Mesh2Motion — a program for character animation

Tomcat

Mesh2Motion is a FREE & open-source web application to animate your 3D models.

Supports humanoid, four-legged, and bird creatures.

https://github.com/scottpetrovic/mesh2motion-app

https://gamefromscratch.com/mesh2motion-open-source-mixamo-alternative/

Unfortunately, I can't try it out, as our government fears rebellion (quite reasonably) and regularly shuts down the internet. An standalone version is definitely needed.

DaveTheCoder

Tomcat standalone version

Isn't that product standalone?

Tomcat

DaveTheCoder Isn't that product standalone?

Web-version only.

It seems like it can be run locally, but I don't really understand how.

If you want to run this locally or do any improvements, the main dependency you need is Node.js.

kuligs2

Tomcat
2 min job
And my jiggler is runnin

Tomcat It seems like it can be run locally, but I don't really understand how.

install nodejs on your system. https://nodejs.org/en/download on binbows just install prebuilt package - same on linux.

Then open terminal in the git repo me2motion and run those commands from readme

npm install

and

npm run build

The build command will create static web files that you just need to host on webserver. You could then repack this into docker image and just build docker image. Ill try that later and tell you my results.

EDIT:
Nice that this is MIT.

I wonder where they got these animations from?

Oh, no,...

SMH..
https://community.adobe.com/t5/mixamo-discussions/mixamo-faq-licensing-royalties-ownership-eula-and-tos/td-p/13234775

EDIT2:

Yup, it was easy to set it up locally.

Just as i described earlier. Run that build command, this will create ./dist directory, that you need to host on webserrver.

i made docker compose file. in the root of the repo dir.

docker-compose.yaml

services:
    mesh2motion:
        image: caddy:latest
        restart: unless-stopped
        container_name: "mesh2motion"
        ports:
          - "8082:80"
        volumes:
          - ./dist:/usr/share/caddy

then just run docker compose up -d and bob is your uncle

Tomcat

kuligs2 The build command will create static web files that you just need to host on webserver.

LOL, dude! I'm a typographic designer (books, magazines) who decided to dabble in game development in my old age. What you're saying is like a dark forest, Chinese characters, and bird language all rolled into a bottle for me. I'll need at least a few months just to figure out what these strange terms mean.

But I'm glad you found this useful. First of all, which browser does it run on? (First question.)

I wonder where they got these animations from?

Oh, no,...

I would like to upload my own animations.

kuligs2

As for the mixamo developer responded
https://github.com/scottpetrovic/mesh2motion-app/issues/18
He uses the quarran animation lib. CC0 So its safe.

Tomcat First of all, which browser does it run on? (First question.)

I use firefox, any modern browser should work.. not sure about edge and opera

Tomcat I'll need at least a few months just to figure out what these strange terms mean.

You need to install docker. On windows its just like any programm. Google it, docker desktop, agree to license, install, run.
Then donwload this repo .zip https://github.com/scottpetrovic/mesh2motion-app/archive/refs/heads/main.zip
Then extract it
Then open the folder, now the hackery part.
You need to open terminal/powershell/cmd into that directory
Then inside the repo direcotry you just open terminal/powershell and type docker compose up and it will run on http://localhost:3000
When you want to stop programm - CTRL + C inside that terminal with docker compose.

Tomcat I would like to upload my own animations.

The dev is looking for animator, so maybe you can talk over with him. I guess there is speciffic way to set up them animation so that they can be applied to any mesh, using their skeleton or something.. idk how it works.

EDIT:
Its funny but dev kinda does it ass backwards. TO run the application you have to clone repository, then run the docker which clones the same repository again from internet into the docker image.

IDK why he does that, but for offline use if you cloned the repository via .zip just edit the Dockerfile

FROM node:18.15-alpine

RUN mkdir -p /app

WORKDIR /app

COPY ./ .

RUN sed -i "s/open: !isCodeSandbox/open: false/" vite.config.js
RUN npm install

EXPOSE 3000

CMD ["npm", "run", "dev"]

ArDanZ11

Tomcat This sounds really cool

Tomcat

kuligs2 I use firefox, any modern browser should work..

It doesn't work for me on LibreWolf (Firefox) and Comodo Dragon (Chromium). The site (page) opens, but I can't load any model.

agree to license

This is the most difficult point.

The dev is looking for animator, so maybe you can talk over with him.

How can I communicate with him?

kuligs2

Tomcat e on LibreWolf (Firefox) a

because libre disables javascripts, which the site relies on.

Tomcat This is the most difficult point.

