Animation export/exchange list

[squill]

I've created an export list with animations which need to be exchanged and exported between the citywatch and the builder guard/priest. Let me know if something is missing.

 

I finished setting up the animation rig for the builder guard. Next up is the priest. Although the priest is present in-game, the rig(mesh and joints) is missing in model_src. Does anyone know where this rig is?

 

Idle:

idle

idle02

cough

armsniff

armwipe

idle_lookleft

drunk

scuff

stretch

torch

lookaround

itch

 

Movement:

walk

walk_torch

walk_blind

walk_alert

walk_cautious_ready

walk_suspicious

run

run_torch

search

 

Combat:

draw

combat_attack_left

combat_attack_right

combat_attack_overhead

combat_attack_thrust

combat_parry_left

combat_parry_right

combat_parry_overhead

combat_parry_thrust

combat_idle_sword

throw

bow_fire

 

pain

pain_head

pain_right_arm

pain_left_arm

pain_chest

pain_waist

failedKO2

death1

death2

 

Misc:

warm_hands

sit_down

get_up

kneel_down

cower

surprise1

surprise2

 

Head:

nod_head

shake_head

[Springheel]

I finished setting up the animation rig for the builder guard. Next up is the priest. Although the priest is present in-game, the rig(mesh and joints) is missing in model_src. Does anyone know where this rig is?

 

I could be getting confused about the definition of "animation rig" again, but why is it necessary for all characters to have their own animation rig? The only purpose of that is to help the animators while they're plotting animations, right? But since we're sharing the same animations from one AI to the next, don't we really just need one? I mean, I could see how it would be useful to have a unique animation rig for each character so we could individually tweak all the animations so they're perfect, but that isn't likely to happen, timewise.

 

As far as the animations, I think all the existing ones should be exported. We may decide to not use some of them on individual characters (I'm not sure a builder priest needs a bow_fire, for example) but you never know what mappers may do in the future with alternate skins, etc.

[squill]

I could be getting confused about the definition of "animation rig" again, but why is it necessary for all characters to have their own animation rig? The only purpose of that is to help the animators while they're plotting animations, right? But since we're sharing the same animations from one AI to the next, don't we really just need one? I mean, I could see how it would be useful to have a unique animation rig for each character so we could individually tweak all the animations so they're perfect, but that isn't likely to happen, timewise.

 

in an ideal setup you only create one rig which you use to export the mesh and animations. But since this is not the case and animations are made on different animation rigs it's a small task for me to create the extra rigs. I don't see myself creating an extra rig for every single character but for this next release i can do it for just these 2 builder characters.

 

Also the differences between some animations (for example the walk) on the citywatch and builder guard is fairly big that i need to create the extra rig to be able to make the adjustments easy and fast.

[Springheel]

Is it okay then if I make some adjustments to the builder guard md5mesh? Specifically the head shadowmesh needs to be removed, and there is some tweaking needed to the wrists.

[squill]

Is it okay then if I make some adjustments to the builder guard md5mesh? Specifically the head shadowmesh needs to be removed, and there is some tweaking needed to the wrists.

 

sure, i don't see any problems. I'm not the touching the mesh. Also a question since you now mention these changes, a while ago you pointed towards the stretched tunic on the city watch. I fixed the uvmap in citywatchmesh.mb but the current tunic texture in maya point towards md5\chars\guards\citywatch\cityguard_cloth.tga

 

Although cityguard_cloth.tga is not on svn, cityguard_armor.tga is which seems to me the right texture. But when i export the mesh the model in-game is partly missing textures. So how do you setup these materials?

[Springheel]

Actually, I'm just finishing a whole series of changes to the citywatch md5mesh, so the version in the models_src isn't accurate anymore. Can you give me a screenshot of what you did the the uvmap? I'll replicate it here before uploading the new version.

[squill]

i moved the four points slightly outwards. You'll probably still have some minimal distortion going on in the middle part of the tunic but it should look better then before.

[Springheel]

Ok, I fixed that and it looks pretty good. I've noticed a problem on the back, however. It looks like there is a bit of the leg mesh poking through the tunic:

 

 

 

It happens during the idle animation, where the right leg rotates clockwise slightly--part of the right side of the tunic is drawn into the buttocks at this point.

