[Freddy]

Ok well while that is brewing...

There is another way I am exploring. Almost the reverse approach.

You start off using the base V4.2 model and set up the 22 visimes in different frames.

Save all that.

Then you can inject different bodies/heads into this base model and it retains the morphs you had already set up.... but it looks like you have to do it for every frame.

Still - a lot quicker though and saves you having to redo every morph.

Still thinking here

[Freddy]

I'm not really getting much further with this.  No useful replies over on Daz yet.

One problem I didn't notice before is that if you set a different mouth shape up (the visimes) in each frame, it also takes account of the previous frames (tweening) - useful for making smooth animations but no good if you want specific frame control as it pollutes the other frames. So I asked if that can be turned off.

BVH is no good I have learnt as it doesn't do morph data. I do have another option offered there which may do the same job. Will let you know..

I think I will fire up Poser and see what that can do. Maybe I can make something in Poser that can be exported and used in Daz to get the desired effect.

[Bragi]

I haven't taken a look at poser yet.

[Freddy]

It seems a little easier in Poser to me, but that could just be that I am more used to it.

Well the idea seems to work, although it's a bit fiddly as Poser also does the tweening.  Got to be some way to turn this off, just can't find it.

Anyway, so I made a four frame animation and saved it as a pz2 file - this retains morph data.  This can also be imported into Daz (I have just been told there is a tool for Daz to make pz2 files - it's free).

So yes, it is possible, it's just fiddly in the first place as you have to combat the tweening, by going back over the frames to remove what it does even though you don't want it to.

If you want to test it; I have attached a four frame pz2 file.  Just open up Daz, load up V4.2 and make sure she is selected. Then import my pz2 file (turn off limits when prompted) and if you flick through the frames (using the timeline) you should see a few mouth shapes.

Then after that you can inject other heads/bodies and it should retain the mouth shapes  - just make sure you do that while the animation is on frame zero for it to work right.

[Freddy]

This is the free Poser Format Exporter... But it doesn't say if it works with DS4.

[Bragi]

Cool, give me some time to try this.

[Freddy]

OK...BTW Poser uses Python too, meant to tell you that in the other thread.

[Bragi]

cool.

[Freddy]

Just a quick update.  The tweening can be controlled by setting each frame as a key frame, that stops them interfering with each other - at least in Poser anyway.

[Freddy]

Any joy with the pz2 file in the end ?

[Bragi]

To tell you the truth, I haven't gotten around it yet. It's somewhere in the middle of the list of things to do, so I guess it just about where the moon is give or take a few items. 
Currently fixing some bugs, next on the list adding some of the final operators and engine features (for this version), next back to the characters. By that time, I probably have a clearer picture of what to do.

[Bragi]

The tweening can be controlled by setting each frame as a key frame, that stops them interfering with each other - at least in Poser anyway.

The guy who made Tara (I didn't draw here, he did: http://www.laticisimagery.com.au/  ) also managed to do this in daz: he has an animation for all the visemes, but apparantly, it only works on 1 character.

[Freddy]

Ahh right.  Well I got this to work in multiple characters so when you have a spare slot I will write up a tutorial on how to do it.

[Bragi]

That would be wonderful. I think plenty of people would love that. I think Patti and Wendell would also be interested in that.
Thanks.   

[Freddy]

No problem. I've done it so far in Poser, I will test it out in Daz in a bit.