fae_alba

If you're wanting to eventually use a path constraint you'll want to do it treadmill style since that is the convention path constraints anticipate you will use. But animating with real motion forward is a more traditional method and makes the body mechanics problems more realistic. In most feature animation walk "cycles" aren't used because they look like robotic repetition after the first repeat. If a character needs to walk somewhere they animate every step and show the character thinking about why they are going where they are going and appropriately starting and stopping along the way. A Hanna-Barbera cartoon uses walk cycles disguise what would otherwise be a static dialog scene. They do lots of walking and talking in "Scooby Doo" for example. But feature animation tends to avoid such contrivances. Walk cycles got used in TWO for economy's sake, but they are pretty obvious. A good use of cycles in TWO was the parade scene. Ken Heslip animated a cycle that marched forward two steps and made the beginning match the end. Then at the end of the cycle he moved the character's model bone forward the exact distance of two steps to pick up where the last cycle ended. This has the advantage of not altering the length of the cycle as it was animated; a path constraint stretches the timing to fit the distance needing to be covered. Cycles work for the parade because that's a situation where the characters really are trying to repeat their motion. The longest stretch of walk cycle animation I've seen in a Disney movie was the opening of "Robin Hood" and that was... a parade. Robert, that goes a long long way in explaining/confirming what I already suspected. So treadmill walkcycles and path constraints are not the way I will be going, since my goal is the more realistic/natural feel.

Funny you should mention that: I was contemplating changing the cycle to match the tut in the TAO:AM. So allow me to ask you this...if I continue with the walk cycle as I have started, do I need to define stride length, and does it alter how I approach path constraints etc?

I am using the lite rig That "should" be easy enough to fix... I did watch your vid(s) ( a 3 part er no less!). I haven't reviewed the R Williams section yet and will hunt it down today. Thanks for your input!

take two.... as easy it this stuff may seem...it aint! walk_sample.mov

Robert, thanks for your tips, they will be incorporated today...that rear foot sliding was the bane of my existence last night. For the life of me I couldn't get it to stop, even though I was keyframing the living hell out of the foot null to get it to stay put....

I've started tackling a basic walk cycle for Old Man Willies. I'd like the forum's more critical view of the first (actually it's about the dozenth!) pass. I can already see some areas that need tweeking, but I want your crits first. walk_sample.mov

Sounds like the much ballyhood "make dragon" button

the tricycle from the other thread! (then a piece of paper whizzing by camera with the biohazard symbol on it.) sorry. innate gloom (with a side of morbid) seeping thorugh cracks produced by insecurities stemming from a creeping suspicion this is all just one big joke meant to intimidate newbies. keeping a close eye on you. As soon as I saw this thread this morning the image that came to mind was Oscar the Grouch's garbage can on the sidewalk (with Oscar of course)...

I'm liking it. The only remark that springs to mind is that the liquid feels like it flows like mercury. Maybe its just me, but I feel like I should be calling the haz-mat team and not the waiter!

Ditto for me Mark. It takes a rare individual who can do this sort of thing and be able to bite his tongue when getting crits from so many angles. I've been in your shoes with many an IT project, and it aint fun. Thanks for your effort.....and your restraint!

A barrel of monkeys...they're full of guaranteed laughs! I've already got mine in the works. Had one or two ideas for the room set...but I', liking the possibilities of straight character animation..good practice. Let's all get with it and start telling some stories.

The easiest way I know of is in the modeling window, right click save/save as from the pop up context menu

Oh the memories! I used to work at a photo processing plant (I was one of the blokes who developed and printed your rolls of 35/110/126 film (am I dating myself or what!?) One of my jobs was running the b&w film developing machine. I remember one night a bunch of guys in suits came knocking on our door (we worked from 3pm till around 2am). Turns out they were FBI, and had security camera film that they needed developing. I spent the night in the darkroom with these guys, explaining every thing I was doing, step by step. And yes I printed a lot of pics of moms and dads doing photo ops late at night in the privacy of their own bedrooms..funny how folks will do such things behind closed doors..then blissfully send them to a commercial film processor!

The knights hand placement is off to me in the beginning...they sort of float off of the cube. Me thinks if you placed the hands on the upper corners of the cube when he begins to push it would look better.

B..it feels more natural, I think mostly because in A there is a pause after the blocks collide...

I like that idea..it has a simple eloquence to it. I've got several ideas....hmmm yet another reason to slow down the ol' movie project!

I think that there are still folks out there with hopes of creating the next big creative force in animation in their kitchens...but perhaps with the recession and what not the reality of trying to make ends meet is taking the wind out of the sails of the dreamers. I know for myself working two jobs and just barely getting by makes it tough to keep the animation projects on track.

I like the next room idea...already have some ideas swirling in the ol grey matter.

I'm In..

Awesome job! I can see that in many a Sunday Schools.

If you're doing this to scale, I'd suggest that the walls are too thick. In a well build house, the walls should be 2x6, 16 inch on center. Then figure a 1/2 inch sheeting then clapboard on the exterior, and 1/2 sheetrock on the interior walls. Interesting use of A:M. I did the same thing not to long ago to lay out a tiki bar. Used the renders to get a building permit!

man....I can't. I really really want to but I can't!

you're too kind! 47 and still getting carded when I buy beer in the store...guess I can't complain.

The word "properly" is a relative term here. The proper Z rotation for the thumb's geometry bones differs a little from model to model, depending on how the thumb is modeled. Until you get a feel for how the thumb bones should be rotated in different models, you just have to experiment. One tip though, make sure all the thumb geometry bones in a thumb have the exact same Z rotation. That may not be your problem, but it is worth repeating. Damn Homeslice, not only was your reply quick, but spot on. I'll consider your advice as a b'day present to me! Thanks!

I've been road testing the Lite rig and have run into an issue with Old Man Willie's hands. When I rotate the thumb it curls downwards but not in towards the palm like it needs to. I thought I set the thumb a bone's roll handle properly. Here's a screen grab of my issue. Any thoughts on how to get the thumb to curl like it should would be most helpful.