Shape Key Animation to vertex/object animation

Support Animation and Rigging
1

Hey, I have searched all over and cannot figure out how to do this…

I am working with character models which have Shape Key animations for facial expressions. I need to use these models in the iOS/xcode SceneKit framework, which only accepts 3d data in COLLADA format.

I can get armature and regular keyframe animations to work just fine in Scenekit, but cannot get the ShapeKey based stuff to transfer.

I know that COLLADA can now support Shape Keys, but it seems to hold then not for animation, just for importing into blender use.

So, this leads me to thinking that ‘baking’ the Shape Key-Keyframe-animations into a mesh/vertex animation will do what I am wanting, but I am not sure if/how this is possible.

TLDR- How can I use Shapekey animations outside of Blender…

Thanks,

Jeff

2

I want to clarify also that I am not necessarily asking for advise on the SceneKit side of things- more if there is a way I can iterate through the frames of a Shape Key animation and make permanent deformed meshes from each.

Thanks again!

3

I’m not familiar with “shape key” in Blender. I know that Collada and SceneKit support “morphing”. So if blender can convert/export from shape key to a morpher + a set of morph targets then SceneKit should be able to load it and animate it.

4

This seems to be what I am looking for! Thank you- I am going to get it tested tonight/tomorrow and let ya know what I find.

Also, do you know of any good examples for using SCNMorpher? I have done the basic googling around but have found nothing.

Thanks