Auto-Muscle

The Auto-Muscle module is used to simulate muscle movement, using this will allow your characters to flex their muscles when they lift something or to create muscle-tone when they move. When the Auto-Muscle module is connected to a Bone Deformer and that deformer is rotated, the drawing is automatically inflated to simulate muscle movement in the limb.

To use the Auto-Muscle module:

1. In the Network view, navigate inside the Deformation Group you want to add an Auto-Muscle effect to.
2. In the Module Library, select an Auto-Muscle module and drag it to the Network view. Note that the Auto-Muscle module name changes to Auto-Muscle as it enters the Network view.
3. Connect the Auto-Muscle module directly under the Articulation and after the Bone you want the effect to be applied to.

4. In the Network view, click on the Auto-Muscle module’s square yellow button to open the Layer Properties dialog box.

5. You can set the following parameters in the Auto-Muscle Layer Properties dialog box:
Name: Use this field to rename the module.
Muscle Left: This option is enabled by default. When enabled, the left side of the Bone Deformer will inflate as the articulation is rotated toward the direction of the Bone Deformer. Disable this option if you do not want the left side of the bone to inflate.

Left Start: The default value of the starting position of the left-side muscle is set to -2. This means that it will start at the deformer situated 2 steps before the position where the Auto-Muscle is connected. In this case, you can change the starting point by typing the number corresponding to the deformer module.

Left Span: This parameter controls the length (muscle length) over which the effect module will be applied to the left side of the deformer. By default the setting is 1, representing the length of the deformer it is applied to.
Left Amplitude: This parameter controls the physical size of the left muscle. Increase the value to make the muscle bigger, decrease the value to make it smaller.

Muscle Right: This option is enabled by default. When enabled, the right side of the Bone Deformer will inflate as the articulation is rotated toward the direction of the Bone Deformer. Disable this option if you do not want the right side of the bone to inflate.

Same as Left: This option is enabled by default, allowing each side of the Bone Deformer to inflate to follow the rotation of the articulation. Enable this option to synchronize the right muscle with the left so that both muscles will inflate when the articulation is rotated to the left.

Right Start: The default value of the starting position of the right-side muscle is set to -2. This means that it will start at the deformer situated 2 steps before where the Auto-Muscle is connected, in this case, Bone. You can change the starting point by typing the number corresponding to the deformer module.

Right Span: This parameter controls the length (muscle length) over which the effect module will be applied to the right side of the deformer. By default the setting is 1, representing the length of the deformer it is applied to.
Right Amplitude: This parameter controls the physical size of the right muscle. Increase the value to make the muscle bigger, decrease the value to make it smaller.