G6 Heidi Character Animation by iClone 6 PRO DX9

3DXchange5 Pipeline test series 19
G6 Heidi Character Animation by iClone 6 PRO DX9
2015.3.16, rev 2015.3.23 Hirospot (Personal Site)

Getting Familier with iClone 6 DX9 UI & G6 New Model Heidi Possible Modification.

Demo Video

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Test Reports with 3DXChange5 & iClone5 Pipeline

印は日本語でのレポートです

The G6 Heidi Dress features the chest wide open style with shoulder strap. Variations are made by the combination of Diffuse, Opacity Images plus Accesories at this moment.

Thanks to Reallusion, iClone 6 can now run on both DX9 and DX11 Graphic environment.

There is a big UI change in iClone 6 which will be useful as all round 3D animation tool, so, need to understand the change of Tools location for Character Animation work.

The New generation G6 Chracter models has been firstly introduced as single mesh morph based Non-Standard Character with the features of dynamic hair, Soft Cloth Dress, Higher Visual Quality, and Collision Shape Editing.

New UI for creating the new morph face and body is annoounced to become available in the iClone6.1 free patch in early 2015. (news)

This is a introductive study report to be familier with the iClone 6 UI for Basic Character Animation with my DX9 Environment.

Tools & Contents	Made by	Reference
iClone 6 PRO: DX 9 Ver:6.02.1409.1	Reallusion	■ iClone 6 Real-time 3D Animation Top Page: 7 major features ■ General Features:Characters, Motions, Camera and Light ■ Character: G6 Characters, Collision Shape Editing ■ Motion:Face Puppet, Persona, Motion Key Editing, Body Puppet ■ Camera & Light: Light System, Soft Shadow, Camera LinK-to ■ Physics:Soft Cloth, Natural Hair/Skirt Movements, ■ Upcoming Features: Morph-based G6 Characters
CELLYGON G6 BONUS PACK	Cellygon	■ Free 10 G6 Human characters (Non Standard Human)
Santa Girl for iClone6	Allley, Vit3D	■ Free　Santa Girl G6, Created on Default Heidi
G6 EMPOWERMENT	Reallusion Reallusion Alley Cellygon	■ HOTTEST HAIRSTYLES: 7 Hair pack with 10Accessories ■ SUAVE & CHAMING:33 Motions Pack for Mason a& Heidi ■ DRESS ALTENATIVES 1: G6 Character, 5 Maison & Heidi Dress ■ DRESS ALTENATIVES 2: G6 Character, 5 Maison & Heidi Dress
UNITY-CHan!	Unity Technologies Japan	■ UNITY-CHAN! OFFICIAL WEBSITE
MMD Angela	Modeling: かこみき氏	■ Windows 100% 2014 January （C）東映アニメーション・ニトロプラス／楽園追放ソサイエティ

Tutorials	Made by	Reference
■ iClone 6-Your first scene	WarLord720	01:27 New Scene - Add Character & Props 28:06 Camera Switch
■ Softcloth for Character Clothing	Reallusion	How to bake Soft Cloth Animations to prevent breaking through of soft cloth.
■ Soft Cloth Wind Effects	Reallusion	How to remove Heidi Hair and apply New Hair and Hat.

G6 EMPOWERMENT: Download process of iClone 6 Contents

Downloaded files come with the same file name and
need to change them when saved.

iClone 6 PRO UI for G6 Actors Resource

1-1

Go to Windows Start Menu first.

1-2

Click 'iClone Graphics Mode Selection' icon and select 'DirectX 9' to open iClone6.

1-3

This step is first-time only.
Use 'iClone v6.02 PRO' icon on the screen afterward to launch iClone 6.

1-4

Check StartUp menu: access to Product Demo, Training Resource, Get More Contents and Update Check.

1-5

Go to Content/Actor/Template/Actor Template/Avatar/01 G6 Actors.

1-6

DoubleClick on Heidi icon, then she comes up on the screen.

1-7

Install the iC6_Enu_Resource_Pack.

1-8

iClone6 Resource Pack has two G6 Actors, three G6 hairs, two G6 Accessories and four G6 Outfits.

01_G6 Character
G6_Character

Accessories/G6 Hair
G6_Hair Accessories/G6 Accessories

Accessories/G6 Outfit Collection
G6_Outfit

Familiarizing the iClone 6 Character Animation

2-1

Icon and Font Size can be changed at the Preference/Interface.

2-2

Background Color can be changed at the Edit/Project Settings/Project/ 2D Background.

Font Size Three sizes are available. Default : Center position Select the biggest Size.	Background Color Project/2D Background Click on the Background Color box

2-3

Grid ON/OFF: Edit/Preference/Grid/Show Grid( Ctrl+G)

2-4

When the screen size is limited, bring all toolbars within the screen.

