Animation transition between Actions

[Technodandy]

Hi All,

 

Can anyone tell me why my character model actions work properly in the action window and get corrupted in the Chor window. If I drop more then one action in my chor window they blend some how. It happens wheather I use a path or not and it does not go away when I slide the actions appart on the timeline. I have also use the model properties Blend, Add and Replace at different times with out getting predictable results.

 

Technodandy

[KenH]

I'd need to see an image of what's happening and how you have the actions lines up in the PWS but generally the ways to get actions to behave are:

 

1) Change the order of the actions in the PWS

2) Delete commonly used bones out of one action

3) Use add/blend/replace options.

[Technodandy]

I will soon be posting exercise 7 from " The Art of Animation Master", though I was not having problem with the exercise itself. It is something a little extra I added that was giving me this problem.

 

2) Delete commonly used bones out of one action

 

However, What do you mean by deleting common use Bones? I believe items 1 and 3 I tried.

 

technodandy

[KenH]

However, What do you mean by deleting common use Bones? I believe items 1 and 3 I tried.

 

For example, if you've got a chor action with a null moving the brows of a character in it. Then you have an action dragged onto the character that also moves the brow null......

 

If you want the dragged on action to move the brows and not the chor action, then deleting the brow null out of the chor action will resolve any conflict....no matter which action is above or below.

[Technodandy]

I am sorry, I can not find a manipulator for the bones in the chor action in PWS to delete.

[Technodandy]

Ken

 

Let me put this another way.

 

I have 4 actions made in an action window with to the same model.

I put the model in the chor.

I dropped each action on the model in sequence.

All but the 3rd action does what is suppose to do.

That 3rd action arms wants to go to the default arms stretch out position but the legs stay right.

A chor action is made if I do anything to the model in the chor.

Do I have to force a key frame some place or set a constraint?

 

Technodandy

[KenH]

So you've dragged that third action below action4 (or is is above action 1)? And/or set it to add? If those doesn't work, I'd need to tinker around with it myself to get it working.

[Technodandy]

So you've dragged that third action below action4 (or is is above action 1)? And/or set it to add? If those doesn't work, I'd need to tinker around with it myself to get it working.

 

Yes, the 3rd action is in its right place on the timeline in chor and I did switch Replace/Blend/Add but I put it back in Replace because Blend and Add corrupted everything down stream and sometimes upstream in chor. Also, the 3rd action I got from the A:M Library Resolute walk. I first ajusted it in the Action window for KeeKat. However I did swap it with an action I made from scratch and it still did the same thing.

 

If you need to look at it I will be able to post it later when I get home form work.

 

Technodandy

[KenH]

Yeah, I'd be interested to see it. Don't forget to embed all.

[Technodandy]

I just was reading A:M reference. I think there is some Action overloading going on that I cannot get my head around yet. When I play each Action in the Action window, it looks ok. The chor action is somehow overloading the walk cycle. The legs are ok but the arm swinging gets overloaded.

 

Technodandy

[Paul Forwood]

Drag your choreography action above the other actions in the Project Work Space and see if that gives you what you are after.

[Technodandy]

Drag your choreography action above the other actions in the Project Work Space and see if that gives you what you are after.

 

Hi Paul,

 

I just tried what you suggested.

 

Here is a snap shot of the timeline in the chor window.

 

 

This is a before picture. I moved Chor action 2 above Shortcut to Keekat action1, it did not change the results. As you can see I have kept the sequences in order.

 

May besome one can see something else I missed.

[NancyGormezano]

This is a before picture. I moved Chor action 2 above Shortcut to Keekat action1, it did not change the results. As you can see I have kept the sequences in order.

This is a little difficult to see what your problem might be (from the picture) - as none of the settings for the actions are exposed.

 

What we can see is that you have action1, followed immediately by action2, then the chor action takes over followed by 3 repeats of the resolute walk, with some transitioning to action3.

 

What we don't see is how all the actions are set up (add, blend, replace previous action), to hold last frame?, etc. What setting are you using for your chor action - from the picture it looks like it would have an influence on all of the actions.

 

It is also not clear (from the picture) which bones are being manipulated in which actions.

 

So at what point given the image you posted - do things go wrong? after the 3 repeats of the resolute walk?

[KenH]

Is the bit between the green lines where his arms goes straight? What do you want to happen there? Really, all the actions should be lined up after each other....so the red bar before the first green line needs to be extended to the other green line.

Try to keep the actions to a minimum. And try to keep the chor action for the translation of the model bone only.....ie no rig bones moved in it as the other actions are controling them.

 

Also, with so many actions, it's a good idea to name them appropriately or you'll easily end up in a mix.

[Technodandy]

What we can see is that you have action1, followed immediately by action2, then the chor action takes over followed by 3 repeats of the resolute walk, with some transitioning to action3.

