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Set up a remote live connection

 
 
 

You can drive your HumanIK defined skeleton or Custom rig in Maya with a remote source such as motion capture data coming from MotionBuilder on another machine.

Live streaming setup

The two computers sharing a connection must have access to a common network repository (mapped drive) where the files used in send and bake operations can reside.

To set up a common network repository

  1. Set up a server that can be used to store your transferred files. It can be located on any computer.

    The computers sharing a connection must have full read and write permissions on this server.

  2. Map a network drive on each machine, so a local drive letter is associated with the common network repository. The same drive letter must be used on both computers.
  3. Define the environment variable ONECLICK_TEMP_DIR on both machines, so it uses the common network repository as the variable. See Setting and getting environment variables within Maya.

Establish a connection

To establish remote live character streaming

  1. In Maya, load or create a character with a valid HumanIK skeleton definition. See Define an existing skeleton for HumanIK.
  2. Open the Live Connection window ( > Edit > Live Connection).
  3. Enter the IP address of the remote machine to be used as a source for your current character in the IP field and press Enter.
    NoteThe IP address must be in IPV4 format. For example,x.x.x.x, where x is a number between 0 and 255.

    IPV6 format is not supported.

  4. Click Send.

    Your character is sent to MotionBuilder on the remote machine and a live connection is established. A live connection is indicated in the following ways:

    • The Live check box in the Live Connection window is turned on.
    • The remote character, <CharacterName>(remote), is displayed as the Source.

  5. Apply motion capture data to your character in MotionBuilder and watch as it streams on to your character in Maya.
  6. Adjust the retargeting parameters to refine your animation. See Adjust retargeting parameters.
  7. In Maya, select > Bake > Bake Live To Skeleton or > Bake > Bake Live To Custom Rig to permanently transfer the animation into your scene and disable the live connection. See Bake the result of a live connection.
    NoteAny texture files that are sent between applications are embedded in an FBX file when you establish remote live character streaming. These files are stored in a folder in your designated network repository. After you finish your streaming session, these files will remain in the folder and must be deleted manually.

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