On linux there is no such bs, only windows.

Tomcat How can I communicate with him?

Github i guess

Tomcat

kuligs2 On linux there is no such bs, only windows.

linux is full of other problems.

Github i guess

It has a page on itch.io. But there is no PM on itch.io and GitHub. By the way, he is familiar with Godot.

https://scottpetrovic.itch.io/

X is not available for me. That leaves BS.

I'll try to propose to him on GitHub, to make a standalone program. If someone would support me there, it would look more convincing.

https://github.com/scottpetrovic/mesh2motion-app/discussions/35

kuligs2

Tomcat Can godot export to glb/fbx? If not, I doubt anyone of the devs would port this to godot.

Why using browser is not an option? Browsers are free to use. Docker is free aswell, its the easiest way to use it, you dont have to deal with nodejs shenanigans (similar to python package manager)

Tomcat

kuligs2 Can godot export to glb/fbx?

fbx is a cesspool.

Why using browser is not an option? Browsers are free to use.

Because it's a browser. It depends on the web. Not everywhere has stable internet. It is very desirable that players can create their own animations always and everywhere. Or the server goes down. (For example Putin decides to attack Europe or give back native Russian lands — Alaska and California — should people in the rest of the world stop having fun because of that?)

kuligs2

Tomcat

Tomcat Because it's a browser. It depends on the web. Not everywhere has stable internet. It is very desirable that players can create their own animations always and everywhere. Or the server goes down. (For example Putin decides to attack Europe or give back native Russian lands — Alaska and California — should people in the rest of the world stop having fun because of that?)

did you even read the Readme or what i was posting replies to and on about? You can run this on your PC, Download the repo once, download dependencies, such as either docker or nodejs, and other to build the application, build it onece on your computer and use it as much as you want... no outside network connection required.. The interface to the application is web browser..

The mindset online and everywhere else should be - Grab it while you can. Because certainty does not exist in this world.

Tomcat

kuligs2 did you even read the Readme or what i was posting replies to and on about? You can run this on your PC, Download the repo once, download dependencies, such as either docker or nodejs, and other to build the application, build it onece on your computer and use it as much as you want...

Personally, I can spend a bunch of time and figure out (I suppose) how to run docker or nodejs. But for casual players, it would be overly expensive or not possible at all. A standalone option is always unambiguously preferable.

kuligs2

Tomcat

Tomcat A standalone option is always unambiguously preferable.

but most of the time this would take up more development time to package, compile for each architecture etc etc.. Most open source software is built upon other open source softwares/libraries, there you will have dependencies upon dependencies.. this just creates more potential breakage points. Imo docker is the most braidead way to use it. you just install docker, and follow the documentation of the repo which gives you exact command to run the application. docker-compose up -d how stupid one has to be to not understand that 😃.. i mean if you are a "developer" animator, you know how to install and use software.. you should know how to use this. If youre a hardcore artist that animates using paintbrush and acrylics then what are you doing on computer? 😃 Go back to drawing board or take your time to learn a new craft....

Anyways, there are times where creating standalone app is more complicated for someone that does this for free on his spare time 😃.. maybe if someone paid for the software, then maybe it could be a standalone app but then who would buy this when blender exist? You see where im going?

Tomcat

kuligs2 If youre a hardcore artist that animates using paintbrush and acrylics then what are you doing on computer?

You have completely misconceptions. An artist, even if he is hardcore, is by no means a programmer and may well not know about dockers and other nonsense.

Once again, need a program for players — who are not even artists!!

Anyways, there are times where creating standalone app is more complicated for someone that does this for free on his spare time 😃.. maybe if someone paid for the software, then maybe it could be a standalone app but then who would buy this when blender exist? You see where im going?

A separate program is complicated and expensive? Well, perhaps sadly, yep. But it's not like I'm insisting that a person drop everything and make it immediately. Especially not for free. We'll talk to him about payment if he sees fit. That's a huge problem, of course, but we can discuss it.

Tomcat

kuligs2 .. maybe if someone paid for the software, then maybe it could be a standalone app but then who would buy this when blender exist?

Well, I have Cascadeur instead of messing around with dockers. By the way, the paid program exists and develops perfectly well - apparently people pay for it.

Tomcat

kuligs2 You see where im going?

How it works. He wants dragons. My proposal significantly expands the program's user base, and someone is bound to make a dragon for him. Especially since it coincides with my ideas. Everyone is happy and satisfied.

trizZzle

As soon as I saw Mesh2Motion at gamefromscratch I tried it. Really nice tool! ☺️