Autodesk MotionBuilder vs MikuMikuDance

Autodesk MotionBuilder is 3D character animation software for capturing, editing, and playing back complex animations. Its real-time character engine automatically creates movements for biped or human skeletons, while manipulation tools let users alter a character’s position and orientation. The listed capabilities include motion capture, motion retargeting, facial animation, animation retargeting, and character retargeting. Autodesk says professional animation and game studios use MotionBuilder to produce animations. It is designed to complement Maya and 3ds Max and exchanges data through Autodesk FBX with applications that support FBX. MotionBuilder is available for Linux and Windows. The stated minimum hardware includes a 64-bit Intel or AMD multi-core processor, 8 GB RAM, 4 GB of free disk space, and a three-button mouse. Autodesk offers a free 30-day trial, but no free plan. A subscription covers installation on up to three devices for one named user, with use limited to one computer at a time, and includes the current version plus three previous versions.

MikuMikuDance is a tool for choreographing a 3D Miku model and exporting AVI files, described by the Vocaloid Promotion Video Project as part of its tools for making Vocaloid-series promotion videos. The Multi Model Edition can move two or more models and use the Bullet physics engine, though the site identifies it as an older edition for Windows XP machines. Separate DirectX 9 and 64-bit versions are described for PCs running Windows Vista, 7, 8, or 10; the 64-bit edition is for 64-bit systems. If those Windows versions fail to run, the site advises installing Microsoft Visual C++ redistributable packages and the DirectX End-User Runtime. For Kinect motion capture, the DxOpenNI driver reads joint positions and can be used as a MikuMikuDance plug-in. MoggDxOpenNI can capture neck, wrist, upper-body, lower-body, and ankle motion. The site links an English tutorial document and operation tutorial videos. Pricing is listed as a free plan with paid access from 7.99 one-time.