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Blend shapes - Mapping vertex weights to animated texture color values

delta_dan
Contributor

Blend shapes - Mapping vertex weights to animated texture color values

delta_dan
Contributor
Contributor

Is there a way to have the weight value of each vertex, in a Blend's shape base object, map to the color values of a texture node? based on the UV map of the base object?

 

The goal is to have an animated gradient texture drive the weight of each vertex in a blend shape. Without animation this can be achieved by importing a painted weight map from the Paint Blend Shape Weights Tool but I would like to animate this over time so that the vertex weights gradually change from 0 to 1 across the object. 

 

 

The only way I know I can get to the weight value of each vertex is if I 'Key the selected Target weights' (PaintBlendSW tool) that creates an Anim Curve as input to each vertex's weight, and being keyframed they appear in the Graph Editor. I want to avoid keyframing each Anim Curve value though as the blend shape I'm working with has ~400000 vertices and instead keyframe a gradient texture UV values that have the vertex weights mapped to it's color values, based on the UV map of the base object.

 

 

Thanks in advance!

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delta_dan
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Contributor
Accepted solution

Well I guess MASH to the rescue!!

 

Aim: Animate the blend between two poly objects but having gradual control over the vertices i.e. morphing sequentially instead of simultaneously.  

 

Solution: The Blend Deformer in the MASH Utilities allows precisely that as it accepts MASH Falloff objects.

 

  • Select only the base mesh
  • Apply to it the Blend Deformer from Create-->MASH-->Utilities-->Create Blend Deformer
  • In the blend def panel under Connections drag from the Outliner the target mesh
  • Set the Blend Value to 1
  • Open the Falloff Object panel and right click (RMB) in the falloffObjects field
  • Click on Create, (or Connect if you have a mesh you want to use as falloff)
  • Double LMB on the newly created falloff object to access properties.