Deviation Actions

By SickleYield
54 Favourites38 Comments7K Views
I've done a previous pair of tutorials on keeping bones when converting items between figures, as for instance between Genesis and Genesis 2. That method takes a few steps and an obj export/import. This way is faster, although it doesn't work well with Generation 4 conversion. This will not work with converting to weight-mapped figures such as Genesis 3 and 8. At present there is no easy way to retain rigging in conversions from Gen 4 - G1 - G2 to G3-G8.
You will need:
-The figure you want to convert TO.
-The piece of clothing or hair you want to convert.
-Any relevant clones. For e.g., you will need to purchase the Michael 4 for Genesis 2 Male and/or Victoria 4 for Genesis 2 Female to convert items between Gen 4 and Genesis 2.
Instructions:
Load the figure.
Load the item of clothing. Cancel Autofit if it is triggered.
Start the Transfer Utility. Its icon looks like an arrow pointing up and right.
For Scene Item under Source, choose the figure.
For Scene Item under Target, choose the clothing or hair.
Under Source/Item Shape, choose a clone (e.g., the Victoria 4 clone if converting from a V4 item).
Under General Options below, click Weight Maps, and on the right click MERGE HIERARCHIES. This is what does the magic.
Check Reverse Source Shape from Target as well.
You can choose to add a smoothing/collision modifier or not. I usually do. Some Generation 4 items can handle it better than others, but any Genesis or G2 item should be okay.
Click Accept.
Now the item should refit to the figure while retaining not only its morphs, but its bones. I was able to convert the main pieces of the Dragon Braid in about five minutes this way, although it does still cause the same distortion in the lower shoulder area.
That one still works because it has morph-based movement. In general this doesn't work as well with Generation 4 as it does between G1 and either G2, or between the G2's, because with conversion from cr2 to weight mapping it will recreate the bones but not the maps.
Be sure to save back to library with its own folder names. I used "ConvertedHairsG2F" for all the Dragon Braid pieces.
You will need:
-The figure you want to convert TO.
-The piece of clothing or hair you want to convert.
-Any relevant clones. For e.g., you will need to purchase the Michael 4 for Genesis 2 Male and/or Victoria 4 for Genesis 2 Female to convert items between Gen 4 and Genesis 2.
Instructions:
Load the figure.
Load the item of clothing. Cancel Autofit if it is triggered.
Start the Transfer Utility. Its icon looks like an arrow pointing up and right.
For Scene Item under Source, choose the figure.
For Scene Item under Target, choose the clothing or hair.
Under Source/Item Shape, choose a clone (e.g., the Victoria 4 clone if converting from a V4 item).
Under General Options below, click Weight Maps, and on the right click MERGE HIERARCHIES. This is what does the magic.
Check Reverse Source Shape from Target as well.
You can choose to add a smoothing/collision modifier or not. I usually do. Some Generation 4 items can handle it better than others, but any Genesis or G2 item should be okay.
Click Accept.
Now the item should refit to the figure while retaining not only its morphs, but its bones. I was able to convert the main pieces of the Dragon Braid in about five minutes this way, although it does still cause the same distortion in the lower shoulder area.
That one still works because it has morph-based movement. In general this doesn't work as well with Generation 4 as it does between G1 and either G2, or between the G2's, because with conversion from cr2 to weight mapping it will recreate the bones but not the maps.
Be sure to save back to library with its own folder names. I used "ConvertedHairsG2F" for all the Dragon Braid pieces.
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© 2014 - 2021 SickleYield
Comments38
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Okay, I have the relevant clones. I have the Rigging and Morphing system (thank you for that! I use it every frigging day). But when a cloak converted wonky, I searched and I found this tutorial.
A weird thing happened. When the option came to chose source/item shape, I chose "clone" and an empty box popped up. No clones to choose. Any idea of why that might be or how I might fix it?
A weird thing happened. When the option came to chose source/item shape, I chose "clone" and an empty box popped up. No clones to choose. Any idea of why that might be or how I might fix it?
Thank you...
I was afraid something like this might be the case...but do you think daz might come up with a solution?
Oh well i quess i will have to do it like this,it's just a pain if you have to do multiple images and when you bend head you have to morph hair on the back of the head everytime...there should be an add on like fit control for genesis 2 ,but for hair..
I was afraid something like this might be the case...but do you think daz might come up with a solution?
Oh well i quess i will have to do it like this,it's just a pain if you have to do multiple images and when you bend head you have to morph hair on the back of the head everytime...there should be an add on like fit control for genesis 2 ,but for hair..

This method will not work between Gen 2 and 3 because of the changes in rigging. Sadly DS supports conversion between Gen 4 and G1-G2 but not between anything and G3.
If you want to use Genesis 3 hair on Gen 2 it's better to just parent it to the head bone in scene tab and press ctrl+e to zero it out, then adjust it from there (since it's not conformed scaling will work on all axes if you have show hidden checked in your parameters options). This is what I do with most hairs between any generation rather than try to convert rigging.
If you want to use Genesis 3 hair on Gen 2 it's better to just parent it to the head bone in scene tab and press ctrl+e to zero it out, then adjust it from there (since it's not conformed scaling will work on all axes if you have show hidden checked in your parameters options). This is what I do with most hairs between any generation rather than try to convert rigging.

Once again I am in your debt! For some reason whenever I used the Transfer utility on The Gorgon tail to get it to work on a Genesis 2 Female figure the bones would end up backwards/upside down somehow!
With your method the snake tail now has thighs, shins, feet, and toes that need to be deleted, but that's a small price to pay to get it to work properly! Thank you so much.
With your method the snake tail now has thighs, shins, feet, and toes that need to be deleted, but that's a small price to pay to get it to work properly! Thank you so much.

Thank you for this! It's been very helpful!!
Question: I'm geo-grafting a tail from one figure to another. The Tail has side fins and the !!! transfer utility (and autofit) makes the side fins follow the characters legs no matter what I do. I've followed your tutorial and tried various settings and can't keep the side fins free. They keep their bones. It does no good. Is this a weight mapping issue?
Question: I'm geo-grafting a tail from one figure to another. The Tail has side fins and the !!! transfer utility (and autofit) makes the side fins follow the characters legs no matter what I do. I've followed your tutorial and tried various settings and can't keep the side fins free. They keep their bones. It does no good. Is this a weight mapping issue?

If you're converting to or from G3 this method won't work because Transfer Utility won't properly iterate between TriAx weight maps and General weight maps on the custom bones - it will, 100% of the time, keep the bones but still map everything to the thighs (or whatever's closest on G3). I'm hoping Daz will fix this at some point.
In the meantime we basically can't convert things with more detailed custom bones to/from G3. Things with less complicated rigs can be converted with template products like the ones I make.
In the meantime we basically can't convert things with more detailed custom bones to/from G3. Things with less complicated rigs can be converted with template products like the ones I make.

Ah! Solved it! Step 1: transfer utility on object, in this case a mertail I've morphed to fit Star. Do not fit to object. 2. Select nodes for geo-graft and do the geo-graft dance. 3. Transfer utility to fit onto Star, but uncheck everything except weight mapping with merging as in your tutorial and reverse transformations. And the fins are not attached. Of course, when I pose things the objects does WEIRD things but it's a start. I've no idea if the bones are set straight or anything.

Well actually it's a G2 product I'm trying to get to go to Star... there are no mertails for her and I've a character I'm developing that the Lorelei tail is quite suitable for. (He's going to be a Siamese fighting fish.) I guess I can approach my problem like I did for using Cookietaur with Star but I was hoping. LOL Thanks for replying!!!!
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