Can I add fingers to biped AFTER skinning biped to mesh?

[jjb]

Greetings,

Been searching forums past and present, but cannot seem to resolve an issue I'm having.  I used Mixamo and their Autobiped maxscript to Auto-Rig a biped to a Poser character mesh in 3ds Max 2017.  The auto-rigging works great, but I rigged without fingers.  However, now I would like to add fingers and be able to deform the fingers of the mesh.  I have gone to Biped > structure and added 5 fingers, with 3 finger links each.  I have even positioned them to line up with my mesh hands and added them to the "Bones" section of the mesh under "Skin" in the modifiers.  However, when I now move the biped fingers, they do not seem to be influencing mesh deformation.  I tried checking and unchecking the "Always Deform" in the skin modifier as I've seen suggested, but with no luck.  Can someone help?  I've also just tried reskinningthe whole thing, but the envelopes are no longer as they were for the other parts of the body.

Thank you!

[Alfred.DeFlaminis · Accepted solution]

Hello @jjb,

I think you've done everything right here so far, the issue is probably that the verts in the fingers are likely weighted 100% to the original single finger bone or hand bone.  You've added the new bones to the list, but those verts need to be told to be weighted to those new bones as well.  I have more information here.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  

Please hit the "Accept as Solution" button if my post solves your issue or answers your question. This lets me know that I was effective in helping you, and thank you for doing so.

Best Regards,

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @jjb,

I just wanted to follow up here, any thoughts on my previous post? 

Best Regards,

[jjb]

Hi AJ,

Thank you SO much for the reply and sorry for my delay.  I have very minimal skinning experience, but can see that what you said about the hand having been weighted for the entire hand+fingers mesh is likely what happened given the whole hand mesh lights up red when looking at the envelope for the hand bone.  Now I just need to learn how to go about teasing out those vertex weights from the link you provided.  I would just do MUCH better with a demo on one finger... 

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Hello @jjb,

It's a pretty big topic without a doubt.  The learning channel for 3ds Max is a great place to get video tutorials on the basics of using Max and I highly recommend it!   I have a link here that goes specifically to the skinning videos, I think they'll get you sorted in no time.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  

Best Regards,

[jjb]

I most definitely will let you know.  Thank you for following up and for the great resources!

J

[Alfred.DeFlaminis]

Happy to be of service @jjb.  Please let me know if you have trouble!

Best Regards,