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Animation Getting Started...
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
Animation Getting Started... // New Users
Post by redcrosse // Dec 31, 2008, 12:08pm
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redcrosse
Total Posts: 19
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What are good resources for getting familiar with creating skeletons and animations in TS? I've played around with trying to animate a "robot" model I created, but it doesn't seem to be going well :o I've scanned over the tutorials but its not clear if they apply to TS7.6 and workspace.
Does anyone have any thoughts/suggestions? |
Post by v3rd3 // Dec 31, 2008, 12:37pm
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v3rd3
Total Posts: 388
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You will likely find that the information you seek is embedded in a number of locations through the web site and forums.
If you are new to character modelling and animation check the training section and look under the older courses tab. There you will find "character design", "character animation" , "kfe animation" and "south park reloaded". These tuts are oriented toward the model side but are very helpful.
If you are familiar with the concepts demonstrated there, then search the forums for tutorials. A number of the more experienced community members have posted tutorials in a number of separate posts that help pull the "how to" together. These tuts are either annotated screenshots or short videos. I do remember seeing one somewhere showing the workspace skeleton tools. I do not remember the author. You might even find some of these tuts in the Captains Blog as part of a feature announcement.
Good hunting... feel free to ask more questions... there are a lot of ppl here that are willing to help. |
Post by TomG // Dec 31, 2008, 12:52pm
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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Actually, I would stay away from the older skeleton animations courses, simply because they use the old bones system and that was decidedly hard and unpleasant to use. Those video courses (eg Southpark, Character Animation, KFE Animation) are ones I would avoid - they do a good job of teaching the old, Model side system, but the new workspace side system is much better, easier, more reliable, simpler to learn, etc, and the courses will not really help you with that.
The new bones system is MUCH easier, by several orders of magnitude. The best guide for that is found in the manual, you'll find quite a few videos on the subject, plus quite detailed write ups and screen grabs - I know, because I wrote them ;)
Yes, the system is so simple even I could create skeletons and animate, and that is saying something!
You mention you are making a robot, and I'm not sure skeletons are the best way to do that. Bones and skeletons are primarily for objects that are organic, that distort and bend, like skin on a real skeleton. So if you mean an android, with soft skin, then they are the solution - but if you mean a hard, metal robot, then you probably don't want skeletons and bones.
Instead, simply glue things together in order, setting appropriate locations for the axis of each group, and just use regular rotate tools. This is "IK animation" and doesn't need bones at all. (So eg, glue the hand to the forearm, and set the point of rotation at the end of the forearm where the elbow would be. For the hand, set the point of rotation where the wrist is. Now take that group, and glue it to the upper arm, and set the point of rotation for this whole group at the shoulder. Now you can rotate those groups together, or separately, simply by navigating the hierarchy). The principles for this sort of animation are the same as making a cube move from point A to point B, just the understanding of recording keyframes to capture the translation, rotation and scaling changes is all that is required.
Maybe a screen grab of your robot, a peek at your animation so far, and your thoughts on what you didn't like and wanted to work different will give people a guide on what to suggest for how to move forward.
HTH!
Tom |
Post by Mr. 3d // Dec 31, 2008, 12:57pm
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Mr. 3d
Total Posts: 747
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Steinie just recently created this thread below. It has some helpul tips if you already have an idea of what's going on....
http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showthread.php?t=7193
I'll make you a diagram that shows a different approach that may help to familiarize you with the basic concept. I'll also include some threads that Tom G helped to familiarize me with tS animation. |
Post by Mr. 3d // Dec 31, 2008, 1:06pm
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Mr. 3d
Total Posts: 747
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Tom to the rescue ! I see you posted when I did !
Like Tom said....A screen grab of your robot would help.
I'll post some alternative guidance for skinned objects that may help also ! |
Post by Mr. 3d // Dec 31, 2008, 5:31pm
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Mr. 3d
Total Posts: 747
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Here's one way to get aquainted with attaching a skeleton...
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Attaching pre made BVH bones can also be fun. You'll need to resize your character (or either the bones) to make for a snug fit....
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TomG has made some Bitesize videos to help with learning trueSpace. One of them includes the basics behind animation...
http://forums1.caligari.com/trueSpace/showthread.php?t=6193 |
Post by redcrosse // Jan 1, 2009, 1:15pm
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redcrosse
Total Posts: 19
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Thanks for the head start :) |
Post by Igor K Handel // Jan 3, 2009, 11:36am
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Igor K Handel
Total Posts: 411
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I'm not very active on forums at the minute due to work pressures,working away from home etc, but as I sKimmed the new posts yours caught my eye.
As animation/character animation is my principle interest I may be able to speed up your search for help a little.
If you go to the search menu at the top of the forum page, and leave the search forums text box blank, but click advanced search. If you click on the user by user name box and type in my full name, Igor K Handel (leave the subject blank) you should find absolutely loads of threads I have been involved in, mainly regarding animation and character rigging etc. There are also links to several mini tuts on rigging I and others have made over the months.
Get through most of that lot of info and you will be well on your way.
As always there are plenty of helpful people on the forum to ask for further info. You will also see most of the main contenders/animation enthusiasts posts in the threads that search result brings up, if you follow the complete threads rather than just only my posts. These are the guy's n gals that can help you out considerably.
With a bit of luck I may be home in 3 months, and back to having time to use TS, it's been too long!
Hope that helps and happy new year to all.
IK |
Post by redcrosse // Jan 3, 2009, 12:21pm
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redcrosse
Total Posts: 19
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Thanks again, I've been working through tutorials and things...
Seems like you're better off to "union" your mesh together instead of "encapuslate 3d" Is that right? I'm getting deformation of subitems independently of the entire mesh.
P.S. Now that I'm starting to have a clue on how this is all put together, the animation tools TS brings to the table rocks :) |
Post by TomG // Jan 5, 2009, 3:49am
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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Yes, the mesh should be all one thing, and not separate meshes encapsulated together. The way it works is to move the vertices, and that requires those to be joined by edges, so only works when you have hand, arm, shoulder, torso all as one unit. If they are encapsulated, they have no geometry connecting them for the skeleton to bend and manipulate, so the joints won't look right.
BTW, booleaning together is not the recommended way to go - you should build the mesh all as one unit to start with. You are likely to get some unpleasant geometry at the seams if you build the arm and torso separately and then boolean them together.
Although older and using the Model side, the Character Modeling course shows this. Also check the Organics Modeling course. Best to start with the torso, and sweep the arm out of it, than try to glue one on :)
HTH!
Tom |
Post by RichLevy // Jan 5, 2009, 5:04am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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The instant gratification approach...
Learn to use the BVH motions and how to custom blend them. This is the most powerful part of the TS7 program. After you get down the basics with the supplied motions (Mikes Moves and the rig in the Library's) you can find additional BVH motion sources on the web or thru TrueBones.
Now something even more cool and impressive, making real-time physics simulations that react to these animated characters. No other program on the market has anything like this at the price of TS.
{edit} I love hand animating characters, by far more than the above approach, but it is a way to get up to speed in character animation that many might find more appealing than learning how to animate characters by hand...
HTH
Rich |
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