2-5

By using Right Click on the 3D screen, Light and Camera control panel are shown.

When Character is not selected in the Screen
Start

When Character selected

2-6

Avatar and Light condition is shown in the Scene panel.
Select Avatar and Riht Click to access Avatar operation.

2-7

Select Light and Right Click to access Shadow Settings.

2-8

Camera Switch is located at the end of tool bar.

2-9

When Background image is needed, check 'Activate Image' and load an image.

Listing of Major UI for Basic Character Animation

3-1

Lighting Control

Light Condition	Shadow Control	Light Room
Window/ Scene Manager (F5)/ Scene Panel/ Light	Window/Visual Settings(F7)/Visual/Shadow Map/Shadow On Off	Window/Content/ Stage/Template/Light/ Light Room

Adding Light
Create/Light/ Shadow Settings, Ambient Light/ Visual/ Amvient Light Color Selection

3-2

Camera

Operation

Access

Camera
View

View/Camera View/

Front	Right	Top	Left	Bottom	Back	Face	All
F	S	G	A		D	J	K

Default

Window/Modify/Attribute/Camera/Camera Name, Focal length/Depth of Field

Adding Camera

Create/Add Camera/

Camera Switch & Lock

Camera and Orbit Switch(U)/Modify/Camera/Lock Camera View

Look at Camera

Window/Modify/Attribute/Look at(0)

3-3

UI for Actor Operation

Operation	Access	G5	G6
Actor Source	Window/Content Manager(F4)/Actor/Template or Custom/Avatar/	○	○
Actor Location	Window/Modify(F6)/Camera, Transform(T)
Body
Body Propotion	Window/Modify/Attribute/Avatar Proportion/ Body & Finger	○	△
Body Material	1) Go to Window/Modify/Material/Material List and use Pick icon to select a Material. 2) Go to Texture Settings(Y), confirm the Diffuse image. 3) Push the Launch icon to use the Texture Editor.	○	○
Material Editor	Edit/Preference/System/Texture Editor/Choose Texture Editor	○	○
Dress Change		○	×
Face
Create Face	Window/Modify/Create Face	○	×
Facial Features	Window/Modify/Facial Features/	○	×
Voice Operation	Window/Modify/Animation/Facial/Create Script/ Record Voice, TTS, Wave File, Crazy Talk Script,	○	○
Facial Expression	Modify/Animation/Motion/Facial/Create Script/ Record Voice, TTS, Wave File, Crazy Talk Script,	○	○
	Window/Modify/Animation/Motion/Face Puppet	○	○
	Window/Modify/Animation/Motion/Face Key	○	○
Face Make-up	Window/Modify/Material/Material List/Pick(B) face/ Launch Texture Editor, Load the new face image	○	○
Auto Blink	Window/Modify/Attribute/Avatar/Auto-Blink	○	○
Eye Color Change	Modify/Material/Material List/Pick/Eyeball: RL_Comea Adjust Color/Brightness=-20, Hue=100	○	○
Hair
Hair Replacement & Adjustment	Window/Modify/Attribute/Hair/Transform(T)	○
Hair Replacement & Adjustment	Window/Modify/Attribute/Accessory/Accessory/Transform(T)		○
Accessory	Content/Template/Accessory/
Motion
Motion Creation	Window/Modify/Animation/Motion/Body/ ・Motion Puppet, ・Direct Puppet, ・Edit Motion Layer, ・Reach Target	○	○
Spring
Spring Effect	Window/Modify/Spring, SPX File Open/Save	○	×

G6 Features	(These new features are not yet used in this report)
Collision Shape	Window/Modify/Attribute/Collision Shape/Character Collision Shape Editor	×	○
PhysX	Window/Modify/PhysX, Activate Physics	×	○
Property	Window/Modify/Property	×	○
Collision	Window/Modify/Collision	×	○
Wind Settings	Window/Modify/Wind Settings	×	○

3-4

Workspace Selection: Preset layouts are provided for a work efficiency.

Workspace Selection	Functions
Standard	Content, Modify
Animation	Timeline, Modify
Visual Effects	Visual, Scene, Modify
Final Render	Reder
All Panels	Visual, Scene, Timeline, Project, Preference, Mini Viewport

Possible Modification for Different Look (Preparation)

4-1

Push F4 Key (Window/Content Manager) to show Content Manager.

4-2

Push Actor icon, go to Template/Actor Template/Avatar/01_G6 Character.

4-3

Click the Heidi icon, drag into the screen.

4-4

Select Stage icon, go to Template/Light, select Light-directional

4-5

Push F7 key (Window/Visual Settings) to show Visual panel, select Shadow Map and uncheck the Shadow tentatively.

