Vertex Sub-Object (Physique)

Command entry:Select an object that has the Physique modifier applied to it.

Modify panel

Vertex sub-object level

Most often, you will want to use envelopes to correct the way skin behaves as the biped moves. However, you can override envelopes by manually assigning vertex properties. For example, you can remove the influence of inappropriate links from selected vertices. You can also change the weight distribution between links for a single vertex by using type-in weights.

Procedures

TipYou don't have to work locally, one link at a time. You can use region selection to select groups of vertices or groups of links, working with areas of the body and its skeleton all at once.

To check vertex assignments:

Go to the Vertex sub-object level.
In the Vertex Operations group, click to turn on Select By Link.
Make sure all three Vertex Type buttons are on.
In a viewport, click a link.
Physique displays the vertices assigned to that link. If any vertices assigned to the link are out of place, reassign them to a different link, as described in the procedures that follow.
Repeat step 4 for other links in the skeleton.

To remove a link's influence on vertices:

For example, you might want to remove the influence of the index finger links from the vertices of the middle finger.

Go to the Vertex sub-object level.
Activate (Select Object) and select vertices in the viewports.
In the Vertex Operations group, turn on Remove From Link.
Click a link in a viewport.
The vertices are removed from that link's influence.

NoteYou can click additional links to remove their influence as well.
In the Vertex Operations group, turn on Lock Assignments.
You must use Lock Assignments to ensure that these envelopes will not influence these vertices if envelope parameters are adjusted later.

To remove deformable vertices from a link's influence:

Go to the Vertex sub-object level.
Make sure all three Vertex Type buttons are on, and then in the Vertex Operations group, click to turn on Select By Link.
Observe the assignments and determine which vertices are incorrectly influenced. Also note if the vertices are red (deformable) or green (rigid).

NoteBlue vertices do not fall within the influence of any link and are thus assigned to the root.
Activate (Select Object), and in a viewport, select only the out-of-place vertices.
NoteAlternatively, you can use Alt+click to deselect the vertices that are in the correct place.
In the Vertex Type group, click to turn off (Rigid Vertices) and (Root Vertices). Leave (Deformable Vertices) on.
In the Vertex Operations group, click Remove From Link.
In the viewports, click each link that you want no longer to influence the selected deformable vertices.

To override vertex assignments manually:

This technique is used when envelope assignments are inappropriate, and you want to have specific vertices influenced by a specific link.

Go to the Vertex sub-object level.
Make sure all three Vertex Type buttons are on, and then select the vertices you want to reassign.
In the Vertex Operations group, click to turn on Assign To Link.
In the Vertex Type group, choose only the type of vertex assignment you want to use: deformable (red) or rigid (green.)
Choose No Blending from the Blending Between Links drop-down list.
This setting will disregard the effects of blending envelopes and vertex weights, and let you assign the selection to any link manually.
In a viewport, click the link you want to influence the vertex.
NoteWhen you assign deformable vertices, some vertices might turn blue; they are assigned to the root instead of the link you clicked. To assign these vertices as correctly deformable vertices, simply use Ctrl+click with the neighboring parent or child link. If the blue vertices now turn red, they are deformable.
In the Vertex Operations group, click Lock Assignments to preserve the manual assignment.

To make vertices rigid:

Go to the Vertex sub-object level.
Activate (Select Object), and in a viewport, select the vertices you want to make rigid.
In the Vertex Operations group, click to turn on Assign To Link.
In the Vertex Type group, turn on (Rigid Vertices), and turn off (Deformable Vertices) and (Root Vertices).
Choose No Blending from the Blending Between Links drop-down list.
This setting will disregard the effects of blending envelopes and vertex weights, and let you assign the selection to any link manually.
In a viewport, click the link these vertices are to be assigned to.
In the Vertex Operations group, click Lock Assignments.
Small squares around the selected vertices indicate that the vertices are locked.

Interface

Controls for vertices in a mesh controlled by Physique are on the Vertex-Link Assignment rollout.

