3DS Max Friendly version of the Open Motion Capture Library!

[Sotha]

Current is better, the new one looks robot-town express.

[Arcturus]

Funny you both mention robots, since it's the current animation that looks like Asimo in slow motion.

I'm waiting for more opinions.

[Tels]

I think the old animation has some sort of "sailor walk", where he is bobbing up and down. The new one is better in this regard, but it looks like he is "clicking" is left knee. Not sure how to describe that.

 

But I am not an animator nor versed in human anatomy, so my opinion is worth next to nothing

[Arcturus]

Maybe this will help. Try to stand in this pose:

 

 

And then start to walk keeping exactly the same tempo as NPCs currently.

[Springheel]

I'm waiting for more opinions.

 

I agree with the others that it looks a bit robotic, and can point to at least a few specifics:

 

1. The step length appears rather short.

 

2. The hands are held like claws.

 

3. The arms bend more at the elbow than the shoulder.

[Arcturus]

As for the first point, see my post above. Unless, it doesn't matter if the speed matches exactly our current one. If I make steps longer I would have to slow down the movement to match the current speed and then it would look as bad as it looks now. Current animation has long steps but very slow pace. It's just unrealistic. The other two points can be easily fixed.

[New Horizon]

I actually liked the new one, it just felt more like a person to me. Not sure why everyone else thinks it looks robotic, I personally fine the current one more robotic than the new one. The new one does need a few tweaks, but in terms of natural fluidity, it feels more human to me....as it should, considering it's mo-cap.

[nbohr1more]

Taken on whole, it does look more natural.

 

(Especially from behind in the darkness, the gameplay video sells it well.)

 

I think the problem is the arm motion and the hands in particular.

 

The arm motion is more pronounced so you can see how clockwork the motion is

you'll need a little randomization to those swings.

 

The hands do not become loose as they dangle at the bottom of the swing the way they

would naturally unless the person was agitated (then they'd have fists clenched).

 

The walk looks a little more braggadocio, the inventor and nobles might do well to keep

the old walk as they aren't tough guys...

Edited May 13, 2012 by nbohr1more

[Springheel]

Unless, it doesn't matter if the speed matches exactly our current one.

 

The speed has to stay the same for gameplay purposes.

[Arcturus]

Update:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD_BRDXws74&feature=youtu.be

 

I made the steps a tiny bit longer (added one frame per step) plus some tweaking.

[nbohr1more]

Looks much better.

 

One thing that's still a little off is that the arms swing at the same rate when the AI turn to look

at something. Usually, (I believe) they'd stop or slowdown one arm during those actions.

[RPGista]

I understand the "more fluidity" argument, but i still think theres something unbalanced by the way they walk, specially when seen from the sides. They appear to be sitting on the air, both the legs and arms go a lot more foward than backwards in their cycles, and overall the mocap seems to have been taken from someone trying to be very stiff - the original one seems to make the characters slightly more focused, and they seem to have heavier grip to the floor, imo.

 

It is really nice seeing those making their way to TDM though, this is fantastic.

Edited May 15, 2012 by RPGista

[Springheel]

I agree with RPGista.

 

They still seem like they're intentionally trying to take small steps and trying to keep their arms at their sides, like they're walking on something slippery. There definitely is a fluidity to the animation since it's mocap, but the actual walk itself doesn't seem natural. It's like someone told the actor, "ok, walk forward three steps so we can record it" rather than seeming like a natural walk.

 

Compare the length of the stride and the way the arms swing in this video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq9A5FD8G5w

[Arcturus]

Bad example. The guy walks two times faster than characters in Darkmod.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBkJY86tZRE&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gH2JwOhGT0&feature=youtu.be

 

Notice how currently NPC is in half squat the whole cycle, when it should straighten legs while in the "high point".

 

Step in new animation isn't that much shorter than in the current one:

 

 

Edit: The guy on the photo should be smaller.

[Arcturus]

Also, this looks closer to our speed:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3_em686qEE&feature=relmfu

[ungoliant]

Compare the length of the stride and the way the arms swing in this video:

 

Even at proper speed, if I caught anybody walking like that in an FM, I would drop everything I was doing and go completely out of my way to drop him with a blackjack.

[Arcturus]

You wouldn't be able to catch up with him.

[Springheel]

Notice how currently NPC is in half squat the whole cycle, when it should straighten legs while in the "high point".

 

Can you post a similar side-view of your walk cycle for comparison? That would make it a lot easier to see what the issues are.

[Arcturus]

It's still a bit shaky, but I'll fix that:

 

[GameDevGoro]

I think it looks better and more natural in a way.

 

But. I have one question. Is that walk-cycle symmetric or is it different on both sides? I think I see one arm move differently from the other one.

Variation is definitely a good thing, but are all NPCs able to have the same gait without it looking weird, when it's as unique as it is?

 

For a general purpose walk it should, in my opinion, be as generic as possible. It shouldn't have any real standouts in character.

 

But of course, if it is symmetric and I'm just crazy then please ignore me.

Edited May 16, 2012 by GameDevGoro

[PPoe]

Looks great for me.. Good job!

[SiyahParsomen]

It's going better and better. Keep it up!

[Arcturus]

Thanks.

One thing that's still a little off is that the arms swing at the same rate when the AI turn to look

at something. Usually, (I believe) they'd stop or slowdown one arm during those actions.

No, I don't think so. Arms are affected when idle animations take control over the torso.

Is that walk-cycle symmetric or is it different on both sides? I think I see one arm move differently from the other one.

Variation is definitely a good thing, but are all NPCs able to have the same gait without it looking weird, when it's as unique as it is?

If you're not sure, than it can't be that bad It's not that noticeable in game. I can't copy mirrored keyframes from one bone to another because imported md5.mesh is not symmetrical.

I'll try to improve it further.

[Springheel]

I've spotted a few things from the video:

 

-- around frame 24, the body jerks a bit to the right.

 

-- from the front, the body is leaning much more to the right than to the left. You can see in the image below, the furthest it leans left is just left of center--the body and head are almost straight. When it leans right, it's much further past the center line.

[Springheel]

I think I see one arm move differently from the other one.

 

 

This is correct. I watched it a bit more and there's an asymmetry in the swinging of the arms. The image below shows each arm at its furthest back in the cycle. You can see that the right arm swings back further than the left (even though the right shoulder actually stays further forward than the left, making the difference even more noticable). Couple this with the leaning to the right and that might be a big factor in it looking a bit off.

 

I've been watching the feet as well, trying to figure out what it is that makes them look like they're walking too carefully. I have a hunch it might be that their heels stay on the floor for too long before lifting up for a new step, but I can't be sure yet.