This section covers how to map the controllers of your biped character rig.

What is Mapping

In the mapping (or retargeting, or characterization) process, you need to tell animcraft the real meaning of each controller or joint, for example, which IK controller is left hand and or which joint is right leg etc. It defines each controller into meaningful parts of the character. So that when import animation from Animcraft, the system knows where the animation data should be written. And when export animation, the system knows where the animation data is.
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Mapping Window

Mapping Window Signal

There is a round shape sign on the left (or right) upper corner of Mapping Window. That indicates the status of character mapping.
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  • Position:
    • Left: in import mode
    • Right: in export mode
  • Color:
    • Red: there are still some primary controllers not mapped, you need to manually map them until it turning into orange
    • Orange: all primary controllers are mapped completed, you can prepare the Match by setting the character to T-Pose or A-Pose
    • Green: Match successful, and you can continue import/export animation

Mapping Window Marker Shapes

There are several shapes in the mapping window:
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  • ‘o’ circle markers: FK controller
  • ‘+’ cross markers: IK controller
  • ‘?’ sign on marker: repeated mapping

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  • big waist circle: usually waist controller or root

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  • joint

:::success IK vs FK

  • FK(Forward Kinematic) sets the pose by adjusting each controller
  • IK(Inverse Kinematic) sets the pose by adjusting the end effector and its pole vector. :::

Mapping Window Marker Colors

There are some different colors in the mapping window of each marker.
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  • Gray: Not mapped
  • Green: Mapped
  • Orange: Mapped (with blocked animation import). Usually use for locating and working with IK controller animation import.

Mapping Process

Manual Mapping

  • Select the controller(or joint) on character rig you want to map, then right-click the corresponding circle or cross marker in the mapping window and choose Map. It will be mapped.
  • Unmap breaks the mapped connection.

image.pngimage.png :::success Tips

  • You can click-and-drag select multiple mapped circle and cross markers in the mapping window and right-click to cancel mapping all of them simultaneously.
  • Click the mapped circle or cross marker in the mapping window, you can select the corresponding controller or joint. :::

Automatic Mapping

  • When you select any part of a non-mapped character rig and open the mapping window, the system will automatically search the directory /animcraft/maya/template and find the most matched mapping data for the current rig. This is a dedicated mechanism to reduce your possible repeated work if you previously mapped the same type of character rig.
  • You can remove this automatic result.
  • You can also edit, save, load, delete the mapping templates
  • You can click Save Temple when you finish the mapping so that the mapping data will be recorded again and reused in the same type of rig in the future.
  • Know more about details, read Using Mapping Templates

Details of Mapping Different Parts

This section describes some recommended mapping orders.

  • The master controller of character should be ignored in the mapping process (in below picture, the yellow arrow pointed controller)

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No need to map the Character Master Controller

  • The waist(or root) FK controller usually should be mapped to the big ring in Mapping Window.

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  • Then for the torso, you can first map the torso root FK(1) and shoulder root FK(2). Then find one or two middle torso controllers(3) to map. (In below picture)
  • (4) and (5) markers should be neck and head
  • The 3 A, B, C cross markers are 3 torso IK controllers, you can map them optionally.

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  • For the shoulder, upper arm, lower arm, and the hand controllers, you can use (1), (2), (3), and (4) markers to map them.
  • (5) and (6) can map the pole vector and end effector of the arm IK controller.

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  • Similar to arm, for the upper leg, lower leg, foot, and the toe controllers, you can use (1), (2), (3), and (4) markers to map them.
  • (5) and (6) can map the pole vector and end effector of the leg IK controller.

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  • Above are the primary controller you have to map(in body page) before animation importing.
  • Map the fingers and toes in the below section to get a more detailed motion transfer.
  • (Optional) Finger mapping is fairly clear, just beware left and right. Notice the palm lines to recognize the left/right.

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  • (Optional) Mapping joints usually can provide some more transformation data to help the importing and exporting. But animcraft won’t import animation to these joints.

image.png :::warning Notices: r**equirement of joint mapping**

  • Setup ball of foot: all legs and feet in joint page must be mapped.
  • Export Animation: all joints in joint page must be mapped. :::

Setup Ball of the Foot Rotation (Optional)

Introduction

Most of the foot rigging has the rotation control on the ball of the foot, it can achieve rotation on the ball of foot with fixed toe and lift heel result, like the below picture. No matter walk or run, there is always this subtle movement on feet.
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Instructions

  • Select the controller which can independently control the ball of foot rotation.
  • In the channel box of Maya, add-select the attribute which controls the ball rotation.

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  • Go ball page in Mapping Window
  • Click the heel attribute button, to fill the selected controller and attribute names into Mapping Window. For example RollTose_L.rx (may be different in the actual scene)

image.png :::danger Note
You must add-select the attribute on the ball controller, not just controller itself. :::

  • Tweak the heel lift attribute value and make the foot pose like the upper foot result in the below picture, and record the attribute value and fill it into the max field in Mapping Window.
  • Tweak the heel lift attribute value and make the foot to default pose (usually 0), and record the attribute value and fill it into the min field in Mapping Window.

image.png :::success Tips
The heel lift attribute range can be inaccurate, it’s just a rough range, and the system will find the best solution when import animation. So you can make the range relative bigger than real value, for example the real range is 0 to 60, you can set -20 to 80 in min and max fields. :::

Now you finished all the mapping process, you can save your mapping result into a template if you think there is some character with the same rig the needs to be mapped in the future.
Know more about Mapping Template, read Using Mapping Templates

Match

Introduction

The Match is an Animcraft process that prepares import and export animation.
After mapping, you need to resume your character to the standard pose (A-Pose or T-Pose) and then click Match Button to execute the process. In the process, the system will import a lite middle rig and match it to the target rig and store some important data into it.

Instructions

  • After mapping all parts in the body page of Mapping Window, you can see the signal light in it turns to orange, it indicates at least all primary parts are mapped and now you can import animation to the rig.

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Orange Signal in Mapping Window

  • Resume the character to standard pose (In Maya it supports: A-Pose，Rest-Pose or T-Pose)

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  • Make sure to select any part of the character, and hit Match Button to execute the process.

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  • Then, the signal light turns green

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  • Please notice both the import and export animation mode need the Match process.

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You need to Match your character too in Export Mode.

:::success How to resume your character to standard pose

  • If it is a controller based character, usually you can try to resume all controller 0 in translate and rotate attributes.
  • Skeletal mesh is different, sometimes you can try to resume all rotation of joints to 0 to resume it to standard pose but sometimes cannot.
  • The 1st frame of Mocap data usually is T-Pose or A-Pose.
  • Others, you need to resume them manually. :::