Best Practices#

Proposed Workflow#

Generally, it requires multiple tries to find an optimal setting. Users are expected to work with an iterative process with using Maya-ACE in their projects. All animations should be downloaded to see the result through any changes; such as paramters. The typical workflow is,

  1. Adjust Parameters

  2. Update animation by clicking Connect and Send Audio button

  3. Play the scene and check the animation with audio

  4. Repeat from 1 to 3 until satisfied with the result

  5. Bake animation of the blendshape weights

  6. Save the scene

../../../_images/standard_workflow.png

Parameter Tuning Guide#

Please check ACE Parameter Tuning Guide to understand individual parameters.

Save Animation through Bake Animation#

Maya provides Bake Simulation to freeze and save animation that is downloaded from the service.

  1. Select blendshape node and select all blendshape weights from the channel box

  2. Click Bake Simulation through menu; (Animation Layout) menu -> Keys -> Bake Simulation

../../../_images/bake_animation_dialog.png

Connecting Custom Blendshapes#

Maya-ACE assumes to use ARKit compatible blendshape set , but it is still usable with a partial set of blendshapes through this process.

Once AceAnimationPlayer receives animation, it will update output weights with blendshape names that is received from the service, and then Connect existing Animation Player menu will use the names to find the best possible blendshape targets based on the names.

Rules to match blendshape names

  • The blendshape name must match with one of the arkit face location

  • Case insensitive

Steps to use the name-based connection

  1. Finish receiving animation and update Output Weights of AceAnimationPlayer node with blendshape names

  2. Select the AceAnimationPlayer node and the blendshape node to connect

  3. Click Connect existing Animation Player from the menu -> ACE

../../../_images/partial_blendshape_2.png
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