thanks absolutely loved pori, so i'm sure to love these great characters too. very kind to share thank you..

Hi thanks for the rigs, i've been through loads of blender rigs and found porl the best and easiest to use for my ability, the only thing i dont like, is there is no constraints on the forearm rotation.

Cheers

Guy

Thank you very much!! Great gift, just what I needed to practice.

Holy shit, are you serious, these are amazing characters, the rigging is immaculate. Thank you so much. Probably the best share I think I've seen on the site.

Great work!

Where do I find good and detailed tutorials about this kind of face rig and UI controls?

@Adriano Well you don't really need one, just find any facial animation tutorial. I just added a huge stack of controls to make it flexible. Use them to make whatever mouth shapes you want, just hover your mouse over a control and press i to put in a keyframe, and play around with them to get something you like. Then just move onto your next pose.

@VMComix Thank you. I was looking for tutotiais about seting this kind of facial rig. By the way, how to build pose libraries with this, like facial expressions and phonems?

@Adriano oh. Well i'm not too sure if you can use properties in the pose library but you could try. As for how to make the rig, it's shape keys being controlled by property sliders, and then using a script i simply placed them in the side bar. If you select the face bone, and go to the bone properties you'll see them all. There's some documentation on properties here

http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Doc:2.5/Manual/Extensions/Python/Properties

Although you should search around in other places too to learn more.

Thank you so much for character pack. I have just uploaded a walkcycle that I made. You may find the animation over here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMfrAzgZUp8. I am busy teaching myself animation in blender and your rig is really easy to you.

Hi VMComix, I first want to thank you for sharing your models, and now consulting you something: it is possible that nose may record the animations in the dope sheet? I mean gestures that genre with the sliders change the mesh of the character but are not as pose in the timeline of the animation. I mean? or ... has a restriction to the original model or you may please tell me how to use it in its full capacity? from already thank you very much ...

Adokin

@Adokin If you press I while hovering your mouse over a slider you can keyframe it, and use it as any other bone in the dope sheet. They have restrictions because they are just shape keys, and only deform the mesh to a certain point. If they don't suit you, you could always go into the base mesh and adjust the shape keys yourself to whatever you need.

thanks VMComix! I don't see that before!!

Text translated with google translator.

Could you put a video tutorial (preferably in Spanish) that explain how to make a character like that?

Or a link to a video tutorial would settle.

BTW: Very good models. I hope you keep doing more like that.

@El_favorit Well I'm not sure about Spanish but there's some good rigging tutorials at BlenderCookie.com, and some good ones on youtube such as the Johnny Blender series (which go over making a character from start to finish). The UI I'm not sure if there's a tutorial, I figured it out by fiddling with it myself.

Thanks for the rigs! Super!!! They have come in very handy for story boarding. I can append the rig and character by using the group property in the blend file, but how do I append the properties area that controls the IK? Or is there a hot key I am missing for that?

Awesome work VMComix, you're way too generous!!! Thanks big time for all your work!

One question I had was, I've Appended the Elaine.blend into the Ed.blend and can't see her "Elaine Properties" (ie the facial controls, etc) in the properties panel when I have the "face" bone selected. :(

I've changed her Armature's name to Elaine_Rig as well.

Am I missing something?

This is in Blender 2.58.1 (r38019) on a mac.

@Markharrel and Pancreasboy, make sure your version of blender is 2.57 or above. Also make sure the script gets appended as well, go into the text editor and make sure you have the .py file. If you don't then just append it and run it separately.

Sorry where is the .py file?

Ah ok I found it, sorry about my script noobness. So really if we want 10 different characters all we would have to do is change the armature name and the reference to it in the script right?

Thanks! I just had to run the script in the text editor.

And can the characters give a cheesy grin (ie big open smile with teeth together), or will I have to come up with my own shape keys?

@Pancreasboy Yes if you want multiple of the same character in a scene you'll have to change the armature name and the reference in the script. And if you want to show the teeth go to the lip controls and move the top lip up a bit and the bottom lip down. I'm updating these rigs currently and adding another character (but getting rid of Porl, I just don't really like him). But I'm completely redoing the topology and shape keys to make it look a bit better, and a little cleaner.

Cool bananas!!! Thanks for that!

