Animation Critiques

[squill]

walk suspicious

 

a slower walk with his head going side to side like he's saying "did i hear something?".

[SneaksieDave]

To clarify from the previous page: so the homologous/same sided hip motion in the walk is the result of a technical issue (hopefully fixable?) of anims blending over each other? I don't remember it happening with the old anim, but I know zilch of animation, so maybe that was a different method. This came back up because last night I was doing a lot of AI load testing, and I was seeing the same-side walk all over the place.

[Springheel]

walk suspicious

 

Yes, that's exactly right, Squill. You nailed that one.

[PinkDot]

This is absolutely a must for anybody who seriously thinks about animation. You'll find there not only how the standard walk should look like, but also plenty of variations in limb movements and their impact on the overall look of animation. Anf it's not only about walk, of course...

I'm currently devouring that book. (but it's not only my opinion!).

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Animators-Survival...5365&sr=1-1

[squill]

To clarify from the previous page: so the homologous/same sided hip motion in the walk is the result of a technical issue (hopefully fixable?) of anims blending over each other? I don't remember it happening with the old anim, but I know zilch of animation, so maybe that was a different method. This came back up because last night I was doing a lot of AI load testing, and I was seeing the same-side walk all over the place.

 

the idle animations are overriding the spine and head channels. It's probably going to be fixed before the next release.

 

This is absolutely a must for anybody who seriously thinks about animation. You'll find there not only how the standard walk should look like, but also plenty of variations in limb movements and their impact on the overall look of animation. Anf it's not only about walk, of course...

I'm currently devouring that book. (but it's not only my opinion!).

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Animators-Survival...5365&sr=1-1

 

That's pretty much my bible Even if your not into animation it's a fun read. Richard Williams also created The Thief and the Cobbler which is a brilliantly animated feature and also mentioned in this book. It's much richer then any Disney picture and it clearly shows he's a master in animation. Another great book is The illusion of Life which is still on my wish list.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Illusion-Life-Disn...7149&sr=1-1

[PinkDot]

That's pretty much my bible

I told you, it's not only me!

 

There are some sneaking walks in that book as well. You could take a look at them, for your suspicious walk animation. I don't see any tension in the last version. I think that legs should be bent, body tilted slightly forward, hands slightly up (not loose! he's afraid of danger) and he should make a small pause (or significantly slow down) after each stride (at the moment after he puts his foot down).

I don't want to sound like an expert (which I'm not), but as you surely know, there's always something to change or improve in walk animation...

 

 

Another great book is The illusion of Life which is still on my wish list.

Do you know anything more about this book than what's on amazon's page? Is it mainly for 2D? Or maybe you have any other book to recommend for 3D animation. Can be for specific software.

[Springheel]

I don't see any tension in the last version. I think that legs should be bent, body tilted slightly forward, hands slightly up (not loose! he's afraid of danger)

 

That's what Squill did the first time, but this isn't supposed to be a "tense and ready for danger" walk. The new version is exactly right.

[squill]

There are some sneaking walks in that book as well. You could take a look at them, for your suspicious walk animation. I don't see any tension in the last version. I think that legs should be bent, body tilted slightly forward, hands slightly up (not loose! he's afraid of danger) and he should make a small pause (or significantly slow down) after each stride (at the moment after he puts his foot down).

 

a sneaky walk would have him move more carefull. That's not the intention in this motion, he's slightly alert (level 1 alert) but not afraid. It's like he could go back to a patrol any moment, lifting his shoulder like "guess it was nothing".

 

there's always something to change or improve in walk animation

 

it's a quick setup, i'm usually going back and forth between animations to look at them with a fresh eye. it's an ongoing progress. But i do export now right away so at least we've got a version in-game.

 

Do you know anything more about this book than what's on amazon's page? Is it mainly for 2D? Or maybe you have any other book to recommend for 3D animation. Can be for specific software.

 

i've held it a few times in my hand, although the animators survival provides enough to get you started. The survival kit is good for any type of animation. 3D animation uses the same animations principles whether you animate in 2D, 3D or stopmotion. So i would not recommend a 3D animation book because they usually tend to be more focused on the technical side instead of the animation progress and thoughts behind it.

 

If you do want to know about the packages and how to animate with them i'd rather search/buy some training DVD's for whatever package you want to use and first write down what kind of thing(s) you really want to learn.

[Springheel]

Hmm, don't know when this cropped up, but I only just noticed it. It seems like during the new idle pose, the front mesh of the tunic is stretched to the side.

 

[squill]

Hmm, don't know when this cropped up, but I only just noticed it. It seems like during the new idle pose, the front mesh of the tunic is stretched to the side.

 

i've looked at the current uv map and the stretching could be simply fixed by just moving the 2 uv coordinates at the bottom outwards, to give it more texture space. Also the uv's above those could also use some more space cause in a walk or when kneeling the tunic deforms much more. I didn't notice these stretches because i usually animate with textures turned off.

[Springheel]

Feel free to make whatever changes you think would be useful.

[Domarius]

If this only happens during the idle pose, and looks fine other times, wouldn't this be a rigging issue?