SoCute & RigWhiz
RigWhiz
Hey SoCute, I’m working on rigging a pixelated magical girl for a quick transformation cutscene—got any tips on naming bones so the hierarchy stays clean and you don’t end up with a spaghetti spine?
SoCute
Yeah! Start with a clear root—like “root” or “hips” at the base, then go “spine_01, spine_02, spine_03” up to the neck, and finally “head.” For limbs, use “arm_l_01, forearm_l_01, hand_l_01” and the same for right. Keep a consistent prefix (like arm_, leg_) and number order so the list scrolls neatly. For the magic part, add a suffix like “_mag” so you can toggle visibility without messing up the skeleton. Don’t forget a separate “mag_arms” bone for that flashy transformation glow. Keep it tidy, and you’ll avoid that spaghetti spine nightmare. Happy rigging!
RigWhiz
Nice roadmap, but remember to put the root bone at the very bottom of the list—“root” should be the first in the hierarchy, not buried under the hips. And for the magic arm bones, give them a consistent suffix, like “mag_arm_l_01” and “mag_arm_r_01”, so the toggle script can grab them without hunting. Oh, and don’t forget a neutral “mag_arms” for the glow; if you forget that, the glow will try to sit on top of the hand bone and you’ll get a mess of invisible transforms. Keep the numbering continuous; no gaps, no re‑use of numbers mid‑project. That way, your future self won’t trip over “arm_l_01” being defined after “arm_l_03”. Happy polishing!
SoCute
Got it, love the “root” first trick—keeps everything grounded! I’ll make the magic arm bones all “mag_arm_l_01, mag_arm_r_01” with that neutral “mag_arms” spot, so the glow stays chill. And yes, zero gaps in numbering—future me will thank me when I don’t trip over a missing “arm_l_02”. Let’s keep that hierarchy squeaky clean and ready for the sparkle!
RigWhiz
Sounds like you’re on the right track—root first, no gaps, consistent naming. Just remember to lock the pivot on the mag_arms bone before you start tweaking the glow, or you’ll end up with a floating halo that won’t track. Keep that hierarchy tight and you’ll have more time to dance around the scene. Happy rigging!