Creating Puppet-ready Props Using Character Dummies

In iClone, a prop could only be puppeteered via its transformation data (rotation, translation and scale) as an entity in itself. You previously needed to use the Key-framing method to animate it (if any bone structure exists), which is very time consuming, and often inefficient.

By using the Builder, Controller and Dummy Character provided in the Avatar Toolkit Vol. 2, you are able to treat a puppeteer-ready accessory the same way as you would normally use the Prop Puppet tool on a prop.

1. Prepare a custom bone-skinned model in another 3D tool (in this example, a simple plane with bones created in Maya).
   
2. Convert the model into iClone as an iProp. Please refer to the Preparing Custom Accessory section for more information.
3. In iClone, apply the Dummy Character provided in the Avatar Toolkit Vol. 2.
   
4. Attach the prop to the dummy character to turn the prop into an accessory.
   
   * Please note that the positions of the dummy character and the accessory can be randomly determined.
5. Apply the Builder to the scene.
   
6. Click the Accessories button and click on the accessory.
7. Correctly set the settings in the Define Controllers page. Please refer to the Define Controllers page section for more information.
   
8. Move to the Define Puppet Behavior page.
   
9. Set different postures of the accessory to the axes around the compass. Please refer to the Define Puppet Behavior page section for more information.
   
10. Apply materials to the accessory (in this case, water diffuse and bump videos are used).
    
11. Apply the Avatar ToolKit Controller to the scene.
    
12. Puppeteer the accessory to generate custom animations.