I developed a complete body rig for the Roller Derby character, aimed at providing comfortable and flexible animation. I incorporated advanced features such as Switch IK/FK, Squash & Stretch, Foot Roll, and more. I meticulously worked on deformation to maintain volumes and shapes in all poses, including extreme ones, using corrective shapes to enhance deformation in challenging poses.
I chose to work with Sergi Caballer’s Roller Derby model for its artistic beauty and exemplary topology, which allows for excellent deformation. The rig is designed to be comprehensive and user-friendly for animators, enabling extreme poses and flexibility in animation.
Below, you’ll find detailed explanations of some of the most important functions of this rig.
In the spine of the rig, I implemented a bone chain that operates in both IK and FK modes. This setup allows for precise and flexible control of the spine and includes the option to enable or disable Squash & Stretch. This feature facilitates adapting the rig to various animation styles, from natural movements to stylized deformations.
The Squash & Stretch system is integrated into the arms, legs, spine, and neck of the rig. This feature allows for enabling or disabling the squash and stretch effect depending on the animation requirements. This flexibility helps adapt the rig to achieve more dynamic and expressive animations, or maintain a more rigid appearance when needed.
El sistema de Switch IK/FK permite alternar entre los modos de Inverse Kinematics (IK) y Forward Kinematics (FK) en las extremidades del rig. Este control versátil ofrece la capacidad de cambiar fácilmente entre IK para movimientos de arrastre y FK para poses más detalladas y precisas. Esta flexibilidad facilita una amplia gama de técnicas de animación, permitiendo a los animadores adaptar el rig a diferentes estilos y necesidades de animación.
The spaces system allows the hands to follow the position and rotation of the head, shoulders, or waist, depending on which space is activated. This provides dynamic control for adjusting hand animations relative to different body parts. The feet have a space linked to the waist, enabling them to follow its movements and rotations.
The Arm Pole system allows selecting different spaces for the elbow control to follow the shoulder, the hand, or neither. Additionally, it includes a “pin elbow” function that positions the elbow at the same location as the elbow control. This provides precise control over elbow positioning, facilitating more accurate and natural arm animations.
The blend system is designed to achieve greater deformation, allowing for a more cartoon-like style where the character can bend more. This system is implemented in the legs, arms, spine, and neck, providing additional flexibility and the ability to create more expressive and stylized movements and poses.
The neck system allows selecting whether the neck’s rotation and position follow the body or not by choosing different spaces. Additionally, it includes the option to change the head’s scale, providing greater control and flexibility to adapt to various animation needs.
The Global Scale system allows for scaling the character while keeping the rig intact and fully functional. This ensures that regardless of the character’s size, all rig features continue to operate correctly, providing smooth and uninterrupted animation.