The general WIP thread for animators.

[MISSME12]

52 minutes ago, Nelandros said:

I'm using the latest build of Blender I think. 2.92.0

 

God I'm tearing my hair our here trying to get this to work! Is this what it was like for all the animators when they started? ?

Sims 4 studio doesn't recognize files made with versions of Blender 2.80 and up and is importing your clips as blank. Use Blender 2.79 and lower. You can append your rigs/animations from the 2.90 file into a 2.79 file if you know how to do it. Its generally a good idea to double check clips for sims by importing then exporting them to check if they've been imported properly.  However for objects, you have to test the clips for those in game.

[Nelandros]

53 minutes ago, MISSME12 said:

Sims 4 studio doesn't recognize files made with versions of Blender 2.80 and up and is importing your clips as blank. Use Blender 2.79 and lower. You can append your rigs/animations from the 2.90 file into a 2.79 file if you know how to do it. Its generally a good idea to double check clips for sims by importing then exporting them to check if they've been imported properly.  However for objects, you have to test the clips for those in game.

...............wut? That was the issue?! Hang on a minute.....

 

Edit: Yip, that was the issue. Firstly, thank you so much for pointing that out as I never would have guessed. Secondly I'm going to go lie on my bed and reeeeeeeeee into a pillow for a while and contemplate the time lost! ?

[Nelandros]

1 hour ago, Nelandros said:

...............wut? That was the issue?! Hang on a minute.....

 

Edit: Yip, that was the issue. Firstly, thank you so much for pointing that out as I never would have guessed. Secondly I'm going to go lie on my bed and reeeeeeeeee into a pillow for a while and contemplate the time lost! ?

@MISSME12 Would you be able to tell me the proper way to append the animations from the old file to the new? I know how to append things, I just don't know how correctly apply them to the new rig!

[Khlas]

31 minutes ago, Nelandros said:

@MISSME12 Would you be able to tell me the proper way to append the animations from the old file to the new? I know how to append things, I just don't know how correctly apply them to the new rig!

to append an animation, you have to append the action from the old file but select the new rig before doing anything.

then append the action you want to use from the old rig blend file. Nothing happen it’s normal, you have to select it here : 

 

chose action editor on the dope sheet and :

 

select the action you appended to the rig. It should work but if you use a control rigs you have to delete the control rig to make it appear correctly. You will certainly have to setrot the keyframes. Just select every bones from your rig, press A, then I (i), and it’s done. Sometimes you don’t need to do that.

[MISSME12]

22 minutes ago, Nelandros said:

@MISSME12 Would you be able to tell me the proper way to append the animations from the old file to the new? I know how to append things, I just don't know how correctly apply them to the new rig!

 

I bake my animations in 2.90 before appending them so I just have to delete the extra junk that comes with it and adjust the timeline so it's correct.

[Khlas]

Guys I really need your help. I share with you the animation i'm working on because I just don't know how to fix it, two days I try to find the issue. Ignore the unfinished animation, like the weird looking eyes or whatever because it's not finished I have to polish it and animate things.

 

So the issue is in game, using WW or the poseplayer to test the animation, it's working as if only if there were 1 keyframe from the whole animation, so the sims stay in one pose during 32 seconds straight (not a T-Pose, it's an actual frame from the animation, probably the first one). Eww.

 

I want to finish this animation but sadly if I can't test it in my game from time to time it's useless. So if you could say what I did wrong with the blend file, and why it's not appearing in the game, it could nbe helpful. You can even fix it and share it here I don't even care anymore since I literally spent 2 DAYS for this. PS : It's my first try at animation and I already want to stop it. rofl. But if the issue can be fixed I'll be sure to stay around and maybe being a new official animator. Doing animations is just time consuming really but the technical part is a pain in the ass. I'm still learning (started two days ago) so some things are still obscure to me.

 

Rigs are two males because I used selfmade mesh and wanted to animate penises, but it should be the mesh from the melodine rigs here, I appended the actions directly to these rigs so you will not see useless stuff. actor1 & 2 are the separate blend and bothactor are... well don't need to explain what it is. Action from both rigs are already baked from the control rigs, it's why there is no control rigs. Ignore the bottom missing of the second actor in the bothactors blend file. I will really appreciate you if you can help me to fix this issue. I literally can't explain with words because it's too complicated so I prefer to share my blend files. Hope you don't mind. Thanks.

animationactor1.blend animationactor2.blend animationactorbothactor.blend

[Nelandros]

@khyan69 I'd probably not be any help but I can have a look. Maybe because I'm just learning and doing everything by the book I might spot something!

[Khlas]

5 hours ago, Nelandros said:

@khyan69 I'd probably not be any help but I can have a look. Maybe because I'm just learning and doing everything by the book I might spot something!

Thanks you. Did you find anything wrong in the blend files? For me it’s fine but it doesn’t work in the game. The sims stay in one pose during the whole animation (it’s not a T-pose).

For this and your future animations, You can test it easily by importing the blend files (actor 1 & 2) with S4studio, set the timeframe correctly (960/32/32), maybe add an image to recognize the animation, save, add the package file directly to your mod and test the animation with Andrew pose player. (It’s useless to do a WW animation, I have already everything to make it works with WW. It’s just the animation itself that has the problem). 

[Khlas]

Ok, I opened the blend files with S4studio and exported the blend to see if it was an issue with S4studio. And it appears that when I import the file then export it to .blend again in order to verify it's fine, the animation is indeed playing in blender but the frames seems to not being registred as you can see here :

 

 

Is this normal or S4studio erase the rotscale frames on the bottom itself for some reasons? 

 

Before the import in S4studio it is like this :

 

 

only the first frame of the animation is playing in game. For some reasons S4studio still want the animation to be 961 range frames instead of 960 whenever I import the blend files.

[GreyNaya]

On 3/16/2021 at 12:40 AM, khyan69 said:

Guys I really need your help. I share with you the animation i'm working on because I just don't know how to fix it, two days I try to find the issue. Ignore the unfinished animation, like the weird looking eyes or whatever because it's not finished I have to polish it and animate things.

 

So the issue is in game, using WW or the poseplayer to test the animation, it's working as if only if there were 1 keyframe from the whole animation, so the sims stay in one pose during 32 seconds straight (not a T-Pose, it's an actual frame from the animation, probably the first one). Eww.

 

I want to finish this animation but sadly if I can't test it in my game from time to time it's useless. So if you could say what I did wrong with the blend file, and why it's not appearing in the game, it could nbe helpful. You can even fix it and share it here I don't even care anymore since I literally spent 2 DAYS for this. PS : It's my first try at animation and I already want to stop it. rofl. But if the issue can be fixed I'll be sure to stay around and maybe being a new official animator. Doing animations is just time consuming really but the technical part is a pain in the ass. I'm still learning (started two days ago) so some things are still obscure to me.

 

Rigs are two males because I used selfmade mesh and wanted to animate penises, but it should be the mesh from the melodine rigs here, I appended the actions directly to these rigs so you will not see useless stuff. actor1 & 2 are the separate blend and bothactor are... well don't need to explain what it is. Action from both rigs are already baked from the control rigs, it's why there is no control rigs. Ignore the bottom missing of the second actor in the bothactors blend file. I will really appreciate you if you can help me to fix this issue. I literally can't explain with words because it's too complicated so I prefer to share my blend files. Hope you don't mind. Thanks.

animationactor1.blend 11.48 MB · 4 downloads animationactor2.blend 10.07 MB · 3 downloads animationactorbothactor.blend 18.37 MB · 3 downloads

Hey khyan! I did a quick test with your animation and it works perfectly in the game

 

I think your issue was the incorrect saving of the baked animation and as a result you've seen a T-pose. Before you save the animation make sure that the frame bar is at zero frame.

 

the fastest way to do this is to use this

 

So before you save your baked animation for S4S check it out in Blender and there should be no problems.

[Khlas]

3 hours ago, GreyNaya said:

Hey khyan! I did a quick test with your animation and it works perfectly in the game

 

I think your issue was the incorrect saving of the baked animation and as a result you've seen a T-pose. Before you save the animation make sure that the frame bar is at zero frame.

