Biped (.bip) Animation Batch Retargeting & FBX export

By Pixeldamage · Credited author: George Allan (aka Pixeldamage) · 2014-07-03

Version: 1.06
Version requirement: 3dsmax 2013x64 - 2016x64 (tested / working)
Date updated: 2015-10-13
Votes: 4
Homepage: www.pixeldamage.net
Download: Download

Description

This script was made to retarget animations so that changes could be made to the biped's proportions throughout production.

I made this for making my life easier between Max and Unity (though it could be used in any max-based pipeline). Unfortunately Unity has no native retargeting, unless your team is using Mecanim.

This meant that everytime I made a change to the proportions of the rig - all the animations would have to be loaded, one by one and have their figure files reset. Then they would be exported to fbx (again one at a time). This was a very time consuming process - so I created this script to make it easier.

It now quickly runs through a batch input folder (c:\batch\in) and applies all the retargeting automatically by referencing a figure file and exporting fbx animations (which are cropped to the length of time in the source bip files).

The video here demos this. I hope it helps someone else. This is my first attempt at a maxscript so I'm sure it could be improved but has made my life much nicer :)

Additional Info

1) Place the script in your Macroscripts folder 2) Restart 3dsmax 3) Go to customize/customize user interface 4) Select the Toolbars tab 5) Change the Category drop-down to Pixeldamage 6) Drag the script onto a toolbar of your choice and save your UI Keywords: biped, fig, retarget, retargeter, batch, export, fbx

Videos

Comments (5)

That totally fixed Unity fbx (bipped) animation issues

novavision · 2015-10-13

Great script, thanks!

Spent so much time to find a solution how to fix "broken" animations in fbx. That script made it perfectly!

SUPER SCRIPT

stalker23unknown · 2014-12-25

This script is very useful ! Nowhere is such a script I no longer found. Big THANK to the Author of this script !

Pixeldamage · 2014-07-15

I just noticed all the formatting was messed up on the download link. I've fixed the issue and put in a check for the biped name. Let me know if you have any issues :)

" Mecanim which we cannot currently use."

joshpurple · 2014-07-05

This is great :) ! Nice work, and Thank you.

You mentioned,
"...Unity3D which has no native retargeting (until Mecanim which we cannot currently use)."

What prevents you from using Mecanim? (just curious, I'm also working for a game company, using the latest version of Unity).

Thanks again!

-josh

Pixeldamage · 2014-07-07

Hey Josh thanks! :)

I'm not sure of the exact reason. When I originally suggested we switch over to it, one of our programmers felt that it would require to much reworking of our existing codebase. I just asked him to clarify:

"Mecanim doesn't allow control over animations in both playmode and edit mode and our previous levels were built using that dependency"