Is this caused by MHX2 or MH?

[Fred Astair]

I don't know what is causing this distortion when I open the mouth so I'm not putting this question in the MHX2 section.

It happens every time I open the mouth whether I do it using the mouth bone or by using expressions or visemes.

I think I've tried switching on and off every option in MHX2 and in MH, but it always distorts like this.

I'm using Blender 2.76b and MHX2 ver. 27 and MH ver. r1968.

Does anybody know where the source of this issue lies?

[brkurt]

I don't know what is causing this distortion when I open the mouth so I'm not putting this question in the MHX2 section.

It happens every time I open the mouth whether I do it using the mouth bone or by using expressions or visemes.

I think I've tried switching on and off every option in MHX2 and in MH, but it always distorts like this.

I'm using Blender 2.76b and MHX2 ver. 27 and MH ver. r1968.

Does anybody know where the source of this issue lies?

It doesn't matter which MH approach created the problem, the solution is very easy in Blender.

Since I create my own custom rigs for MH meshes, I have to fix this kind of a problem all the time.

Go into Edit Mode with Vertex View, and make sure the Armature can be seen doing its work (the modifier needs all the buttons pressed).

Then go to an offending vertex, and display it's properties using the 'N' key command. This will bring up a small dialog box that will show you that most likely the vertex is associated with two bones, or none at all (less likely). For the upper palate, associate the vertex to the 'head' bone, and for the lower lips (that's what your screenshot looks like) associate the vertex with 'jaw'.

[Fred Astair]

It doesn't matter which MH approach created the problem, the solution is very easy in Blender.

Since I create my own custom rigs for MH meshes, I have to fix this kind of a problem all the time.

Go into Edit Mode with Vertex View, and make sure the Armature can be seen doing its work (the modifier needs all the buttons pressed).

Then go to an offending vertex, and display it's properties using the 'N' key command. This will bring up a small dialog box that will show you that most likely the vertex is associated with two bones, or none at all (less likely). For the upper palate, associate the vertex to the 'head' bone, and for the lower lips (that's what your screenshot looks like) associate the vertex with 'jaw'.

Are you saying that I have to do this every time I import a MH model into Blender? Surely that defeats the whole point of ready made models and MHX2, doesn't it?

[brkurt]

It doesn't matter which MH approach created the problem, the solution is very easy in Blender.

Since I create my own custom rigs for MH meshes, I have to fix this kind of a problem all the time.

Go into Edit Mode with Vertex View, and make sure the Armature can be seen doing its work (the modifier needs all the buttons pressed).

Then go to an offending vertex, and display it's properties using the 'N' key command. This will bring up a small dialog box that will show you that most likely the vertex is associated with two bones, or none at all (less likely). For the upper palate, associate the vertex to the 'head' bone, and for the lower lips (that's what your screenshot looks like) associate the vertex with 'jaw'.

Are you saying that I have to do this every time I import a MH model into Blender? Surely that defeats the whole point of ready made models and MHX2, doesn't it?

You're welcome!

[Fred Astair]

You're welcome!

Thanks, but none of what you wrote makes any sense to me and I'm still in the same situation. There is no "vertex view" in edit mode,or otherwise. How can the armature be "seen doing its work" when the model is not moving? Where are these modifier buttons that need to be pressed? How can you tell which vertex is offending, assuming I could follow your instructions to the point where I could see the vertex's you're talking about. All I'm seeing in edit mode, when I switch to wire frame view, is about 10,000 vertex's and they all seem to be involved with the distortion. I tried activating some of those and clicking properties using "N" but there is no dialog for any of them. It might be helpful to understand your instructions if you included some screen shots so I could see what it is you are doing and referring to

[loki1950]

"vertex view"

Yes there is a vertex view the little block where you choose "vertexes. edges, or faces" more properly called selection mode.

Enjoy the Choice

[Fred Astair]

"vertex view"

Yes there is a vertex view the little block where you choose "vertexes. edges, or faces" more properly called selection mode.

Those little boxes disappear when I load a model and select the armature...

[joepal]

I don't know what is causing this distortion when I open the mouth so I'm not putting this question in the MHX2 section.

It happens every time I open the mouth whether I do it using the mouth bone or by using expressions or visemes.

I think I've tried switching on and off every option in MHX2 and in MH, but it always distorts like this.

I'm using Blender 2.76b and MHX2 ver. 27 and MH ver. r1968.

Does anybody know where the source of this issue lies?

This never happened to me, and I use basically the same setup, although I didn't try visemes specifically.

I export the following:

* proxy = adult female
* skeleton = default no toes ( <-- this is probably important )
* unit = meter
* MHX2
* expressions

I import the following (OTOH, I don't remember the exact wording) :

* MHX2
* Override presets
* Rig = exported mhx ( <-- this is probably important )

I'm perfectly able to open the mouth and wiggle the tongue around without the char looking as if it's melting.

[ThomasL]

This is surely a problem with the proxy; some proxy verts in the upper lip are assigned to human faces in the lower lip and vice versa. In fact, this kind of problem was the original reason why I introduced vertex groups in MakeClothes. Proxy verts are associated with nearby human faces, but since the lips intersect it is very difficult to distinguish between them automatically. There are similar problems with other parts of the body that intersect and have to move differently, e.g. the eyes vs the eyelids.

The solution is to introduce many vertex groups in MakeClothes to distinguish between different body parts. Last time I made a proxy mesh (a long time ago), I used six different vertex groups for the lips: uplip_L, uplip_R, uplip_M, lolip_L, lolip_R and lolip_M, for left, right, and middle. A group whose name ends with _M is treated specially, like the default Mid group: A vertex originally in the x=0 plane is forced to stay there.

Once I wrote a tutorial on how to use vertex groups in such situation, but I cannot find it now. It was written for an outdated version of MC, but the basic principles remain the same.

So unfortunately it is not so easy to fix this problem. You need the original object file for the clothing, and then you must rerun MakeClothes with a better vertex group assignment.

[ThomasL]

You need the original object file for the clothing, and then you must rerun MakeClothes with a better vertex group assignment.

Or, you could just import the proxymesh, assign vertex groups and rerun MC. The original misassignment of vertex groups does not matter as long as you only need the vertex locations; the problem arises because the same mapping is used to transfer vertex groups to the proxy as well. The drawback of this approach is that there is some quality degradation each time a proxy mesh is fitted to a human.