Use rig from same blend file but different scene

I haven’t had to use this before, so stumbled on a (maybe easy to solve) problem: how to use a rig from the same blend file in different scene?

I have a rig done in one scene and model is skinned to armature. I want to use this character in different scenes, but how do I do it? When linking from another blend, the usual make proxy etc is logical, but if character is in the same file, I can’t link it as a group and make a proxy. The best way I have currently found is to make group instance, make duplicates real and then work with duplicate objects. Is this the correct way to do this or are there better tricks?

It really depends upon what your needs are.

If the character is not subject to change, (you’re not going to change the mesh or the rigging), then I would just make each scene a separate .blend file. Each scene .blend file would have the character and all the props needed for the scene.

If the character might change, then have one file that is just the character, and link the character into each scene .blend file. That’s what linking is useful for. It allows you to have one ‘master’ character file, that can be changed, and those changes will appear in every scene .blend file that the character is in.

Same goes for props too. You could have one master prop file, and link in the props needed for each scene. This way you could change the props later on.

If nothing, the character or the props aren’t gonna change, then I would just append everything needed for each scene into a separate .blend file for each scene.

Randy

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Thanks for your thoughts but I specifically asked for single blend solution, not linking. I know the benefits of linking, currently I need all the stuff in one blend file for specific reasons and making stuff local later on is not a good option for me.