ewu_swarrington Posted February 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 (edited) That reference file was a lot of help.I updated the walking, idle and death animations.I'll rework the Running and Attacking animations in [insert a reasonable, undetermined amount of time here] Edited February 26, 2008 by ewu_swarrington Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wijitmaker Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 Excellent improvements Here is some more feedback:* Running - much smoother, great! The animation seems to have the deer's body pitched downward during much of the animation and I'm not sure, but I think it would help to make it more erect in this bounding. Also, when deer run in flight their tail is usually standing straight up in warning - sorta like a flag. Animate the hooves (toes, fingers - rotation) to make the legs look a little less stiff - they look sorta peg legish. Watch out for the hooves going through the ground. Frames 2, 3, 4 seem a bit off. * Idle - you got the idea. But keep the feet fixed. I found some typical classic deer poses, try and replicate one of these: http://www.everythingwolf.com/gallery/gall...px?CategoryID=6 (Note how the head is more level)* Walking - much improved, I added the other animation to your files for reference. The front legs look like they are a little ahead of the body in motion and seem to spread out widely. Animate the hooves (toes, fingers - rotation) to make the legs look a little less stiff - they look sorta peg legish.* Death - it is good except the two back legs look like they are doing the exact same thing. Perhaps find a way to make their motion a bit different* Attack - looks much better. It is a little quick between frames 14, 15, 16, try spreading that out over 2 more frames.Note, to smooth out an animation, sometimes it helps to go into Graph Editors => Track View - Curve Editor. This is where you can look at the curves of your animation of the bones and look at the smoothness of the curves on the transform parameters. Sometimes it helps to use that to find abnormal spikes and smooth out the animation.I think you are getting the hang of this - well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wijit PDA Posted February 27, 2008 Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 I am having a terrible time with my internet so I wasn't able to commit the files. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewu_swarrington Posted February 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 I made the requested updates. There's not much geometry's on the hooves so rotating the hooves would distort the legs. Regardless I tried to rotate enough to add some variation. I'm thinking they aren't quite there yet, and I've yet to work on the walking animation. I did however get some CS videos and will watch them this weekend.I can use some feedback over of all of the updated animations, excluding the walking animation.Also I was thinking of condensing the animations into one file with the models, like the reference file is composed. I don't know if this is how its preferred, but then its less files to go through.I'm also a bit curious on how animations are imported into the game, are the bone/biped systems just imported and then re-rigged? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wijitmaker Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 Steve, you could add some geometry to the hoof region if you would like. It would probably just be a few cuts you would have to make in poly mode. Pretty easy.I'm out this weekend (in Ellensburg with my in-laws) so I won't be able to look at the files till Monday. Keep the files separated because that is how they will need to be exported.The animations are exported directly from Max. So there isn't much needed to be done after the max file is created and ready to go. They game uses a skeletal animation system, so it retains most all of the animation data. What will happen is... I will export the deer mesh once with the existing skeletal/rigging system you set that should be the same on all. Then I will export each of the animations individually. You could theoretically create animations for the deer without the skin applied at all in Max. But, it helps to have it there to see how the mesh deforms during the animation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewu_swarrington Posted March 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 I added geometry along the leg's Tweaked the other animations for better hove movement, and fixed up the walking animation.Good luck with the in-laws, and I'll talk to you on Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wijitmaker Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 I looked over the animations, great improvementsWalk - The walk still looks a bit off. It looks like it is 'trudging' through mud/snow. I would try to make the deer step more lightly/daintily. Maybe that would be making the legs not spread so far apart in animation, perhaps raising the hooves a bit more in motion. Also the back seems very flat during the animation. The animal's weight would shift based on what hooves are on the ground at what time... Should sway a bit, the back can flex a bit in motion tooRun - looks great, only thing is I would raise the tail - straight up. Like this: http://www.deer-hunting-success.com/image-...383636small.jpg It stays like that all the time.Idle - better, the feet and hands must stay still though.Death - good to go as isAttack - good to go as isGetting there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewu_swarrington Posted March 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2008 I looked over the animations...Thanks, I updated the files. I think I might have too much back movement in the walking animation, but I'll wait for feedback about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wijitmaker Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 Unfortunately I'm out of town on a business trip, so I won't be able to give you feedback till Saturday when I'm scheduled to be at the EWU campus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewu_swarrington Posted March 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Fixed the odd dip in the running animation, and I used planted keys to add a bit of a rocking movement to the idle animation.I also have the feet moving into the body while walking.I know my project requires the animation on both a deer with antlers and a deer without, so I will update each file as needed after I get the final ok on the animation.Sorry I didn't get out to eastern earlier then when I made it, I work out at sfcc library on Saturdays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wijitmaker Posted March 10, 2008 Report Share Posted March 10, 2008 Ok, great. Use that import/export bip tool, it should speed things up for you to recreate those animations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewu_swarrington Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Is that the "ok" on the animations? If so I'll complete the files. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wijitmaker Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 Arg.. I'm sorry I worked a 12 hour day today and didn't get home till 8. I lost my 0ad time. I will be able to review tomorrow. What task do you have your eye on next so we can prepare it in advance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewu_swarrington Posted March 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 An Apple Tree? I don't really mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wijitmaker Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 Alrighty, and apple tree it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wijitmaker Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Awesome, they all look good now except for the idle. There is something funky going on with the front right leg. It looks like the leg is being pulled off the ground and snapping back to it's original position. Have a look there. We are getting Bobbo and Michael to get that apple tree task created for you. You have chosen 3 distinct tasks with different focuses... modeling with the roman alternative structures, animation with the deer, and now transparent mapping with the apple tree. It is good to push yourself like that an not be comfortable with one skill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewu_swarrington Posted March 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Updated files, I think I'm done. Fixed 'da funk in the idle animation.Lets see how the transparent mapping goes.I wanted to know If i can change my project to a crazy awesome dance video with deer...Something along the lines of... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7J0BXnaA-s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feneur Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Lol That was funny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wijitmaker Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 hehe, yeah nice video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewu_swarrington Posted March 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I feel ashamed for putting that video up last night its soo stupid, its funny (better take it down before any possible future employers see it...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feneur Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 I'd think even future employers have humor though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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