CompuServe Thread

#IK woman sprint upload

11 messages in this thread
#132483From: Paul Sanford [LVL5]Oct 31, 1994 7:47 PM
To all, I've uploaded a 60 frame 15fps fli. of the IK_WOMAN.3ds dropping as if into sprinter's blocks, then taking off. The file is called IKSPRINT.ZIP, around 100kb. I used IK to solve all but a few motions. It took about 1/2 hour, but it could easliy be done in half the time. To have done this w/o IK would have taken a loooong time for me, especially since I've done almost no character work.
#132511From: Yost GroupOct 31, 1994 9:27 PM
Cool! It should be merged within a day or so. Can't wait to see it. – G
#132590From: Jonas Ruikis [ADESK]Nov 1, 1994 8:18 AM
<< IK sprint..>> It there..She really comes off the blocks quick.. I like it.
#132687From: Paul Sanford [LVL5]Nov 1, 1994 2:30 PM
>> < IK sprint..> It there..She really comes off the blocks quick.. I like it. << Thanks. I used IK for everything but: 1.) The head raising up while in the blocks. Raising the head with IK made her stand up! 2.) Lifted and lowered the main dummy object at her hips a nudge to give that pre-takeoff flinch. Then I had to reposition her feet to keep them on the ground. 3.) The motion of the master dummy forward and general up and down tweaking to keep her feet & hands on the ground. The biggest problem I had was being careless when I started moving her. I was haphazardly moving fingers & palms for the positions. This made it confusing when I had to copy keys, etc. Should have just stuck with the palms until the end, then curled the fingers.
#132744From: Jonas Ruikis [ADESK]Nov 1, 1994 7:58 PM
Hi Paul, << The biggest problem I had was being careless when I started moving her. >> This was my problem too. I had to start thinking about how the main mass moved in space and time and then think about the individual pieces…When you were trying to get her head to come up, did you set a very short hierarchical chain? (ie. neck to Head) Are you using follow objects for the IK solving or Interactive mode?
#132814From: Paul Sanford [LVL5]Nov 2, 1994 2:13 AM
>> Are you using follow objects for the IK solving or Interactive mode? << Oops! I completely forgot about manipulating her by resetting the hierarchical chains. Obviously I could have limited the chain to neck and head to make her raise her head alone… I did all the IK manipulations in Interactive mode. Its such a gas to grab a finger and pull her all over the place, then grab a foot and flip her about. Its such a fun mesh to begin with, and looks great (better?) in wireframe.
#132849From: Jonas Ruikis [ADESK]Nov 2, 1994 9:09 AM
<< I did all the IK manipulations in Interactive mode. >> Understand that using IK's Interactive Mode *only* guarentees the solving regarding joint parameters at the current frame. All of the precedding frames are interpolated and not solved. If you want your animation to respect joint parameters on *each-and-every* frame, then you must use solve using follow objects. I only use interactive mode to review the solved by follow object animation and not to set key frame data.
#132897From: Paul Sanford [LVL5]Nov 2, 1994 1:17 PM
Interactive Mode vs. IK solve using follow objects: So in the Randy the walking egret tutorial, his walk is assured to follow the restrictions of his joint parameters because IK solved the motion using follow objects… whereas the flapping wings done in Interactive Mode are not guaranteed to obey joint constraints between Interactive keyframes? I thought I had RTFM, but maybe I just made some assumptions. To guarantee obeyance of joint constraints for the wings, could I set up a wing keyframe position in Interactive Mode, then exit IM and set the kinematic chain and have it solve for follow objects (following the wing or wing dummy)? Do I have to do this seperately for each keyframe, or can I have it solve for the entire animation for that k. chain once? I don't have to rely on motion created in the Keyframer, as seemed to be the case for the tutorials, do I? >> I only use interactive mode to review the solved by follow object animation and not to set key frame data. << Basically my question is _can_ key frame data be set in Interactive Mode, which can be used as a basis for follow objects?
#132901From: Jonas Ruikis [ADESK]Nov 2, 1994 1:32 PM
<< Interactive Mode vs. IK solve using follow objects: Basically my question is _can_ key frame data be set in Interactive Mode, which can be used as a basis for follow objects? >> yes you can but I haven't. When I was IKing the backflip, I had the diving board, some follow dummies which may or may not have been linked to anything and the woman. In interactive mode, I can only see the objects that are part of the chain and nothing else but I needed to see the whole scene for placement of my dummies. Also, I needed positional and velocity contro through a series of frames so Interactive would not have given me that level of control. I was able to achieve that in the Keyframer, placing the dummies and then useing Tempo for the velocity. I think I hear that you want to flap 1 bird wing in Interactive, and then have IK solve for other wings in the scene based on the follow object being the tip of the interactively solved wing. You should be able to do this if you want.
#132909From: Paul Sanford [LVL5]Nov 2, 1994 1:53 PM
>> I think I hear that you want to flap 1 bird wing in Interactive, and then have IK solve for other wings in the scene based on the follow object being the tip of the interactively solved wing. You should be able to do this if you want. << Actually, that hadn't occured to me, but that does help answer my question(s). With the wing example, I suppose it wouldn't work because you would want to mirror the motion, not copy/follow it. My concern is to use Interactive to place keyframe positions (which do follow joint constraints on the keyframes) for a wing, wingtip, whatever, then make sure IK solves the 'tweens with the constraints. Sounds like it should. I downloaded your backflip.fli, its pretty cool! I still haven't looked at your .prj files to see the movements, especially of the dummy objects. Will do that soon.
#132935From: Jonas Ruikis [ADESK]Nov 2, 1994 5:42 PM
<< I downloaded your backflip.fli, its pretty cool! I still haven't looked at your .prj files to see the movements, especially of the dummy objects. Will do that soon. >> I learned something from doing the flip. One of the lessons was to isolate the movement of a particular limb, ie. the knees for example, they had to come up nice and clean, however "how to point the toes" during the move so the diving coach would be happy was a puzzler. 🙂 I hope you like the 2 project files. Those of you who don't have R4 yet will also be able to review and compare these two project files.