[greebo]

@Squill: I checked out the newly exported animations for the builder guard and updated the AI def files accordingly. The idle animations work fine, but I noticed that the walk_suspicious and walk_cautious_ready animations don't translate the origin, hence the AI is walking on the spot. You might already know that, but I thought I'd post it here to make sure.

 

Thanks so far for your animation work, we really depend on you on that!

[squill]

@Squill: I checked out the newly exported animations for the builder guard and updated the AI def files accordingly. The idle animations work fine, but I noticed that the walk_suspicious and walk_cautious_ready animations don't translate the origin, hence the AI is walking on the spot. You might already know that, but I thought I'd post it here to make sure.

 

Thanks so far for your animation work, we really depend on you on that!

 

thanks I've synched the same animations for the priest, although i'm having some problem replacing the idle(idle & idle_02) animations. Some how idle_02 won't export and when i force to export it shows the old idle animation (idle1) instead. Those walks are already added with the moving root joint.

 

@springheel, you can expect more of these clipping/stretching issues with the priest

[Springheel]

@springheel, you can expect more of these clipping/stretching issues with the priest

 

That's ok, it's become a relatively easy fix now that I know what I'm doing.

[squill]

i've added a new walk and run animation for the builder guard because previous run/walk animations, which i created in motionbuilder, did not match the guard very well causing him to walk on his toes which is hard to fix with all of those baked keys on the joints and it's too much of a hassle to go back and forth between MB and maya to make adjustments. This walk/run matches better and brings the advantage of being able to share these quickly between other characters.

 

Also these new walk and run cycles (although first pass) fit the priest/guard better because the walk looks more casual and less macho then the existing walk of the citywatch so it can also be used on other characters. I replaced the run of the citywatch with the new run because it feels more natural then the previous one which has a more cartoony feel to it and i didn't liked the way it moved anyway.

 

next up are exporting the other idle/misc animations with are made in motionbuilder or with the other animation rig in Maya. I've found some of those are already exported, but then again most of the feet don't have to same idle positions.

 

I'll sync the priest and guard rigs to svn together with a new folder which contains the animations clips that i've created to share animations.

[squill]

there are some issues with the head of the builder guard. I looked at the walk using the walk_ik map and i noticed the head is almost hidden inside his collar. This probably caused by the idle animations that are still overriding the upper body parts when using the walk.

[greebo]

Hm. The idle animations work fine for the citywatch - why would it cause problems on the builder guard?

[squill]

This was mentioned before and i think should be looked at, the idle animations are overriding the torso and head channels when a character is walking or standing.

 

I'm not pointing at the idle animations which are sometimes played on the upper body, which is fine. But even if a character is just walking it's still using keyframes from the default idle anim while it should use the keyframes from the walk. Some members already pointed towards the walk of the city watch looking odd but that's because the upper body(the arms are not effected) is not playing the proper movements.

 

you said before the idle code is pretty confuscated

But it would be nice to see the animations being played properly.

[Springheel]

The idle animation shouldn't cause the head to sink into the torso. It's possible that changing the rig to that of the citywatch moved the position of the neck and head joints, however, making the offset values in the builder_guard.def file inaccurate.

[greebo]

But even if a character is just walking it's still using keyframes from the default idle anim while it should use the keyframes from the walk.

Ah, I think I understand what you mean. I'll try to look into it - can't make any promises but I think I have an idea what to watch out for.

[greebo]

Ok, I'm not that sure whether I understand the problem. This is what I'm seeing when I put a patrolling citywatch in a map:

 

http://208.49.149.118/TheDarkMod/Videos/walk1.mpg (~4.5 MB)

 

Squill, how do you see whether it's using keyframes from the walk or the idle animcycle? I checked against the "testanim walk" animation and it looks pretty much the same.

[squill]

Squill, how do you see whether it's using keyframes from the walk or the idle animcycle? I checked against the "testanim walk" animation and it looks pretty much the same.

 

if you watch his chest and head carefully it rotates(horizontal) in the same manner as the hips. If you load up the city watch with "testmodel" you'll see i counter animated those parts and the head and chest have minimal rotation.

 

example

walk

 

The same happens in idle when another idle is being played on top.

[greebo]

Ok, I'll try to look more closely then and fix the issue.