New HumanIK character setup tools

Two new character setup tools improve your HumanIK character workflow. These tools are designed to build on the existing HIK retargeting workflows, and add new features for keyframers, such as keying groups and rig synchronization.

Select Window > Animation Editors > HumanIK or Skeleton > HumanIK to access these new tools, along with the existing Skeleton Generator tool.

Characterization Tool The new Characterization Tool provides character animators with an improved, more visual tool for mapping and defining the structure of HumanIK characters. Designed to allow a streamlined, consistent workflow with other Autodesk applications, the Characterization Tool helps to enhance your HumanIK character animation pipeline, with improved error reporting and an intuitive, visual interface. See Characterization Tool. Watch: Define a HumanIK character

Character Controls window The new Character Controls window gives you a visual interface for interacting with the FK and IK effectors on your Control rigs. The Character Controls let you activate different manipulation and keying modes depending on whether you want to work on the entire body, specific body parts, or only the current selection. The Figure representation gives you constant visual feedback on which parts of the character are active for keying, reach and pull values. Other controls let you quickly pin and unpin Control rig effectors, create auxiliary and pivot effectors, and adjust the reach and pull properties between a Control rig and its retargeting source. See Character Controls. Watch: HumanIK retargeting workflow

Refer also to the following topics for updated information:

• Retarget animation from one character to another
• Set up a HumanIK character

Other HumanIK keying workflow improvements

• Keying groups in Time Slider, Graph Editor, and Dope Sheet
• Improvements to animation layers and retargeting workflow
• Autokey support for HIK keying groups

MotionBuilder interoperability

You can now use Send to commands to transfer HumanIK character data between Maya and MotionBuilder. This means you no longer need to export your characters from Maya to FBX to import them into MotionBuilder. To see the Send to MotionBuilder commands in the Maya File menu, you must have MotionBuilder installed on your computer.

MotionBuilder interoperability is a feature of the Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suites.

• Send HumanIK rigs to MotionBuilder
• Send objects to Autodesk applications
• File > Send to MotionBuilder

Improved joint orientation behavior when moving joints

When you move joints, the joint rotation axis of the parent is now automatically adjusted so that it continues to point down the bone. A new Automatically Orient Joints setting in the Move Skinned Joints Tool and the Move Tool lets you turn this behavior on or off.

• Orient Joint Options
• Move joints

Deformer enhancements