 

That is right.

 

So at what point given the image you posted - do things go wrong? after the 3 repeats of the resolute walk?

First action is ok, Second action is ok, the resolute walk is ok until I add the last action. Then his arms swing out during the 3 repeats of the resolute walk.

 

What we don't see is how all the actions are set up (add, blend, replace previous action), to hold last frame?, etc. What setting are you using for your chor action - from the picture it looks like it would have an influence on all of the actions.

 

The first two hold last frame and transition to next action are off. The Resolutio walk, Hold last frame is off and transition to next action is on. The last Action, Hold last frame is on and transition to next action is off. All are set to replace preious action

 

It is also not clear (from the picture) which bones are being manipulated in which actions.

 

Some thing is making the arms go into the default arm spread out position after I and the last action.

[NancyGormezano]

The Resolutio walk, Hold last frame is off and transition to next action is on. The last Action, Hold last frame is on and transition to next action is off. All are set to replace preious action

 

Some thing is making the arms go into the default arm spread out position after I and the last action.

 

Make the resolute walk have HOLD LAST FRAME ON

[Technodandy]

Is the bit between the green lines where his arms goes straight?

 

Yes.

 

What do you want to happen there? Really, all the actions should be lined up after each other....so the red bar before the first green line needs to be extended to the other green line.

 

I want it to transition to the resolue walk. The space between the green lines KeeKat can not be seen. He is behind a object. I turned the chor action Active off during that period.

[Technodandy]

Make the resolute walk have HOLD LAST FRAME ON

 

When I do that he goes into the default standing arms out mode for the rest of the clip. I want him freeze on his last pose.

[Technodandy]

I am finding some treads on this subject. I believe we hit on this subject before earlier this year. I am remembering now some of those examples you all gave me. This is a little different but close enough to those discustions that it warrants a little review on my part. I hate it when I can't remember something and have to back track.

 

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showt...=26616&st=0

 

 

Thank you very much for your help.

 

Technodandy

[Technodandy]

Ok KenH,

 

I will post this Project file. Maybe you can seen the Problem. Nancy you too check it out.

 

I was hoping I could figure this out it must be some obvious thing I am missing.

 

Project7EM.prj

 

Technodandy

[KenH]

Strange. It's to do with the Resolute Walk arms being controlled by IK nulls while in all the other actions the arms are FK driven. So they use different bones. I find that deleting the IK arms property out of the Resolute Walk action, gets better results, but still not right.

 

I tried to turn on IK arms in the Chor action for the resolute walk bit, but it doesn't do anything either. I'd say try posting it on AM Reports.....but simplify the project first.

[Technodandy]

Strange. It's to do with the Resolute Walk arms being controlled by IK nulls while in all the other actions the arms are FK driven. So they use different bones.

 

I made a quick walk action from scratch in the put it in the same place but it still did the same thing. I have not tried to make a walk action in chor yet, so I will try that. However, I think because resolute walk was in the A:M library it was convenient use.

 

Technodandy

[Technodandy]

Did Hash change the bone stucture in the newer version of A:M so if I mix libraries I can run into incompatable objects?

[Technodandy]

Nancy and Ken,

 

What do you think about the clip, now that you got a preview before TaoA:M?

 

Technodandy

[KenH]

It's definitely something to do with mixing IK and FK actions. I tried making a (very rough) third action and it works. But then the last action doesn't blend well because it uses IK in the arms. Other than the glitches, the animation is good.

Test.zip

[NancyGormezano]

The Clip is very cute, well done -

 

and Yes I turned off IK arms in the resolute walk (deleted it) and the arms went down, and worked better.

 

More than likely nothing has changed wrt to the bone structure of Keekat - but the change with how IK switching is handled, is probably the snag.

 

I don't remember resolute walk having IK arms - (doesn't mean it didn't, I just didn't check my library copy) - did you change it?

[Technodandy]

I was just thinking, except of the resolute walk action all the other actions have a wav file and dope sheet associated with it. I am just picking a straws. Could there be some space taken up by those functions causing some hiarchy problems?

[itsjustme]

The baking of constraints that makes seamless switching between IK and FK possible may cause problems in the 2001 rig...which is what KeeKat uses. I'm sure there's a way to work around it...it's not a bug though.

[Technodandy]

Well I do not know how I did it but I got it working. The timeline looks alot more complicated then I imagined. The problem short cut to actions I had to eclips with new chor actions and add some key frames at the beginning and end of each chor action then nudge the overloaded bones into place. I did not have to remove any propertiies or constraints. It just was not as straight forward as I hoped. Instead of four actions in the timeline I have Eight for the keekat model.

 

Thanks everyone for your help.

[Technodandy]

Hi everyone,

 

I just posted the clip on TaoA:M

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showt...mp;#entry247553

 

Let me know what you think,

 

Technodandy