https://www.posetteforever.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4072&p=45741#p45741
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Nik
Tuesday, 05 April 2022, 04:22 PM

External Morph Targets Unstable Beyond 90 Deg ??
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I've ported several free MMD PMX-format  'props' to Poser by exporting them from free PMX Editor as OBJ+MTL. I've also used their inherent 'transforms' to craft modified versions as 'External Morph Targets' (EMTs). Here's the neat, lidded box that prompted this query.

https://www.deviantart.com/greenth1ng/art/MMD-DL-Iron-Checkpoint-Crate-On-the-Run-911908822

There's a bunch of pitfalls: That editor exports L/R reversed. Textures may need vertical-flipping. Poser does not have import scaling for EMTs...

There's also a weird effect, which may be related to 'gimbal lock'. I'll come to that...

Okay, if model is too 'handed', PMX Editor has a 'mirror' tool, used prior to export. IMHO, best avoided, as may derange UV mapping.

Textures may be v-flipped by hand, using eg free Irfan View's nimble image tools. Alternative is to set each material Color_Texture V-Scale to -1.

That scaling ? PMX Editor has an export scaling field. So, start with default x1, import to Poser at 100% default, scale via parameters, see what looks good. Typically ~3.5 % of original scale. Now delete from scene. Re-export from PMX Editor at that scale, so 0.035 instead of 1. Should import well to Poser.

I won't delve the eye-watering arcana of PMX Editor, but essential work-flow is:

Load 'clean' PMX file. Press PMX View tool-bar 'T' to open a 'Transform' window. From Bone menu, select relevant 'Bone'. It pops up RGB 'gimbals'. Drag  relevant rotation / movement XYZ to desired morph's limit. Still in that window, File, Update_Model to 'bake' it. PMX View window re-builds with these changes. Export as eg nameEMT, again at eg 0.035 scale.

In Poser, select object, Object, load morph target. Several scary moments later, a new dial should appear named eg nameEMT.

Right-click on dial, select settings. Set Min-Limit 0, Max-Limit 1. This prevents over-dialled morph exploding across scene like an unruly FBX.

So far, so good...

But, playing with this neat, lidded box, I discovered a problem: If EMT's lid was hinged wide open ~270º, the morph exploded. EMT of ~45º, okay. EMT of ~90º, okay. EMT beyond ~120º exploded. And, looks very wrong in mid-range: See below. So, something amiss with morph's math if EMT beyond 90º, but takes a bit further to 'break bad'...

I'd had similar problems with a PMX door+frame, the door going 'totally poltergeist' beyond ~120º EMT swing. I put that down to some quirk of model conversion and/or my unfamiliarity with PMX Editor's 'Transform' tools...

Any-one else have this problem with External Morph Targets unstable beyond ~90º ??

Images: #123 have EMT with ~90º swing, #4 has ~120º swing, should be very similar to #2. But is not...  ( 0.375 = 45/120 )


