Export Clonk

Export a new Clonk

Preparation

• Install Blender
• Download and unzip the Clonk file
• Open the clonk.blend file
• Click on "Reload trusted" to

Install Blender

The Clonk has been modeled in Blender, so you also need Blender to export a new Clonk. Blender is an open source software, so you can just install it from their homepage: https://www.blender.org/

Download the Clonk file

Get the Clonk file from http://www.renderclonks.de/files/new_clonk.zip. Download it and unzip it.

Open the clonk.blend file

The clonk.blend file is the file that contains the Clonk model and has already all needed scripts installed.

Start the script

First of all, you have to click the "Reload trusted" button. The file is configured to startup the exporter's interface script directly on the start, but as Blender wants to protect its users from starting scripts they are not aware about, you have to tell Blender, that you trust the script.

Structure of the Blender File

The Blender file has different layers that contain different parts of the setup.

Each of the layers can be selected by clicking on the button. When holding SHIFT while clicking, multiple layers can be selected at the same time.

The layers contain:

1. the adventurer clonk mesh

2. the steampunk clonk mesh

3. the alchemist clonk mesh

4. the farmer clonk mesh

10. some helper meshes (do not edit)

second row:

11. the CONTROL_body armature to control the clonk

13. some helper tools (shovel, pickaxe, etc.)

15. more helper tools (boompack, shield, etc.)

16. the Armature armature that is directly connected with the clonk

17.-20. helper stuff (do not edit)

The rig

The clonk has a rig, that is a bit more complex than a direct rig, where just one armature deforms one mesh.

The clonk' mesh, e.g. the mesh "clonk" (layer 1, see image left), is controlled by the armature "Armature" (layer 16, see image middle). This is also the armature that gets exported. All vertex groups of the clonk link to this armature.

This armature is in turn controlled by the armature "CONTROL_body" (layer 11, see image right). This armature has targets for e.g. the feet and when the feet is moved, the bones upper_leg, lower_leg and foot of the clonk are moved so that the foot is as close to this target as possible.

While the process of "forcing" the foot to this position may be ambiguous, there is an additional bone "knee" that specifies, in which direction the knee is bend while forcing the foot to the position of the target. The arms work by the same principle.

The fingers of the hand work a bit differently, here the scaling of the finger bones of CONTROL_body defines how bend the fingers are. To make a fist, scale all the finger helper bones to its lowest value, to make a straight hand, scale them to their largest value.

The eyes work by providing a target where the eyeballs of the clonk are facing.

For all these bones, the keyframes should be specified for the "CONTROL_body" armature and not for the "Armature" armature!

Some bones are excluded from this procedure: the eyelids, the mouth and various tool positions, which start with "pos_*".