Creating character for animation

A computer program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method for creating a character for an animation, the method comprising:

• associating spatial variables with a first three-dimensional mesh, wherein the first three-dimensional mesh specifies a shape of a first character and wherein the spatial variables have initial values that correspond to a position in three-dimensional space relative to one or more vertices on the first three-dimensional mesh;
• providing the first three-dimensional mesh with a modular rig structure comprising character components from a particular collection of character components, wherein the particular collection of character components is defined for use with the first three-dimensional mesh, and wherein each character component is associated with one or more of the spatial variables and a geomset, wherein the geomset represents at least one of a portion of skeletal geometry and animation information for the first three-dimensional mesh and associating each character component with a geomset specifies a configuration of the geomset with respect to the first three-dimensional mesh;
• modifying, using a computer system, the first three-dimensional mesh to generate a second three-dimensional mesh, wherein the second three-dimensional mesh specifies a shape of a second character;
• setting new values for the spatial variables for the second three-dimensional mesh that define a configuration of each of the character components in the modular rig structure for the second three-dimensional mesh, where the new values for the spatial variables are based on a difference in shape between the first three-dimensional mesh and the second-three dimensional mesh, wherein the new values for the spatial variables also define a configuration for the geomsets associated with the character components for the second three-dimensional mesh;
• transforming the geomsets, in multiple progressive refinements, based at least in part on the new values for the spatial variables, wherein the transformed geomsets are adapted to the second three-dimensional mesh;
• and
• storing the character components and the transformed geomsets in a new collection of character components that is defined for use with the second three-dimensional mesh, including storing an association of the character components in the new collection of character components to one or more of the new values for the spatial variables.

A system for creating a character for an animation, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by the processor cause the system to generate:
• a character component management module configured to:
• associate spatial variables with a first three-dimensional mesh, wherein the first three-dimensional mesh specifies a shape of a first character and wherein the spatial variables have initial values that correspond to a position in three-dimensional space relative to one or more vertices on the first three-dimensional mesh;
• provide the first three-dimensional mesh with a modular rig structure comprising character components from a particular collection of character components, wherein the particular collection of character components is defined for use with the first three-dimensional mesh, and wherein each character component is associated with one or more of the spatial variables and a geomset, wherein the geomset represents at least one of a portion of skeletal geometry and animation information for the first three-dimensional mesh and associating each character component with a geomset specifies a configuration of the geomset with respect to the first three-dimensional mesh;
• and
• modify, using a computer system, the first three-dimensional mesh to generate a second three-dimensional mesh, wherein the second three-dimensional mesh specifies a shape of a second character;
• and
• a transforming module configured to:
• set new values for the spatial variables for the second three-dimensional mesh that define a configuration of each of the character components in the modular rig structure for the second three-dimensional mesh, where the new values for the spatial variables are based on a difference in shape between the first three-dimensional mesh and the second-three dimensional mesh, wherein the new values for the spatial variables also define a a configuration for the geomsets associated with the character components for the second three-dimensional mesh;
• transform the geomsets, in multiple progressive refinements, based at least in part on the new values for the spatial variables, wherein the transformed geomsets are adapted to the second three-dimensional mesh;
• and
• store the character components and the transformed geomsets in a new collection of character components that is defined for use with the second three-dimensional mesh, including storing an association of the character components in the new collection of character components to one or more of the new values for the spatial variables.