Create props

In Shogun Live, you can create simple, single-segment (and therefore rigid) props.

For information on creating a prop as a custom L-frame, see Set the origin with a custom L-frame.

Load subjects and props via .mcp file

For an easy way to quickly load subjects and props from an existing scene, you can load an .mcp file directly into Shogun Live.

To quickly load subjects and props from an .mcp:

1. At the top of the Tracking panel, click the Load tracking configuration button .

2. From the Load Tracking Configuration dialog box, select or browse to the required .mcp file. The subjects and props are displayed in the Tracking panel as normal.

Place markers on props

When placing markers on props, note that a minimum of four markers is recommended for each prop. Be sure to:

• Place the markers across the prop object to reach the extremities as far as possible.
• Avoid placing markers in a straight line and/or on the same plane.
• Avoid placing markers symmetrically.
• Prevent marker swaps by avoiding placing prop markers too close to the hands or where the actor will interact with the prop. For example, if a performer interacts with a prop, place markers at the extremities of the prop, but not directly in the location where the interaction occurs, as shown below, where a performer holds a sword:

  

To create a single-segment prop:

1. Ensure the markers are positioned on the prop as described above.
2. Place the prop in the volume.
3. In Shogun Live, in the Settings menu, click Preferences (or press SHIFT+P).
4. In the Preferences dialog box, on the User tab, go to the Folders section and ensure that the Props folder is as required, or if not, click the button to the right of the Props line to specify the appropriate folder.

   

5. In the 3D Scene, select a minimum of four reconstructed markers. To ensure that Shogun Live places the bone logically within the prop, select (CTRL+click) the markers in the following order:
   • The first selected marker defines the origin (base) of the prop bone.
   • The second selected marker defines the end of the prop bone.
   • Any other markers can be selected in any order.
6. In the Tracking panel, in the Prop field, enter a name for the prop and click Create.

   

   A single-segment prop is created from the selected markers and appears in the 3D Scene in the orientation defined by the order in which you selected the markers in the previous step. The prop is displayed as a node on the Tracking panel on the right of the Shogun Live window, under Props.

   

   The prop's .mcp file is saved to the location specified in step 2 above.
7. If required, to select a mesh for the prop, or to change its color, ensure that the prop is selected in the Tracking panel and then choose a mesh and/or color on the Properties tab. Prop meshes are FBX files, by default stored in:
   C:\Users\Public\Documents\Vicon\PropMeshes.
8. To rename or to remove a prop from the current scene, in the Tracking panel, right-click the prop, and then click the relevant option. (You can also double-click on the prop to rename it.)

   

   After you have saved props, you can import them into subsequent takes as required.

Note that in addition to creating simple, single-segment props, you can also import both simple props and more complex, multi-segment props by clicking the Import Subject button at the top of the Tracking panel.

Move props

To move props in Shogun Live, you use the Object Manipulator, at the top of the 3D Scene view.

To use the Object Manipulator:

1. Pause the real time (press the spacebar or click the Pause button or the Play/Stop button) and in the Tracking panel on the right, select the object that you want to move.
2. If the Object Manipulator isn't displayed, click the Object Manipulator button or press M.

   
   

   Tip: To scale the manipulator, press the + or - keys.

3. Drag to move the prop in the 3D Scene view or enter the required values in the Object Manipulator fields.
4. To change between global and local values, click the Object Manipulator symbol:

   

You can use the manipulator to quickly align a prop to the world axis.

To align a prop to the world axis:

1. Pause the real time and in the Tracking panel on the right, select the prop you want to align and press M to display the Object Manipulator. In the Workspace (3D Scene view), the Object Manipulator is displayed. By clicking on the Object Manipulator symbol (top left), you can set it to Local (values at zero) or Global (values relative to the scene origin).

   

2. To align the selected prop to the scene origin, ensure the Object Manipulator is set Global and change all the values to zero.