Yess! I have recorded the CAT rig's animation into a point cache modifier and loaded that onto a cloned mesh. Animates just fine. It's not super convenient but think it'll work. Will reply with an update later. Cheers
Edit: ok, this is odd, if I tick 'non-skin deformations' for the point cached character, it will animate but it will not render. If I untick it, it will render but not animate....
Edit2: added a shape operator and it now animates and renders as expected.. however, it now creates an extra mesh in the spot - what could be wrong? https://i.imgur.com/qXTdeYQ.png
Edit3: it seems to be the position icon that creates the duplicate mesh. This one animates and shows in viewport. It doesn't render. Shape on the other hand, does animate and shows in viewport and render. When I deactivate the position icon operator, the faulty mesh goes to scene center, and the shape mesh stays put. The weird thing is that when I deactivate position icon operator, the faulty mesh now renders and animates at the center of the scene.
Edit: ok, this is odd, if I tick 'non-skin deformations' for the point cached character, it will animate but it will not render. If I untick it, it will render but not animate....
Edit2: added a shape operator and it now animates and renders as expected.. however, it now creates an extra mesh in the spot - what could be wrong? https://i.imgur.com/qXTdeYQ.png
Edit3: it seems to be the position icon that creates the duplicate mesh. This one animates and shows in viewport. It doesn't render. Shape on the other hand, does animate and shows in viewport and render. When I deactivate the position icon operator, the faulty mesh goes to scene center, and the shape mesh stays put. The weird thing is that when I deactivate position icon operator, the faulty mesh now renders and animates at the center of the scene.