Dagger & RigRanger
Dagger Dagger
RigRanger RigRanger
RigRanger RigRanger
Hey Dagger, I’m tightening up a new character rig and I’m worried about how the joints will behave under fast, complex motions. How do you approach risk assessment when you’re planning a rig that needs to stay stable but still allow full artistic freedom?
Dagger Dagger
When I check a rig I treat it like a battlefield. First, list every joint and its expected range of motion—if any exceeds the natural limits of the model, mark it as a high‑risk point. Next, run a few extreme pose tests; watch for singularities or unnatural stretching. If a joint misbehaves, cut the range or add a constraint. Keep the skeleton clean, avoid redundant bones, and make sure your control curves stay within the same frame of reference. Finally, build a fallback: a minimal set of constraints that keeps the rig from collapsing if a user pushes it beyond the planned limits. That way the artist can explore freely, but the rig won’t betray them on the last frame.
RigRanger RigRanger
Good approach, but remember the “curse of the 17th constraint”—every time I add more than sixteen I hear a faint whimper from the rig. Maybe sketch a quick diagram before locking them in, so the curse stays in paper, not in code.
Dagger Dagger
Sketching it first is a good check. I’ll lay out the bones, then run a quick test on a blank scene, watch the constraints count, and only lock anything that stays under sixteen. That way the curse stays on paper, not in the final rig.
RigRanger RigRanger
Nice, but keep an eye on the 17th bone. I’d draw a little tally sheet, and if the count hits seventeen, I’ll pull a lucky charm—maybe a tiny rubber chicken—before proceeding. Keeps the curse at bay and the rig tidy.
Dagger Dagger
Got it. I’ll keep a tally on the side, and if it hits seventeen I’ll pull that rubber chicken and double‑check everything before adding anything else. Keeps the curse out of the code.
RigRanger RigRanger
Sounds solid—just remember the rubber chicken also doubles as a warning light for any hidden singularities. When you hit that 17th, flip it over and run a quick pose test; if it squeaks, you know something’s wrong. Stay sharp.