ("net use " + letter + ": > " + sysInfo.tempDir + “cmd.txt")
doscommand cmd
loadIn = openfile (sysInfo.tempDir + "local_unc.txt")
skipToString loadIn "Remote"
loadInARR = (filterString (readline loadIn) " ")
close loadIn
doscommand ("del " + sysInfo.tempDir + "local_unc.txt")
return loadInARR[2]
)
local2unc "s"
"\\storage\Builds"
local2unc "k"
"\\fs1\Artists"
DOS Example 2: Output file
C:\Documents and Settings\christopher\Local Settings\Temp\cmd.txt
Local name
S:
Remote name
\\storage\Builds
Resource type
Disk
Status
Disconnected
# Opens
0
# Connections
1
The command completed successfully.
--tidbit from experience: people install DOS in
different languages ;)
Callbacks!
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Do things based on user input
fn myFn =
(
theFaces = 0
for obj in selection do (theFaces += obj.mesh.numfaces)
print theFaces
)
--register
callbacks.addScript #selectionSetChanged "myFn()" id:#myFn
--unregister
callbacks.removeScripts id:#myFn
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Always remember to unregister!
CryTools: Examples
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Transfer Facial Morphs [ transfer_morphs.avi ]
Mirror Morphs/Deformation [ mirrorMorphs.avi ]
Hierarchy to Bones [ hierarch2bones.avi ]
Hierarchy Tools [hierarchy_tools.avi]
CryInfo [ cryinfo.avi ]
In Closing
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Maxscript helped immensely on Crysis
Scripting is a slippery slope
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One day you write a script to help someone,
the next it’s your job :)
Screw efficiency
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If something works, and is fast… let it be.
Refactoring can be dangerous
CryTools has a lot of ‘beginner code’, but
very few tools that take longer than an
eyeblink to execute.
Animation Tools
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Overview
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Structure
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Function definitions
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How we used structures
How we used functions
Motion Capture Cleanup
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Problems and solutions
Animation Tools
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Structures
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Are declared in global scope
Initialized with defined values
Structure name is self-explaining
Good for instancing variables in a structured way
Behave a bit like classes
Used about 60 different structures
Example
struct pivotSelSt ( index = 0, position = [0,0,0], pivObject )
struct bipPartSt
(
object,
part,
name,
pivotSel = ( pivotSelSt pivObject = undefined )
)
Animation Tools
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Function definitions
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Structure placeholder will be overwritten by function
Global functions get removed
Function name is self-explaining
Example
cryTools.cryAnim.getBipNames = function getBipNames
index =
(
...
)
getBipNames = undefined
Animation Tools
cryTools.cryAnim.getBipNames = function getBipNames index =
(
...
)
getBipNames = undefined
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Advantages
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Easy to maintain (for development)
No need to look at local scope of functions
Function can be defined outside of the structure
Disadvantages
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Functions will be duplicated once = more time to load
Animation Tools
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Motion Capture Cleanup
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Problems we encountered
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Slow workflow for Animators (lots of repeated clicks)
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Too technical to achieve code requirements
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Bad for health and time management
Animators had trouble to get used to constant changes
No feedback when something went wrong
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Endless time spent with debugging
Animation Tools
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Motion Capture Cleanup
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Solutions:
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Everything repetitive needs to be gone
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Packed functions executed at once
Designed tools to speed up the animation process
Powerful User Interface
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Self-explaining functionality
Compact set of tools
Animation Tools
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Motion Capture Cleanup
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Everything repetitive needs to be gone:
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One Click Solutions
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Simple scripts just for the purpose
No user interface needed
Examples:
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Set planted keys for biped
(video)
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Copy Paste Transformations
(video)
Animation Tools
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Motion Capture Cleanup
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Everything repetitive needs to be gone:
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Batch process for animations
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Use of different file formats
Sub folder support
File mask
Execute scripts to solve different problems
Status report
(video)
Animation Tools
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Motion Capture Cleanup
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Powerful User Interface:
Goals:
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Fast production of assets
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Animator should not care about technical things
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Compact functionality in one place
Solutions for complex bone behavior
User Customization
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Animator can change the look and functionality of dialogs
Animation Tools
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Motion Capture Cleanup
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Powerful User Interface - Solutions:
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Fast production of assets
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Fast loading and saving of assets
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Load files directly out of the production folder
Export files into the game
Using snapshots for foot alignment
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(video)
Speed up hand and foot cleanup
How it works
(video)
(video)
Animation Tools
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Motion Capture Cleanup
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Powerful User Interface - Solutions:
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Animators should not care about technical things
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Locomotion Locator animation
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Used for linking the animation to the character in-game
In some cases complex behaviour
Weapon / Item adjustment
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(video)
(video)
Specific bones to carry weapons / items in the game
Rotation and position can change for each item
Animation Tools
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Motion Capture Cleanup
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Powerful User Interface - Solutions:
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User Customization
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No hardcoded values / states
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Dialog should represent the needs of Animators
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Easy to add new elements
Animation Tools
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Motion Capture Cleanup
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Powerful User Interface - Solutions:
Normal
Multi Row
(video)
Thank you for your attention
Questions?
Full Source of Examples at:
www.ChrisEvans3D.com/files/fmx08.rar
Crytools/Source at:
www.ChrisEvans3D.com/files/crytools.rar
Should be up by 12/05/08
Questions or comments via email?
Christopher Evans
[email protected]
Mathias Lindner
[email protected]