SkinMixer: blending 3D animated models

Nuvoli S., Pietroni N., Cignoni P., Scateni R., Tarini M.

Computer Graphics  Animation 

We propose a novel technique to compose new 3D animated models, such as videogame characters, by combining pieces from existing ones. Our method works on production-ready rigged, skinned, and animated 3D models to reassemble new ones. We exploit mix-and-match operations on the skeletons to trigger the automatic creation of a new mesh, linked to the new skeleton by a set of skinning weights and complete with a set of animations. The resulting model preserves the quality of the input meshings (which can be quad-dominant and semi-regular), skinning weights (inducing believable deformation), and animations, featuring coherent movements of the new skeleton. Our method enables content creators to reuse valuable, carefully designed assets by assembling new ready-to-use characters while preserving most of the hand-crafted subtleties of models authored by digital artists. As shown in the accompanying video, it allows for drastically cutting the time needed to obtain the final result.

Source: ACM transactions on graphics 41 (2022): 1–15. doi:10.1145/3550454.3555503

Publisher: Association for Computing Machinery,, New York, N.Y. , Stati Uniti d'America

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