I've worked out my own system for getting a custom built IK rig out into XNA, but was wondering how anyone else is doing it. I've run into a lot of problems with Character Key Sets, as they key all of your bones with each key frame applied. The problem being, the bones in the IK chain get their own keys and then get all funky going between being key framed and effected by the IK controller. If you leave these bones out of the Character Key Set, then they don't get any animation applied to them. I've been leaving them out of the Character Key Set while I animate, then adding them in after all the animation is finished and plotting all rotations to them. This gets the animation out just fine with IK on the hands and feet.

Any simpler methods out there? Thanks.

Also, I've written a step by step guide, "for dummies" style, to getting a character with an IK rig out of XSI and into XNA with the proper clip duration and proper animation. It's probably not all the best way to do things, but it works for me, and has allowed me to successfully get my characters animated in-game. Any takers?

Hiro:

Also, I've written a step by step guide, "for dummies" style, to getting a character with an IK rig out of XSI and into XNA with the proper clip duration and proper animation. It's probably not all the best way to do things, but it works for me, and has allowed me to successfully get my characters animated in-game. Any takers?

Oh yes, definitely! Last night I finally figured out the Character Key Set and Action store/apply, after hours of googling and playing with XSI... I'm a long time programmer but animation is new stuff to me, so bring on the knowledge :)

Funny, this is exactly what I'm working on.  I've nearly finised my Collada importer.  It supports multiple meshes, mesh parts, and bones.  Animations are coming, but I've been having a heck of a time with XSI and keyframes.  I think I've just leaned that I need "Character Key Sets".  Otherwise, not all my bones have the keyset applied at the appropriate frames.

I'd love to see what others are doing...and share.

I have noticed that if I define a set of deformers(ie nulls that are situated under the Deformer Root but not parented under each other as in the xnagse documentation "tutorial: character animation for xna") which I envelope and characterkeyset then constrain them to a rig(which is situatied seperatedly form the deformer root)-- If I keyframe with my deformer keyset and do my posing with the rig the animations are retained even though the rig's constraints wouldn't allow me to see them. By deleting the rig(hence removing the constraints) I am able to see the animation created from keyframing the deformers while they were constrained by the rig. But I have been having trouble with character keysets that contain the rig itself-- It seems like I am not able to character keyframe the rig because bones will move and spin in weird directions, some constraints will only be halfway enforced and I can only move one bone at a time.