NoteThis is not the same as the rollout used by the Physique Initialization dialog.

Vertex Type group

There are three vertex types, differentiated by color:

RedDeformable vertices that follow Physique’s deformation spline.
GreenRigid vertices that do not deform but just follow the link they are assigned to.
BlueVertices attached to the root node. Physique uses this color when it isn’t sure which link to assign the vertices to. These vertices don’t deform but follow the center of mass object. You should reassign blue vertices to be either rigid or deformable.

While a button of the appropriate color is turned on, you can select vertices of that color. Turn off a button to avoid selecting vertices of that color. You can't turn off all three buttons at once.

Blending Between Links drop-down list

This list provides several options:

N LinksVertices within all overlapping envelopes are influenced.
While this option is active, vertices can be assigned only to the envelopes they fall within. Envelopes are used by Physique in this case to define the blended weight of each vertex.
No BlendingVertices are influenced by only one link, as in character studio 1.
This is useful as a general default if you are developing characters for a game engine that doesn't support blending. At the Vertex sub-object level it is useful to override blending weights defined by envelopes, and assign vertices to links as either Rigid or Deformable. For example, after selecting vertices of the skull and face, turn on No Blending, turn on Rigid vertices, turn on Assign To Link, and then click the head link. This will override the head envelope vertex assignments and assign these vertices as rigid to the head link. Use Lock Assignments to lock any changes (see below).
2, 3, 4 LinksVertices are influenced only by the specified number of closest links. This is useful when developing characters for a game engine with limited blending.

Vertex Operations group

Select: Selects vertices using the selection tools on the main toolbar.
Select by Link: Selects vertices by link.
Assign to Link: Assigns the selected vertices to a link.

To assign the currently selected vertices to a link, turn on Assign To Link and then click the link.

Assign To Link has a dependency on the envelopes defined for each link, and you must set Blending Between Links to "No Blending" to override this. After vertices are assigned manually in this way, use Lock Assignments to keep them from being reassigned inadvertently during subsequent operations.

NoteYou must select or assign a link by clicking the link; you can't use the Select From Scene dialog to select or assign a link while you use Physique to work with vertices.
Remove from Link: Remove the selected vertices from a link.

NoteSelect, Select By Link, Assign To Link, and Remove From Link will act only on vertices specified by the red, green, and blue Vertex Type (“+”) buttons.
Lock Assignments: Locks vertex assignments.

Lock will prevent any changes from being made to the weights and blending presently assigned to the selected vertices. After any manual assignment of vertices, they should be locked. Before using type-in weights, vertices must be locked. When manipulating envelopes in difficult areas of the character, you might choose to lock vertices that are working well before changing the envelopes to affect other vertices.

NoteIf additional data, such as more vertices, comes up the modifier stack, Physique notes the proximity of new vertices to the locked vertices. It then locks the new vertices based on proximity. Already locked vertices will not be unlocked.
Unlock Assignments: Unlocks vertex assignments.

Click Unlock Assignments on selected locked vertices prior to reassigning them to another link, or changing their blending settings.
Type-In Weights: Displays the Type-In Weights dialog, which you use to enter a weight for selected locked vertices; only the weight for locked vertices can be changed.

To use this feature: select one or more vertices, then lock them. Click this button to display the Type-In Weights dialog, select a link from the drop-down list, and change the weight of that link to position the vertices (vertex positions update in the viewports as the weight changes).

You can use type-in weights for stubborn vertices that fall in blended regions between two or more envelopes. Subtle adjustments can be made to the vertex weights of specific links that would be difficult to achieve by adjusting envelopes alone.

TipType-In Weights is useful mainly for correcting flaws in low- to medium-resolution meshes. On a high-resolution mesh, adjusting envelopes should be used to correct deformation.
Hide: Hides the selected vertices
Unhide All: Unhides all vertices.
Initial Skeletal Pose: When on, puts the mesh into its original pose; that is, the pose it was in when Physique was first applied. Default=off.