Seriously awesome work :D Do you mind if I use these rigs in my demo reel for entry to animation school? as although I can animate(badly), my rigging skills are, well, abysmal :P i currently do modeling/texturing for work, but bout time I learnt animation haha Of course I'll have model/rig by VMComix on screen while these are on. Unless you want your real name (you'd have to tell me it though :P)

Once again, awesome rig :D

@Metalix Yeah sure you can use them. VMComix I think would be better.

just thought I'd re-phrase that, realized it wasn't very clear lol I mean animating your rig to show off my animating skills, not claim your work as mine, as that's not my intention. :D

Thanks man :D much appreciated

I know that's what you meant :P

hi, thanks, very nice and useful rigs i m still facing that foot roll animation / keyframing thing even it shows graph edit curve. keys while keyframing, it updates viewport to show foot roll happening but once i do keyframign, and play using alt + a , it simply does nothing any help would be appriciated, huge thanks in advance regards, lala

@Lala I'm not sure, are you keyframing correctly? You have to hover your cursor over the slider and press I to set a keyframe, the auto key won't work if you didn't set a keyframe initially.

vmComix, thanks for reply, i'll check and confirm.........soon..

hey VMComix how would you say to make new clothing, like if I wanted to make a lab coat?

would I unparent the shirt you've made and make the edits in edit mode and then re-parent the coat to the armature?

@Pancreasboy Unparenting and parenting won't do anything. If you want to make changes to the shirt you can just do so, just keep in mind that if you extrude more faces you'll have to assign them to specific vertex groups so that they act how you want them to.

Ah ok sweet thanks VMComix.

Thanks for uploading such a meticulous rig, VMComix! I just finished an animation exercise using it, and I thought you would enjoy seeing your character in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqhUwzLujTw

Thanks a ton, VMComix. These are perfect for me.

I was struggling with importing the script for the facial animation drivers, but then I realized that it's not necessary to control them through sliders in the 3D view. They're also accessible through Properties > Bone > Custom Properties.

Great share thank you! I'm using your models for a small prototype game involving kinect! Unfortunately I couldn't use your rig since its real time application and I had to modify your characters quite a bit, anyways they provided a really good base model to build on! This is what I got so far http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2988574/hahmo.png

For the Elaine model, I cannot access the body Mesh so that I can modify it. When I hit Tab to go into Edit Mode, the whole body Mesh just vanishes and I'm just looking at the teeth, eyes, and hair.

Does anybody know what might be causing this? I had no similar problems with the Ed or Porl models.

Thank you in advance.

Nevermind my question above.

The guys at BlenderArtists let me know that the body Mesh was just hidden in Edit Mode (H button). So I just hit Alt + H to reveal everything.

I don't know whether I hid all this by accident or if the model is in this state when downloaded.

One other thing VMComix,

is there a way to copy all the keyframes from one character over to another in the same scene (eg if I wanted Porl's jumping animation copied over to Eliane's?)

Hey VMCormex,

I downloaded these files, but I can't seem to get the facial controls working. I can see the sliders to move the shape keys, but when I move the sliders, absolutely nothing happens. I am using blender 2.56, but I have also tried it with Blender 2.6 and it doesn't work. Please help!!!

An animation clip with this characters: http://vimeo.com/34219863

Sorry I haven't been replying, been a bit busy. @Pancreasboy to copy the same keyframes you can make a duplicate of the animation data by clicking the 2 next to the animation's name in the action editor. Then just go to the other rig and select that animation from the menu (in the action editor).

@Jachphelt You need blender 2.57 or up for that to work, should've put that in the main post.

@Adriano, Ha, nice.

thanks...it realy superb :)

I am able to move the eyes, but I am unable to change facial expression. The mouth itself won't move (but the tongue will). Any suggestions?

I am using your Elaine rig to learn animation and what a great rig and character it is. Since updating to 2.61, I am having problems with the fk not working probably on the arms, the key-frames are not been mirrored. I hope this issue can be fixed, I am not having this problem with other rigs.

Man, thank you for Porl. I'm setting up the drivers to work with bones instead of sliders. But the rig is very nice. It saved me a lot of work.

When I import it to 2.61, the Porl's Properties disapear. Do you know why?

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Thanx 4 sharing ,, great rigs.

Doesn't download. I have 100MB left on my account, so I'm not sure what the problem is.

Doesn’t download. I have 100MB left on my account, so I’m not sure what the problem is. I have this problem too plz solve it and reply us tnx

What browser you guys using? What happens when you try to download?

Didn't work with Firefox, but just did with Safari. Thanks, Pam

I only see sliders for pupil size and eye lock. No others are showing for the face, i.e. eyebrows and eyelids.

Thanks for the amazing rigs been looking all over for such great work man...wish they were four-fingered though...:)

Looks like you need to select the base, as well as the face and eyes to see the sliders for the eyes.

my shape keys are purple and dont let me use them

@Galaxarstudio The purple means that the shape keys are assigned to drivers, so they can't be directly selected in the shape key section in the usual way anymore. The drivers are assigned in python to sliders on the Properties Panel (the "N" toggle menu). You won't be able to see the shape key sliders unless the proper button is on in the Properties Panel and the appropriate bone is selected on the character.

