Houdini 22.0 Character KineFX

Transform Driver

Creates, parents, and constrains TransformObject nodes.

Since 20.0

This is a versatile component that can create, parent, and constrain TransformObject nodes in a rig.

See rigging a simple geometry and rigging a character for example uses of this component.

Parameters

Setups

The number of transform drivers. Click beside Setups to create multiple drivers.

Enable

When turned on, this setup is built. Turn it off to skip a setup without removing it from the list.

Settings

Use Translate

When turned on, the translation of the driven node is affected by the driver.

Use Rotate

When turned on, the rotation of the driven node is affected by the driver.

Use Scale

When turned on, the scale of the driven node is affected by the driver.

Ignore Offset

When turned on, calculates offsets to keep the driven node at its world space position. When turned off, the driven is constrained to the driver’s position without offsets.

Offset Controls

When turned on, creates controls at the Driven Transforms, so you can move the driven nodes around.

Parent Constraint

When turned on, allows you to move the Driven Transforms around. The Driven Transforms are no longer constrained to the Driver.

Driven

Driven Transforms

The TransformObject nodes driven by the Driver. This parameter accepts APEX path patterns, so you can specify tags in this field, for example, #<tag>.

Control

Driver

The name of the new/existing driver.

Driver Guide

When creating a new driver, this is the position of the driver. If driverguide is empty, the driver is placed at the origin. If the driver already exists in the hierarchy, the driver’s position is used, and driverguide is ignored.

This parameter accepts APEX path patterns, so you can specify tags in this field.

Driver Parent

The parent of the driver.

Make Control

When turned on, creates a control for the driver.

Promote T

When turned on, promotes the translate component of the driver. This allows you to see and adjust the driver’s translation in the animate state. See APEX graph controls for more information on promoting parameters.

Promote R

When turned on, promotes the rotate component of the driver. This allows you to see and adjust the driver’s rotation in the animate state.

Promote S

When turned on, promotes the scale component of the driver. This allows you to see and adjust the driver’s scale in the animate state.

Rotation Order

The rotation order of the driver. When set to Default, the driver uses the rotation order of the guide it is created from.

Transform Order

The transformation order of the driver. When set to Default, the driver uses the transformation order of the guide it is created from.

Mode

Specifies how to apply the Offset Translate, Offset Rotate, and Offset Scale transformation to the driver.

Pre-Multiply

Applies the offset before the driver’s transform, so the offset is in the driver’s local space.

Post-Multiply

Applies the offset after the driver’s transform, so the offset is in the driver’s parent space.

Override

Keeps only the driver’s position and uses the offset for the rotation and scale.

Offset Translate

The initial translation of the driver.

Offset Rotate

The initial rotation of the driver.

Offset Scale

The initial scale of the driver.

Tags

Tags

The tags to add to the driver node created by this component.

Shape

The APEX Configure Controls SOP provides more options for changing the look of the controls.

Shape

The shape of the driver’s control. It can be set to any of the built-in APEX control shapes.

Color

The color of the driver’s control shape.

Translate

The translation of the driver’s control shape. This only affects the control shape, and not the actual TransformObject transforms.

Rotate

The rotation of the driver’s control shape. This only affects the control shape, and not the actual TransformObject transforms.

Scale

The scale of the driver’s control shape. This only affects the control shape, and not the actual TransformObject transforms.

See also

KineFX

Overview

Preparing character elements

Rigging with APEX graphs

  • APEX graph basics

    Introduction to the APEX graph evaluation framework.

  • APEX graph debugger

    Inspect the values of an APEX graph’s ports within the APEX network view.

  • APEX Script basics for graph building

    An overview of APEX Script, a code interface for building APEX graphs.

  • Graphs for numerical operations

    Example graphs of numerical operations like adding two values, fetching multiple results, and retrieving information from geometry.

  • Graphs for viewport animation

    Example graphs of animate state functionality like creating controls and constraints, and defining joint hierarchies.

  • Graphs for deforming geometry

    Example of a SOP network and APEX graph for deforming a 3-joint tube geometry.

  • Graph metadata

    Information added to graph nodes and ports.

  • APEX path pattern

    A set of rules that allow you to filter and select elements within graphs, skeletons, geometry, and the character folder structure.

  • APEX graph nodes

    APEX nodes provide operations for building up the functionality of APEX graphs, which are used in KineFX to create character rigs and perform other geometry manipulation.

  • APEX updates for H22

    New and updated APEX graph nodes for Houdini 22.

Building rig graphs with APEX Script

Rigging with rig components

Animating in the viewport

  • Animation workflow

    Example networks of adding characters, props, characters, and animation to a scene.

  • Animating in LOPs

    Rig and animate characters and props in the context of a USD stage.

  • Working in the animate state

    Select and manipulate controls, define transform limits for controls, and add skin controls to a character.

  • Animate state menus and HUDs

    Menus, HUDs, toolbars, and options in the animate state.

  • Animate state hotkeys

    Hotkeys available in the animate state.

  • Posing

    Pose characters in the animation scene by using locators, copying and pasting controls, and mirroring poses.

  • Motion paths

    Visualize the motion of controls as curves in 3D space.

  • Constraints

    Create relationships between controls in the animate state.

  • Dynamic motion

    Add physically-accurate projectile motion to your animation in the animate state.

  • Ragdoll

    Add a ragdoll simulation to your animation in the animate state.

  • Full body IK

    Apply full body inverse kinematics to pose the character using high-level targets rather than manipulating individual joints.

  • Secondary motion

    Add physically-accurate effects like lag/overshoot, jiggle, and spring to your animation in the animate state.

  • Control selection sets

    A tree view of controls, selections, and selection sets for the animate state. Allows management of control selection and visibility.

  • Motion mixer

    Combine and edit the animation clips of multiple characters in a timeline-based view.

  • Character picker

    Create a 2D layout with simple buttons for selecting character controls in an animation scene.

  • Animation catalog

    Save, manage, and apply animations and single-frame poses to an animation scene.

  • Animation layers

    Create multiple layers of animation without affecting the original animation.

  • Animation toolbar

    A customizable toolbar consisting of simple slider tools that quickly apply modifications to animation controls and curves.

  • Animation bookmarks

    Frame markers that help organize and identify the different parts of your animation.

Customizing the animate state

SOP-based animation

  • Physics-based motion

    Add physically-accurate motion to your animation using the Projectile Motion and Pendulum Motion SOPs.

  • Ragdoll simulations

    Add a ragdoll simulation to your animation using the Ragdoll Solver SOP.

Deformation

  • Blend shapes

    Create blend shapes using blend shape SOP nodes.

Animation retargeting

Pre-H20

Panes

  • Motion mixer

    A timeline-based view of the animation clips and motion effects of multiple characters.

  • Character picker

    Create a 2D layout with simple buttons to select character controls in an animation scene.

  • Rig tree view

    A hierarchical view of character components, including packed character folders, KineFX rigs, and Object node rigs.

  • Animation editor

    View and edit animated parameters and their transitions between keyframes.

  • Geometry spreadsheet

    Displays details about the geometry selected in the network editor.

Appendix