How to draw a sword in A:M?

[Kelley]

Anyone have any advice on how a character might draw a sword without it moving through the mesh of the scabbard...without having to fine-tune frame by frame?

[Dhar]

You could constraint the sword to a path. A 2 cp path would give you a straight line. And then, depending on the sophistication of your character's rig, constraint the hand to the sword.

 

I personally wouldn't use that path idea. I'd have the character unsheath the sword and then tweak the x,y,z splines in the channel editor.

[alano]

Bite the bullet and adjust it frame by frame. It really won't take that long compared to any other solution and it's important to remember that some actions simply must be tweaked on a frame by frame basis. I think this is one of them.

 

Alan

[goodguy20k]

Linear interpolation is your friend!

 

Make a keyframe with the sword in, then one with it out, and set the interpolation (selecting the keys in the time line and then RIGHT clicking within the yellow box, selecting Interpolation->Linear.). Before and after those keyframes, you can use different interpolation methods. Should work nicely for what you want.

[Kelley]

Aha! Three very plausible solutions. The Channel Editor is a bit over my head at the moment, but I'll noodge these about and see what I can make happen. Thanks.

[Sacman]

Okay,

 

First press 'A' to add a spline

 

Then click on the screen to add the first CP.....

 

Just kidding

 

How to Draw a Sword....get it?

 

Wade

[ypoissant]

Another way to view the solution is to consider moving (that would mainly be rotating) the scabbag so it stays in line with the sword. This way you can get a natural motion of the sword pull with the hand. The scabbag staying immobile wouldn't look natural anyway.I would consider using an orient-like constraint on the scabbag so it stays aligned with the sword. Then, all you need is to align the scabbag pivot point with the sword.

[Kelley]

While mulling over which of the advisos to tackle first, I had the following epiphany: combine the sword and scabbard into one model, install a bone in each and make an action. Since both are curved, a straight pull won't work. I made a 5-frame action in wireframe so I could watch the blade move within the scabbard [and many screen snapshots] then, as a second version, expanded it to 11-frames in the timeline.

 

The 11-frame version is attached below. [tho' it will get better lighting.]

STREET_TEST_02_final_qual..zip