For instance: I have Ed in my 3d window and I want to move his jaw down. I turn on the "Face" button in the Properties Panel (under "Bone Layers") AND select the bone over Ed's head in the 3d view. The shape keys for Ed's head, among them, "Jaw Down," will now show up in the Properties Panel.

Thank you for these characters. I have made a Blender workshop about acting with your characters last saturday. It was funny.

thank you very much for sharing vmcomix!! nice models!!!such a great help for us who have just started developing games..if we ever finish a game, you'll be in the credits list for sure:P

Thank For Character

Thanks.

can you change the expression?

Hey thanks for the character pack! But i have a slight problem can anyone help me out? I've set up a walk cycle for Elaine but when i parent her to follow a path, her eyes dissappear and her hair ends up by her feet! Any reason why?

hi, thanks for these cool models and rig. however, i just can't find the rig for their fingers. any help for this matter? thanks in advance. (:

nvm my first comment. i found it. it was just hidden in other layers. thanks! ^^

thank you

nice stuff, clean n simple

Thank you for sharing great characters!! I made a small movie from them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7gu1edZcpo

i downloaded this pack ... and i loved it ! but when i try to render the image ! its render it with black body !!! and i can move her/his hands or legs !

beatifull. Thanks.

Thank you for this character :)

Thanks a lot, great characters !!!

Thanks! :) These look really cool.

Thanks again VMcomix for this great characters.

Linking Porl in other blend, is there anyone that can have in the N pannel the Bones Layers of Porl (Face, Arm...) ?

Using blender 2.63, Linking Ed, there is no problem (the bone layers in N pannel are displayed), but linking Porl, the bones layers are not displayed (however the control's driver of Porl are displayed).

Someone has an idea on how to change this ? Thanks for your replies.

Thanks.

very cool! very easy to move the rig controllers. the mesh deforms naturally in upper leg and shoulders. congratulations

Hey there VMComix,

will these characters work with mocap files (bvh or bip?)?

Hi this is very cool btw can I use it for a game we're developing? thanks allot in advance!

thanks man, i will update to u when my animation finished, thank a lot.!

Thanks. Great work - the models are very easy to work with. I used these rigs in a series of animations for the UK Government Department for Education: http://goo.gl/9tYMD

http://www.facebook.com/educationgovuk

I love the models! but how do you open the mouth?

very useful characters, thanks a lot! I used your charecter in my animation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYY36LOGnko&feature=share&list=UUL4QSEokHx2H0EUHEAElmpg

Hi VMComix the mouth will not work, the tong moves but the mouth just dose not move. PLEASE HELP! I am using blender 2.63

THANK YOU "NABAWI"!!!

how i can open the mouth, because i don't see mouth values! thanks.

How do you change the face? I press 'N' but it just shows some buttons for Legs and bone layers. Blender 2.63

I'll be using these characters on a small cartoon series I want to start ^_^ I'll definitely give credit even though it's not required. Thanks again!

I like your characters! :) I exported the characters to Cinema 4D, and add animations. For the young man everything is ok, but when I apply same animation steps, girl's and old man's clothes, eyes, hairs etc. deform. What may be the problem?

Awesome style! Do you accept commissioned work? ;)

VMComix has presented a wonderful gift for aspiring Blender artists.. I should mention however that Leonard & Vegdhal Animation Kit goes further, allowing a huge range of facial controls and lip synching options

Realy good rig... but

1. forearm bones must be locked on all axes except z, couse its anatomy... this bone can move only one direction

2. I am not sure that in FK arms, bones should follow the bone U move like in IK mode (only in Port rig, Elanie works correct)

But still great stuff. Thanks!

thank you so much you are great :D

OMFG sick sick sick sick =O

Great models! With slight modification and shaping, they worked great for some spy characters I needed models for :D

Call me a newbie, but I have never seen rigs (or their controls) like these before! is there a name for this specific type of rig? and how can I learn to make my own?

Friend I have a question, I can use your characters to make a series of videos for information on the proper use and assurances bank cards?

amazing man really that helped me a lot.... my respect and my credits good job

LOVED THEM :) THANKS for sharing them with us! I might use them for animation, I'll give you credit for your awesome job :)

Great job!!! am gonna use em for my story board. Thanks a bunch.

Can I use It for my video game??? (Just awesome)!!!

Made a animation of this guy underwater! Thanks for the rig :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja62xwlmR-c

wow! these are great! still getting the hang of them but they seem really nice! thanks for sharing!