Bone weighting (complete unit) tutorial

[Lü Bu]

1)Select the model and open Skin modifier



2)From there click on add and select all bones except cloak bones.




3)Click on Edit Envelopes and check Vertices box and unchecked Envelopes and Cross Section boxes




4)Click on Weight tool button and new small window will pop up (don't close it cause you will need it during whole skin process)




5)Now preparations are over.Lets start skin.First we will start by selecting bone_plevis and selecting all verteces on model.After that click on number 1 in pop-ed up window you open in previously step




6)I always start with weighting most simply-est verteces so next move is to select bone_abs and select verteces as I on the pic.After that again click on number 1

Now area under the chest should turn red.



7)Now I will start skinning RIGHT HAND.Lets start by selecting bone_Rupperarm.Select verteces like on pic and push 1 to weight them




8)Lower part of right hand is bone_Relbow.Select again verteces like on pic and push 1 to weight




9)select bone_Rhand and select verteces on hand and weight them by pushing 1




10)I wont show you weighting LEFT HAND because process is same its just its on opposite side and bones are: bone_Rupperarm,bone_Relbow and bone_Rhand



11)Select the bone_RThigh,select next verteces and push 1




12)Select bone_Rlowerleg,select next verteces,weight them




13)Same with foot.Select bone_Rfoot verteces like on pic and weight




14)I wont show you weighting for the other leg because process is the same.Only bones are different: bone_LThigh, bone_Llowerleg, bone_Lfoot


15)We are on more than half way.Next is to select bone_head and select verteces and weight them




16)Last step is to select bone_torso,verteces,weight

I TRY TO MAKE THIS AS BETTER AS I CAN.THANKS FOR WATCHING AND POST ANY QUESTION,COMMENT

[Icedie El Guaraní]

I can stress enough, is exactly what i do, but i keep having the index array error, :hmmm: i don´t know maybe some one who use GMAX and successfully manage to do the Rigging could help me out.

Any expect in GMAX?
BTW karlos thank you so much Dude, way cool tutorial!! +rep when ever i spread around more.

Edited
Why is that when i import a model? the envelopes and cross sections´ box are checked, and in weight properties Abs. effect is 0 no t 1.

Also the body vertices has not just the red color but an orange/yellow one in the points where two bone meets. i can´t add those , i wish some one could tell how.

I am applying all this to MTW2 but so far i have no luck.

[Lü Bu]

As I can tell I think its normal that when you import the model that cross sections and envelopes boxes are checked.For example when you model you always work in edirably poly,didnt you because its lot easyer and when you export and import model everything turn to editably mesh.I think i saw yellow verteces but I weight them like everything else (hair I think it was),without the problem.

[Lü Bu]

And to make sure you weight all verteces ok.Select some points and rotate them and watch is there any weird scratchings (In my case I see no scratching so I weight everything all right!)
(Hair always must be dark like that because polygons are detached and flipped so we see hair from booth sides.)
This is walk anima I make

[Icedie El Guaraní]

For some odd reason i get this array index error when i try to export it, is not what i do in the weighting that is wrong is some thing i don´t know that i do wrong when modeling, this index array has some equal values( faces and vertices) Monkwarrior is the guy who can tell me about it.

[Lü Bu]

Im sorry to hear that.I hope you will fix this soon

[Lü Bu]

Im matter of fact can you post a picture of error?

[Icedie El Guaraní]

Here are images:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

That is what i do, just as you pointed out in your tutorial.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

And this one is the error, when the error happen, notice that the helmet is selected, is because it duplicate the helmet to helmet_kepy01 in a mesh with no skin modifier

[Lü Bu]

Can youz send me model so I can check it out

[Conqistador]

everytime i export an model i need to weight it before?

[Lü Bu]

Yes!If you dont do it your model wont react on animation!!

[Conqistador]

yeah i've noticed this man!

EDIT 1: why does the model is looking up?

[Lü Bu]

sry but i think i dont understand question

[Conqistador]

This is an model i made, weighted it, but when i exp animation some weird thing happen:


Question: Why does your model's head is pointing up?

[Lü Bu]

In my tutorial i didnt import animation.I make my own for this tutorial.
You didnt weight all vertexes,that is why you get this weird thing.Check out your model again.If you cant find nothing than send the model to me and i will take a look

[Conqistador]

Thanks man!!! first unit i've modelled, you're one of my greatest teacher !

[Lü Bu]

No prob!I like to hear that!I like the model and i hope i will see texture on it soon!

[Killerbee]

Looks great coqistador

[Conqistador]

No prob!I like to hear that!I like the model and i hope i will see texture on it soon!

oh srry but it was a test only... i'll make a good model and take the texture "challenge"

and thanks King Theoden1

[DaLeGiOnArY]

i have a really big problem. after weighing my unit, i rotate the bones a bit to test it out and not one of the vertices is moving with the bone. i check it out by clicking on the bone in the skin modifier and it all looks okay with the red tint everywhere but it's not working.
EDIT: I also noticed that by selecting vertexes in the edit mesh modifier and using the link tool you can link them to bones without needing to use the weighting tool.