walkTool: a tool for rigging & animating walking characters 1.0.0 for Maya

The walkTool procedurally constructs a complete skeleton for characters with all the joints named properly. It benefits from FBIK setup to add IK handles to the skeleton. Then, it creates a walk cycle providing the users with an interface to adjust the different parameters of the walk.

The image below is a snapshot showing the interface of walkTool.

To use the walkTool follow the following steps:

1. Copy the scripts into your maya script path. 

Default for windows: <user’s directory>/My Documents/maya/scripts

2. Run Maya & open your scence.

3. Go to Create-> CV Curve tool ⃞ (option box) and make sure that the curve degree is set to: 1 Linear (default is 3 Cubic).

4. Draw a set of unconnected curves inside your model where you want the joints to be. Draw your curve in the orthographic mode. 

5. Name the curves based on the following figure. Each skeleton should have at least these 6 curves: HeadCurve, SpineCurve, LeftArmCurve, RightArmCurve, LeftLegCurve and RightLegCurve.  Name should be exactly as shown in the figure. Cureves written in red are necessary. cureves in black are optional. 




6. Select all the curves.

7. Run the drawBase script by writing drawBase; in your mel script ans execute it.
8. Execute parentJoints script.
9. Bind your skeletn to your model.
10. Execute buildFBIK script.
11. Execute walkTool script.
12. Set your parameters & click create.

For a demo of the tool click here  

https://screencast.com/t/JnbYD7Eo


 Results: