Switch to combat Anim

[Nisstagm]

I wanted to make anim of guard switcing his pose to combat and taking the sword from sheath, but I dont get how to force this parent constraint in MB or Maya work smooth.

There is a MB tut by Oddyty, i watched it, its all easy and clear in it. All but that parent/child part.

 

In 3dsmax there is a link controller which is pretty easy to understand.

In this case you just select sword bone, then adding link controller to it, and in link controller you point two parents (sheath bone(weight=100) and hand bone(weight=0)). Then in right time, when arm reaches and grabs sheathed sword you key weights change (sheath(weight=0) and hand(weight=100)) and sword bone is now a child of a hand bone. And its NOT JUMP to hand. Then you can animate the arm taking the sword from sheath.

 

Can someone please describe this procedure in MB and Maya in a manner like I did it for max? And what exactly (bone or something) I need to parent, and to what?

[Springheel]

A "draw" weapon animation already exists. An "attack pose" also exists already, though the origin needs to be adjusted because it currently clips into the ground. If you want to look at the already existing animations, they're called "draw" and "idle_alert".

 

you key weights change (sheath(weight=0) and hand(weight=100)) and sword bone is now a child of a hand bone.

 

Also, we want to avoid moving the sword joint around to move the weapon. We are instead going to use a dynamic attachment system that can move an attached weapon from the sword joint to the hand joint at a certain point in the animation (which may, in fact, require the current "draw" animation to be redone, I don't know).

[Nisstagm]

If you want to look at the already existing animations, they're called "draw" and "idle_alert".

Where can I find it?

Also, we want to avoid moving the sword joint around to move the weapon. We are instead going to use a dynamic attachment system that can move an attached weapon from the sword joint to the hand joint at a certain point in the animation

So if I get it right, I just need to animate hand grabbing the sword and drawing it from sheath, and TDM animation system automaticaly switch the parent in needed time?

(which may, in fact, require the current "draw" animation to be redone, I don't know).

If it need to be redone I want to try it, but I probably don't know all the rituals... Can someone who know it, post it here?

[squill]

In Maya the sword joint (or other object who controls the sword model) can be parented with a "parent contrain" to the "righthand joint".

 

First select RighHand joint (in the outliner ie) then Sword joint and go to the main (animation) menu where you select -> Contrain -> Parent. If you select the created parent contrain and look into the channel box you'll find an option named "Right Hand W0" which controls the weighting and can be keyed the same way as in Max with 1 and 0.

 

So first you can animate the part where the arm is reaching for the swort and at the point the sword has to be attached you apply the parent contrain and key the weight.

 

But i don't know if this is the way to handle right now, because i don't know what Springheel exactly means with a dynamic attachment system and not using the sword joint.

[Springheel]

The sword joint is not going to move. The object will go from being attached to the sword joint to the hand joint. Basically, just animate it as if the sword/weapon doesn't exist.

 

See: http://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?s=&am...st&p=142216

[squill]

ok.. what i'm only thinking about right know is how you control the position/rotation of the sword (pointing in the right direction) when it's being draw and holding in the hand. Is it going to point in the same direction as the joint of the right hand?

[Ishtvan]

@Squill: The sword will be attached to the right hand joint, and have some constant offset and orientation to the right hand to make it look like it's grabbed. So if the right hand is holding it, the sword will be coming straight up out of the "fist."

 

Hmm, that may be an argument for using a sword joint after all. Otherwise all transformations to the sword also have to occur on the right hand joint, which could end up looking silly if not anatomically impossible (i.e., sword spins in circle, right hand also spins in circle).

[Springheel]

Hmm, that may be an argument for using a sword joint after all. Otherwise all transformations to the sword also have to occur on the right hand joint,

 

That's a non-issue, IMO. If we want a particular kind of attack, we need an animation to go with it, and obviously we're not going to want to create attacks that are anatomically incorrect. Small issues (like the wrist not bending quite as far as it should, clipping, etc) won't even be noticed...the swords in TDS are clearly floating next to the hands, (rather than actually looking like they're grasped) and no one complained. The average player has a high tolerance for those kind of minor issues, I've noticed, especially since you're usually fighting for your life when you see them.

[squill]

yes well if the position of the sword doesn't change between the hand and it moves along the same way as the hand is animated, it should look fine & fluid i think.

[Nisstagm]

How is this system works with 2handed weapons? I've just remembered that animation process of two handed weapon in 3dsmax is quite different from animating 1handed (you need to make weapon as parent for both hands IKs).

 

Springheel,

The sword joint is not going to move. The object will go from being attached to the sword joint to the hand joint. Basically, just animate it as if the sword/weapon doesn't exist.

 

See: http://forums.thedarkmod.com/index.php?s=&am...st&p=142216

Link doesn't work, maybe I don't have access to that place. Btw, how can I find these anims ("draw" and "idle_alert") you've mentioned? I want to try to make some combat anims if my "incompatibility" with maya don't kill all free time I have now.))

[greebo]

Btw, how can I find these anims ("draw" and "idle_alert") you've mentioned? I want to try to make some combat anims if my "incompatibility" with maya don't kill all free time I have now.))

I'm not sure if I entirely understand what you want to have, but maybe this helps:

 

To check out an animation in-game, do this:

- Run The Dark Mod and load a map

- Open the console, and type testmodel tdm_ai_citywatch. This will spawn a testmodel in front of you (T-pose).

- Then, type testanim draw or testanim idle_sword, the model you spawned will perform these anims repeatedly.

 

If you like to know where the actual anims are stored in the Mod, this the folder:

darkmod\models\md5\chars\guards\citywatch for example. There are some .md5anim files in there, these are the animations as used by the game.

 

If you're looking for the .fbx files, there is the model_src repository:

https://darkmod.homelinux.com/svn/model_src/

(you'll need your SVN username and password to see it).

 

I hope this helps, if not, please feel free to ask further.

[Springheel]

How is this system works with 2handed weapons?

 

We have no plans to implement two-handed weapons at this time, however, the principle would be the same--the animation would not include the weapon (unless a dummy was needed to help create the animation in the first place).

[Domarius]

With two handed weapons, I'm pretty sure the only choice is to parent it to one hand, and just animate the other hand to catch up.

 

@Nisstagm I can explain the parent/child thing for you. Us animators need to do this to use the sword in the model as a placeholder for what the real one will look like in game.

I just did it myself, looking at the vid - I had to change to Settings \ Keyboard Configuration \ Maya, to be able to hold "X" as he said in the video, since I don't know what this key would be in the 3DS Max Layout (yet).

• Press CTRL + SHIFT + 1 to go to "Creation Layout"
  
• On the Navigator pane, look at the tree on the left and find Constraints \ shortsword_ParentConstraint1 and double click it.
  
• On the right you'll see shortsword, sword.
  
• Click in the 3D view and press CTRL + W to go to Heirachy mode. (You can press P to return to 3D view later)
  
• Find the "right hand" box (it's the node above one of those 3 pronged areas). If you can't see anything, zoom out until you can. (Click and drag the magnifying glass). You'll have to zoom right in before the text labels become visible.
  
• Now you hold X, and click and drag the "right hand" box down to where it says "sword" in the panel below. Drop it on top of the "sword" box, not the "shortsword" box.
  
• Click on the 3D view and press P to go back to perspective view and see if the sword is now near his hand.
  
• Use the movement control to position it precisely in his hand. DON'T use the rotate control - it's orientation right now represents how the in-game sword will be oriented. Only adjust the position. You can press CTRL + SHIFT + 2 to go to animation layout to make this easier.
  

Now it's stuck to his hand forever. I could explain how to animate it sticking to his hand at the right point in the animation, but I think I'll avoid complicating these instructions since it's largely useless because this sword is just a guide nowadays. You can just pretend it's not stuck there for the part of the anim before he grabs it.

 

Copied and pasted this to my notes for my "ultimate animation tutorial"