4-6

Push F6 Key (Window/Modify) to open Modify Panel and click material icon.

4-7

Click Pick(B) icon then click on her dress to show Diffuse image.

4-8

Pick her EyeColor(RL_Comea), adjust Brightness(-10) and Hue(100) for brown eye color.

Modifying G6 Model Heidi Material

5-1

Observe the G6 Heidi Body materials on the Material Editor.

Diffuse image: Face

Diffuse image:Body

G6 Heidi Eyeball
Original Image

Adjust Color

Brightness= -30

Hue=100

Dress

Diffuse Image

5-2

Create an Opacity Sample (1024 x 1024, JPG) in any Texture Editor.

Opacity Sample

(Used in the Report)

5-3

Prepare any Pattern Design Texture (1024x1024) in JPG format.

5-4

At Texture Settings, Select Diffuse and click Load icon to load the texture at Media Files.

5-5

Select Opacity icon, Load the New Opacity image.

5-6

Changing her Hair: Select Heidi first, then, select her Hair and remove it.

5-7

Go to Content/Actor/Template/Accessories/Hottest hairstyles, select low Ponytail for test and double-click.

5-8

Push Diffuse icon, launch any Texture Editor and arrange the image for her Make-Up.

5-9

Save the current Heidi as G6_Heidi_p1 in Content/Actor/Custom/Actor Custom/Avatar.

Changing the Proportion to look slender

6-1

Go to Modify/Animation/Motion/Body/Edit Motion Layer.

6-2

Check the Bone Edit Mode, Click Bone Settings, check the 'Affect to all bones'.

6-3

Reduce the Bone Size to 5, change the color and Opacity to 5.

6-4

At Edit Motion Layer/Extended Bone, Click Edit button to open Edit Motion Layer.

6-5

At Bone Selection/Heidi(0), select RL_G6_R\Ribs and click Local Rotate(E) tool.

6-6

Turn the Rotate tool to CCW direction to reduce the Breast height.

6-7

Expand the Ribs bone, select RibsTwist bone and use Rotate tool to twist the breast top.

6-8

Go to Modify/Attribute/Avatar/Avatar Propotion/Body, adjust Scale to change her proportion.

(Tested Example)

Body Part	Width	Length	Depth
Head	100	100	100
Neck	*80	100	95
Shoulder (L & R)	90	100	80
Arm (L & R)	100	100	90
Fore Arm (L & R)	85	90-100	100
Hand (L & R)	90	90-100	100
Upper Torso	90	90-100	80
Lower Torso	90	90-100	90
Thigh (L & R)	90	100	100
Shank (L & R)	90	90-100	90
Foot (L & R)	100	100	95
Toe (L & R)	100	100	95

*Neck shifts to leftword when
Width changed.

6-9

Change her Hair and Color, adjust shoulder bones. Adjust Light.

Observing the G6 Heidi Facial Expression

7-1

Facial Expression can be attained by the following tools and adjustment.

Click the Character in the screen first to show the Modify tab below: Go to Modify/Animation/Motion/Facial Facial Animation Settings/ Viseme Strength: 0-100

Access: Window/Modify/Animation/Motion/Facial

Tab	Create Script	Face Key	Face Puppet	Lips Editor
Functions	Voice Selection	Mouth Selection	Solo Feature & Full Face Control	Lip Shape Selection
Adjustment & Selection	Record Voice TTS Wave File CrazyTalk Script	Shape Control by Mouse movement.	Face Animation Profile is available.	Expressiveness: 0-100

7-2

TTS: Text to Speech Editor for English Language. Other languages can be used by 'TTS ON-DEMAND'.

Function	Test Setting
Voice Mode	Microsoft Anna-English
Voice Format	16KHz 16Bit Mono
Volume	100
Pitch	100
Speed	50

Other languages can be added by 'TTS ON-DEMAND' Cloud Service.
Enter Title Name and push Convert button to download the MP3 file.

TTSonDEMAND

7-3

Face Puppet has 7 different Face Animation Profiles, 3DX_Custom, 6 Full Face Controls and Solo Feature Selection.

My Comment: Seems to be difficult to make Heidi Smile face within the Face Puppet.
FacePuppet_Smile

7-4

Lip shape changes very accurately when each Viseme is applied.

7-5

Lip shape can be exaggerated or reduced by:
(a) Viseme Strength,
(b) Expressiveness slider and
(c) Face Key operation
at the same time.

7-6

Adding Accessories: Open Accessories, Click the Heidi first, then click on the target Accessory.

Body Animation and Motion

Before starating the Animation, and when Displaydriver becomes unstable,
Push Ctrl+Alt+Del and Cancel.

Updating the Unsaved project became possible in iClone 6.
Restore the Unsaved Project and Restart iClone 6.