Going to ask this here since I can't find a single thing

try to have all the bones connected and enter pose mode before you are trying to move it

if you have maybe you should fix the connections between the parts

>>502184
You should make the IK control bones after you parented the mesh to the armature, you don't want them to have weights.
You know that to parent you select the mesh first and then the armature, right? And the armature has to be outlined yellow not blue, because if it's in pose mode you're parenting to one bone.
Also, when you try parenting again, select just the mesh and press alt+p to clear any possible parents that might be there so that they don't affect the result.
Oh and you should use automatic weights.

>armature
>using blender

>>502184
Is blender complaining about "bone heat failed" or something like that? The way your mesh is modeled might cause problems with Blender's automatic weight paint.
Did you actually try manually weight painting?

OP here, thanks for your replies. Yes I've tried manually weight painting, I always select the mesh first. The only thing I can think of is either my armature is fucked somehow (not connected). Blender isn't coming up with any errors or anything. It just won't parent to the armature and believe me I've tried to parent it about 50 ways. I'll try again and see if I can get closer to what I might be doing wrong.

File: thisissohard.png (29KB, 311x338px) Image search: [Google]

29KB, 311x338px

Nope, still nothing, This is real frustrating.

>>502194
I did all of these. Same result.

>>502260
whats probably causing all this is a small mistake that went unoticed, share the .blend file

Does Maya not come with a basic premade rig like 3DS Max does? I just want to practice motion on something plain and anatomically accurate.

>>502271
There are a bajillion free rigs on http://www.creativecrash.com/

Maya is made for professionals, of whom would already have their own rigs to use.

Another great option is animation mentor's free rig:
http://www.animationmentor.com/free-maya-rig/

Maybe its because when you're trying to weight paint or place auto weights, the vertices might be painted by more than one bone at once?

Used to happen to me a lot

Okay, heres the .blend file. I appreciate any help you can get, knowing me it's probably something stupid I overlooked

http://www.pasteall.org/blend/39314

File: armature.webm (2MB, 1135x996px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 1135x996px

>>502184
>make mesh with vertex groups
>make armature, name bones to match vertex groups
>parent mesh to armature, select armature deform option (not any of the sub options)
>select armature, ctrl+tab into pose mode
>rotate some bones, mesh should deform with bone
Here's a quick webm. The key is matching the vertex groups and ensuring the armature deform modifier is active.

>>502195

>memes