Hi
Im not a rigger so have no professional training so I want to make sure the ways Im doing things is optimal so have a few questions.
Controllers:
1) I can use any object as a controller why is it preferred to use a spline over say a null, or geometry?
2) The placement and position of a controller how is this best done for good practice. I have a few ways I can be doing it which is the best if there is a preferred professional way.
a: make a null a child of the target bone, zero out the x,y,z so its aligned and positioned perfectly to joints orientation. Remove null to top of hierarchy in a root controller null, and apply PSR constrain from joint to controller. (result joint remains in place)
b: Make a controller, drag it close enough to joint position, and in PSR constain offset use (maintain original) (result joint remains in place but controller is not orientated to the joint
c: Make controller, from (Tools/Arrange Objects) use Transfer command to position and orient controller to joint, apply PSR constraint (result joint remains in place)
d: as in (c) but use character commands PSR command for an already positioned controller.
3) I normally freeze all controllers so I can reset the PSR to get back to the original pose, is this a good practice without any consequences down the road?
4) Should I freeze all joint cords, or use the character command (set preferred) and (to preferred) instead of freezing a joints cords, and using reset PSR, why would one be use over the other, are there any consequences in freezing the joints cords?
Floor or ground contact
5: Can a joint be made to auto stop with any surface? For instance a guy walking up stairs, would be good if I could either use IK/FX and simply push the foot down and it wont go through the stair, or floor, or any surface it comes into contact with?
FK arm with IK hand controller
If I create a IK chain from shoulder to hand, the IK goal will not alow me to rotate the hand. If I create a fk controller for hand and assign the IK chain from shoulder to FK controller thats psr constrained then it becomes a mess, so how can I have a IK arm and still have FK control over the hands? One solution I can think of is to add a extra bone in between the hand and forarm such as a wrist bone so I would then assign the IK chain between shoulder to wrist, then apply fk controller to hand?
Extra joint?
When I create a joint chain im left with a extra joint at the end, what do I do with this, can I hide it, what do I name it. Till now iv been naming it “tip” or “end”?
Thanks for any of these answers.
Dan