cMuscleObject node

This is a locator node that implements the main muscle/bone/capsule object node. Any NURBS surface, polygon mesh, or transform/joint that connects to a Muscle deformer node must have this applied to it as a shape node with proper connections.

Related topics

Connect Muscle Objects to a Muscle deformer

The following are descriptions of the attributes in the cMuscleObject node.

Sticky Strength: When used with the Muscle deformer, this controls the Sticky strength from this object. Generally set to 1.0, this is a multiplier with Sticky weights that have been painted for this node. Along with the Sliding Strength attribute, this value lets you tweak the amount of Sticky versus Sliding after painting weights.
Sliding Strength: Sets the amount of Sliding effect the object has. Typically set to 1.0. Along with the Sticky Strength attribute, this value lets you tweak the amount of Sticky versus Sliding after painting weights.
Fat: When used with the Muscle skin deformer, this defines an offset between the surface of the capsule, bone, or muscle object and the skin that is pushed out when sliding is used.

For example, when Fat is set to 0, the skin does not push out until the surface of the capsule, bone or muscle touches it. When the fat value increases, a gap is created between the capsule, bone or muscle, and the skin.
Reverse Normals: When used with the Muscle skin deformer, this changes the sliding effect to cause points to push inside of the muscle instead of outside. Typically this attribute is set to off. You can turn this on to create muscles or bones that appear to collide with the mesh instead of sliding underneath.
Relative: Sets whether the effect of the node is Relative for cases where the cMuscleSystem node has Relative Sticky set to relative (on). When on (the default), the Sticky effect of the muscle is considered to be more local so that there is no double transformation.

NoteThis only has an effect when the cMuscleSystem Relative Sticky attribute is set to relative (on).
Radius: For capsules, this sets the main radius or size of the capsule.
Length: For capsules, this sets the length of the capsule. If a capsule End-Locator is created, it automatically drives this value based on distance.
Capsule Axis: For capsules, sets which axis is the length axis of the capsule.
Affect Sticky: Used by the Default Weights tool. If a node has Affect Sticky set to on, default weights are set for this node for Sticky weights.
Affect Sliding: Used by the Default Weights tool. If a node has Affect Sliding set to on, default weights are set for this node for sliding weights.
User Scale X/Y/Z: For NURBS muscles, used to modify the effect of Sticky weighting so that scaling of the rig works properly. Generally, the top level rig control used to scale your rig can be connected to these attributes.
Lock Sticky Wt: Not usually edited manually, this is used with painting to allow the Sticky weights to be locked objects.
Lock Sliding Wt: Not usually edited manually, this is used with painting to allow the Sliding weights to be locked for this object.

Draw

Sets what is drawn on screen.

off: Nothing is drawn.
fat: The object is drawn at its fat distance, or showing the offset where the skin sits if sliding.
muscle: It shows the true radius of the capsule without the fat added, or the true surface of the polygon object or NURBS muscle.

Shaded

Sets how the drawing occurs in the scene view.

wireframe-only: Objects draw as a wireframe, even when in Shaded mode.
shaded: Objects are drawn in wireframe if the scene view is in wireframe, and shaded when the scene is in shaded view.
wireframe-and-shaded: The object is drawn the same way, except it draws the wireframe on top of the shaded object in Shaded mode.

Highlight: Maya highlights selected objects in white or green by default. When this value is 1, the wireframe for selected objects is highlighted the same way. When set to 0, no highlighting occurs, so the wireframe color does not change when the object is selected.
Highlight Shaded: The same as above, but this controls whether the shaded color and object are highlighted when selected.
N Seg: Controls how many segments down the length of the capsule are drawn. Even though more or less segments are drawn, with sliding effects a true smooth capsule is always used, so this parameter affects drawing only, not deformation.
N Sides: Controls how many sides around the diameter of the capsule are drawn. Even though more or less segments are drawn, with sliding effects a true smooth capsule is always used, so this parameter affects drawing only, not deformation.
Wire Color: For capsules, sets the color the capsule displays when in Wireframe shading mode. This attribute is available in the Attribute Editor only.
Shade Color: For capsules, sets the color the capsule displays when in Shaded mode. This attribute is available in the Attribute Editor only.