Blender 2.5 and Makehuman 1.0

Hi. Some of us have started working on how to get characters from the new Makehuman 1.0 into Blender 2.5.

The goal
The goal is to have a Makehuman to Blender pipeline and work flow that is quick comfortable and flexible. To be able to pose and animate a character freely inside blender.

Right now there are two methods of work flow being discussed. A traditional exporter or makehuman as a pluggin for blender.
Both blender and Makehuman is coming out in new versions that open up new possibility’s.

Some technical facts

Makehuman 1.0

  • Main features written in Python.

  • Can be used as a python module.

  • C++ opengl engine.

    Blender 2.5

  • Blender is now using modern mvc Model View Controller.

  • Fully exposed python API.

  • New animation system where any value can be animated.

  • Blender gui is scriptable.

Pros and cons of the two different methods. (will be updated as the discussion progresses)
Here is what I could think of. Sorry if this is a little repetitive but some of the pros also appears as cons.

Makehuman as a pluggin

Pros

  • No need for rigging.
  • Proof of concept that works. http://thereisnoend.org/2009/09/04/index.html#mh1
  • MH characters can use the new blender animation system.
  • Characters can be posed inside blender.
  • Any new MH feature (like advanced muscle simulation) that may be implemented in the future that may not work with the exporter will also be available inside blender.

Cons

  • The makehuman pluggin would have to be installed in order to change or animate the characters created.

  • Version dependency problems.

    Exporter for Makehuman

Pros

  • Version independent.
  • Characters can be used on computers without makehuman installed.
  • The exporter might work in other programs too. Especially if a standard like collada will be used.

Cons

  • Rigging will be ridiculously difficult.
  • Creating an export script that does this will be very complex.
  • No proof of concept for rigging export
  • The exporter file would likely need to include a lot of python scrips anyway.
  • I assume (Please correct me if I am wrong) that finding a file standard that supports all the features needed to export a fully rigged and functioning character from makehuman will be difficult at best.

Open collada
Perhaps open collada could solve the problem with rigging?
http://www.blendernation.com/the-khronos-group-announces-significant-collada-momentum-at-siggraph-2009/

Misc links and other forum discussions:
http://www.makehuman.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=471
http://www.makehuman.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=201&p=3316#p3316
http://www.makehuman.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1037&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=10#p3328
http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=165935

You missed this link :slight_smile:

http://www.makehuman.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1041

an exporter that already work, with rigging :stuck_out_tongue:

We need to integrate it in next version.

Regards,

Manuel