XSI.FIE.US

Unlike most other XSI tools which act globally on a scene, the muscle system lives at the model level and acts only on that model. This compartmentalizes the muscle system to a small section of the scene and allows it to move about a project within an emdl file. As a result, it works well when importing characters as well as referencing characters. Multiple independent muscle systems can live within a scene, on different models without having to worry about collisions or inter-negotiation.

Therefore, the muscle system needs to be "installed" to a given model before it can be used.

There are two ways to install the muscle system.

1. Interactively through the GUI
2. Through scripting

To install the muscle system interactively through the GUI:

1. Select the model you wish to install into (the explorer is the easiest place to select a model from)
2. From the animation panel, select Create->Character->InstallFIEMuscleSystemInteractive

To install the muscle system through scripting:

Use the following command (JScript):

InstallFIEMuscleSystem(model);

where "model" is a model in the scene

Installation results in the following major changes to your model:

• A curve control is created called "FIEMuscleSystemController"
• A synoptic is applied to the control. This is the entry point into the muscle system.
• A sub model called "FIEMuscleSystemInternalGroups" is created
• A series of named groups is created in the new sub model
• A group called "FIEMuscleSystemRootGroup" is created in the main model
• Various groups are added to other groups to create a relationship tree under the root group

Yes and No.

The sub model "FIEMuscleSystemInternalGroups" and its contents should not be touched. They are maintained by the muscle system. They have been put in a sub model to keep them out of your way.

The "FIEMuscleSystemRootGroup" and its contents should not be touched. This is the root of the relational tree that the muscle system toolkit uses to keep itself organized. If this data structure is broken, the muscle system may malfunction in unpredictable ways.

The "FIEMuscleSystemController" can be edited and worked with in limited ways. It is the entry point to the muscle system tools, so it should be easily accessible on your rig.

It can be translated, rotated and scaled without worry.

It can be parented into your rig. However its important that it stays within the model. It should not be parented outside the model. Nor should it be parented in a sub model. It needs to stay within the model into which the muscle system was installed. It can be parented to the global srt, or any other controller under the global srt as long as there is no sub model between it and the model into which the muscle system has been applied.

It can also be constrained without worry. I highly recommend simply pose constraining it to another control in your rig to keep it following along for easy access. That way, it is easy to find in a viewport and in the explorer.

Its shape can be edited. The adventurous can even take a look at my creation scripts and substitute a different choice of icon from a different font than the one I've selected.