 

the fastest way to do this is to use this

 

So before you save your baked animation for S4S check it out in Blender and there should be no problems.

He Greynaya and thank you for your reply and your time to test my animation. It’s really helpful and I’m glad it’s working so it’s not an animation issue. BUT
 

As I said I don’t see any T-Pose in game but a pose like one of the frame of my animation. I did exactly the same as you said and it still does not work.
 

Can you share the .package files with the working animation so I can see if it’s an issue with my game? (You can send it to me in PM) In fact it wasn’t at 0 because I tested the animation and missed to make it back to 0, but it was at 0 during the export. I really does not know why it’s not working in my game, weird. So if you can share the .package just so I can test it in my game. If it works then it’s an issue with my S4studio or blender version, I tested 2.79, 2.76b, 2.70b and it does not work for whatever... if it does not works, it’s something in the game that overwrite my animation for some reasons. 
 

I really want to add more to this animation and make it more fluid (fixing eyes, reducing time between frames, fix movement etc, I know how to do a trust movement now so it should be better looking for the future). But since I’m really perfectionist I need to see it in my game while working on it... (maybe I shouldn’t since it’s my first time but well there is no reason to share my work if it looks like shit)

 

Thank you in advance!

 

Edit : sorry to flood the topic with this issue. But it’s still an animation WIP so it’s on topic anyway

[GreyNaya]

55 minutes ago, khyan69 said:

He Greynaya and thank you for your reply and your time to test my animation. It’s really helpful and I’m glad it’s working so it’s not an animation issue. BUT
 

As I said I don’t see any T-Pose in game but a pose like one of the frame of my animation. I did exactly the same as you said and it still does not work.
 

Can you share the .package files with the working animation so I can see if it’s an issue with my game? (You can send it to me in PM) In fact it wasn’t at 0 because I tested the animation and missed to make it back to 0, but it was at 0 during the export. I really does not know why it’s not working in my game, weird. So if you can share the .package just so I can test it in my game. If it works then it’s an issue with my S4studio or blender version, I tested 2.79, 2.76b, 2.70b and it does not work for whatever... if it does not works, it’s something in the game that overwrite my animation for some reasons. 
 

I really want to add more to this animation and make it more fluid (fixing eyes, reducing time between frames, fix movement etc, I know how to do a trust movement now so it should be better looking for the future). But since I’m really perfectionist I need to see it in my game while working on it... (maybe I shouldn’t since it’s my first time but well there is no reason to share my work if it looks like shit)

 

Thank you in advance!

 

Edit : sorry to flood the topic with this issue. But it’s still an animation WIP so it’s on topic anyway

No prob, I'll send you the package file via PM?

[Khlas]

With the help of @GreyNaya, I found my issue by curiosity. It was just the ticklengh in S4studio that were at the same range as the total duration of the animation. It explains why I only saw 1 frame of the whole animation because 1 frame was 32 seconds in S4studio instead of being 0.33 or whatever less than 32 seconds. I didn’t tested if it’s really this issue myself but I’m confident it is. Don’t know why I thought it has to be the same as the duration. Now I can go back to animating at peace 

 

ig using my mains sims (if you dont like seeing M/M dont open, the bottom is not gay during normal gameplay but i dont care its just for testing it im too lazy)

 

Spoiler

 

I don't see that much movement with jaws from others oral animations available here so that's why I added it. I need your feedback about those movement to know if i remove them or not

 

again thanks, I have so much idea for animations so I will share some wip later

[Khlas]

hello, im still learning how to play with rigs while animate

 

 

Someone know how I can fix the eyes as you can see in the gif? The eyelids are distorted if the head is not like at the beginning. I use melodine rigs and the eyes rig feature is from the control rigs. Do I have to fix them directly from the non-control rig by hands? 

[Nelandros]

1 hour ago, khyan69 said:

hello, im still learning how to play with rigs while animate

 

 

Someone know how I can fix the eyes as you can see in the gif? The eyelids are distorted if the head is not like at the beginning. I use melodine rigs and the eyes rig feature is from the control rigs. Do I have to fix them directly from the non-control rig by hands? 

