Getting Started¶

Intro¶

Set Driven Key - Action Constraint Builder is a Action Constraint Builder that sets up Provide an Easy to Use Interface inspired by Autodesk Maya’s Set Driven Key

Demo - Bird Wing Folding¶

We will be using a Bird Metarig For Demonstration

The Clip Below is the Demo that we will be making

You can apply this addon and the technique for other use case, such as facial movements, mechanical transformation, muscle controls and many other uses

Step 0: Prepare Your Rig¶

You will first need to have a rig, If you already have one, you can use your own rig

If you just want to follow this demo, you can just create a Bird Metarig

Install Rigify
Shift A -> Rigify Meta-Rigs -> Animals -> Bird

Step 1: Create Controller Object¶

The First Step to use this addon, is to create a controller object, this can be either a object or a bone

You can create new one or use an existing object or bone that you want to use as controller

Step 2: Load Driver / Controller¶

You will now need to Load the Controller Object as Driver using Load Driver to the Driver Panel

Select the Object you want to use as Controller, and Click Load Driver

The Load Driver will add selected Objects Or Bones into the Driver List

Note

If you want to add bone into a list, make sure you are in Pose Mode

In the Options, there are a few options to consider

Name¶

will be the constraint name of the Action Constraint to be created, this name will be use by the addon to identify the correct constraint if the addon need to modify the constraint

Transform¶

This is the transform channel that wll be use to control the target

While you can choose any channel, which include location, rotation and scale, it is advice to use location as it works best and straight forward

While you can use rotation with this addon, but it has more potential for bugs and blender’s action constraint have some limitation on rotation where you are limit to -180 degrees to 180 degrees

This Transform Channel is the same Transform Channel in the Action Constraint Options

Space¶

This is the target space that wll be use to control the target, this addon only manages Local and World Space

Warning

Rotation Transform Channel with Local Space only works if the controller is a bone, or a Object with parent

If it is an Object and have no parent, it will simply not work

If is a Bone, it does not require a parent

Step 2: Load Driven / Targets¶

Now you select the Object Or Bones you want to control, and Load them as Driven / Targets

Step 3: Pose and Set Driven Key¶

Pose Your Controller, Pose Your Targets and Set Driven Key

Step 4: Create Flipped¶

If your Rig is symmetrical and named property with .L and .R suffix, you can use Create Flipped to setup the flipped version of the constraint for you

Make Sure you have the Flipped Controller Bone as well or it will not work

Step 5: Be Creative¶

Now you have setup your first action constraint with Set Driven Key - Action Constraint, now go nuts and create the rig that you always wanted to make!