From what I've seen, yes, you do have to sort them directly as I have the same issue with the Melodine rig, though perhaps a more experienced animator can and hopefully will prove me wrong.

 

How did you apply the custom character model onto the rig btw? I've seen others do it but I've never been able to figure out how!

 

Oh, and I'm glad to see your previous issue was sorted out. As I predicted I proved next to useless with that one. Sorry!

[Khlas]

6 hours ago, Nelandros said:

From what I've seen, yes, you do have to sort them directly as I have the same issue with the Melodine rig, though perhaps a more experienced animator can and hopefully will prove me wrong.

 

How did you apply the custom character model onto the rig btw? I've seen others do it but I've never been able to figure out how!

 

Oh, and I'm glad to see your previous issue was sorted out. As I predicted I proved next to useless with that one. Sorry!

 

I figured it out by trying things, it's not really hard to do it. First, you need to download TS4SimRipper, then select the save you want to extract the sim. Export the sim as DAE (not object, or you will not have the textures). then in blender, open a rig, import DAE file (it's your sim).

On blender, where you can see every mesh, rigs etc, try to find the rig you imported, click on it, then find the sim mesh. Maintain right click on the mesh and while maintaining, attach it to the melodine rigs. It will ask something, just click on "deform with armature" something like that. Delete the old mesh so you keep only your sim mesh. It's done.  If you have hairstyle, you do the same, you attach it directly to the melodine rig. If your mesh from the DAE file you imported has a painted penis the rigs will recgnize it automatically. (I use simdulgence penis for example)

 

My sim has a personal mesh tho, I don't share it because it's mostly a modification of simdulgence and Golyhawhaw top with my own adjustments. 

 

Wip doggy sex animation :

Spoiler

 

I need to finish animating the bottom girl/man and adjusting things (thos fucking eyes lol). Standing animation is wayyy easier than this shit

 

[Khlas]

trying more thrusting movement

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Nelandros]

On 3/18/2021 at 9:03 PM, khyan69 said:

 

I figured it out by trying things, it's not really hard to do it. First, you need to download TS4SimRipper, then select the save you want to extract the sim. Export the sim as DAE (not object, or you will not have the textures). then in blender, open a rig, import DAE file (it's your sim).

On blender, where you can see every mesh, rigs etc, try to find the rig you imported, click on it, then find the sim mesh. Maintain right click on the mesh and while maintaining, attach it to the melodine rigs. It will ask something, just click on "deform with armature" something like that. Delete the old mesh so you keep only your sim mesh. It's done.  If you have hairstyle, you do the same, you attach it directly to the melodine rig. If your mesh from the DAE file you imported has a painted penis the rigs will recgnize it automatically. (I use simdulgence penis for example)

 

My sim has a personal mesh tho, I don't share it because it's mostly a modification of simdulgence and Golyhawhaw top with my own adjustments. 

 

Wip doggy sex animation :

  Reveal hidden contents

 

I need to finish animating the bottom girl/man and adjusting things (thos fucking eyes lol). Standing animation is wayyy easier than this shit

 

 

Hmm not I'm not really sure what you mean by finding the mesh. I've managed to extract a skin as a DAE and import it into Blender but I can't work out how to attach it to the Melodine rig. I can see the new rig/model I imported in the info box on the right hand side but there is nothing labelled "mesh" to right click on.

 

Don't suppose you could give a "Dummies Guide" could you? ?

[porkybork]

@khyan69 Dude, if you could post a tutorial vid, I’d fuckin shower you in virtual high fives.

[elys19]

22 hours ago, Nelandros said:

 

Hmm not I'm not really sure what you mean by finding the mesh. I've managed to extract a skin as a DAE and import it into Blender but I can't work out how to attach it to the Melodine rig. I can see the new rig/model I imported in the info box on the right hand side but there is nothing labelled "mesh" to right click on.

 

Don't suppose you could give a "Dummies Guide" could you? ?

 

It sounds like you´ve made it this far:

Spoiler

 

Expand the view for the custom rig you´ve just imported and drag the triangle shaped thing onto the base rig you want to look like your chosen sim (left click and drag, right click didn´t do much for me). A pop-up menu should appear. Choose "armature deform":

Spoiler

 

 

Now it should look like this:

Spoiler

 

Delete what´s left of your imported rig and set the meshes for the various body parts invisible in your original rig (or just delete them), except for the newly imported mesh:

[edit: you might actually want to keep the "tongue", since that part didn´t seem to work when imported]

Spoiler

 

 

I don´t use melodine rig, but this should work similarly for pretty much any rig.

[Nelandros]

@elys19 Damn, that easy huh? I probably tried everything else except that! ?

 

Thanks for the tutorial though. I've got my custom rig all set up and ready to go now!

[Nelandros]

Hi guys. Me again! This time I have a question specifically about the Melodine rig, for anyone with more knowledge of it than I. Basically, if I were to try and make an animation with two Sims facing each other, when I rotate the second rig 180 degrees to face the other, well, this happens:

 

Spoiler

 

As you can see the eyes just about jump out of their sockets, and I can't figure out if there is a way to get them back into position. If I turn the rig back the other way then the eyes appear as normal again. Kinda makes animating the eye region a bit difficult! Anyone have any ideas?

[Khlas]

9 hours ago, Nelandros said:

Hi guys. Me again! This time I have a question specifically about the Melodine rig, for anyone with more knowledge of it than I. Basically, if I were to try and make an animation with two Sims facing each other, when I rotate the second rig 180 degrees to face the other, well, this happens:

 

  Hide contents

 

As you can see the eyes just about jump out of their sockets, and I can't figure out if there is a way to get them back into position. If I turn the rig back the other way then the eyes appear as normal again. Kinda makes animating the eye region a bit difficult! Anyone have any ideas?

You have to turn the head control in the right position. But even turning the head does not fix this issue, I don’t know how to fix it either, maybe anyone can share another adult rig with control rig like melodine without this issue? 

[SilentFred]

Hi guys,

 

I have another issue that gives me a lot of head scratching.

In my animation I have the Notebook included but its not showing up in game.

 

The notebook was exported via S4Studio and appended to blender - no issue so far.

The XML includes the prop with the animation.

 

I set the notebooks's rig in "pose mode" and positioned it accordingly on the bed. 

I set a keyframe at the beginning and one at the end of the animation.

 

I also tried a baking animation variant as well - no change.

 

Interesting fact: in game I removed (via destroy object) the bed and found the shadow of the notebook (that's what I guess it is).
So there must be something..

 

Running out of ideas....and pulled hair...

 

Glad if someone could help!

 

 

See the attached screenshots.

 

Spoiler

 

[Khlas]

16 hours ago, Nelandros said:

Hi guys. Me again! This time I have a question specifically about the Melodine rig, for anyone with more knowledge of it than I. Basically, if I were to try and make an animation with two Sims facing each other, when I rotate the second rig 180 degrees to face the other, well, this happens:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

As you can see the eyes just about jump out of their sockets, and I can't figure out if there is a way to get them back into position. If I turn the rig back the other way then the eyes appear as normal again. Kinda makes animating the eye region a bit difficult! Anyone have any ideas?

 

comment from the author in a video :

 

"That's a problem with the parenting thing that I forgot to fix. Just parent the eye target to the "look at" bone and then delete the "Child of" modifier and it should work fine!"

 

I don't know what he is talking about since there is no "child of" modifier anywhere for the look at, and the eye target bone is already a parent to the look at bone in the control rig...

 

EDIT : Actually you have to be in EDIT mode, select the armature from the control rigs, select "upper lid, lower lid and Look at" then Press ctrl + P, the first option, now in pose mode, it should be fixed. Just did it now while testing things

 

EDIT 2 : in fact the goal is to make parent uplid/lowlid to the "look at" and clear parent the "eye target", then maje parent "eye target" to "look at" again. Now the eyelids will be moved with the head, not the eyes, so it fix the issue. Just learned what parent and child is. for example, upper lid and lower lid became children of "look at" that is their new parent, and it's exactly what you need to do in order to fix this. making eye target a parent to "look at" is bad because you will lose the possibility to move eye target.