Moving bones at different times
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bradhammer
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Moving bones at different times
I was just trying to make my character do a walk cycle. I start off moving one leg up at frame 6 and then back down at frame 12. Then I go to the other leg and move it up at frame 18 and down at frame 24. Then when I play it back both of the legs start moving at the same time, but I want the second leg to move after the first leg is done with its animation. How do I do that?
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synthsin75
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bradhammer
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synthsin75
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If this is the case, you'd want to copy the frame zero 'selected bone' channel keyframe to frame 12.but I want the second leg to move after the first leg is done with its animation.
I don't know what kind of walk cycle you're working on, but I'd be more apt to start the second leg at frame 9, so that it passes the first leg halfway up.
You should put each keyframe on the last frame of the "hold".
The keyframe will then designate the end of the hold - defined by its position at frame 0, and the same position, keyed again, where you choose. The frames between are a hold, where the leg stays in that position.
The keyframe also now designates the start of the movement, in this case a leg raise. The leg does not start that movement until designated. The problem you have been facing is that both legs have started the movement at frame 0. So between the first keyframe of the move (at frame 0, or wherever you define the last key of the hold) and the key you placed with the leg "up" position, the software will extrapolate the movement between for you.
You might find it a bit fiddly to fix at this stage. You could approach it one of two ways.
Either start over, with a clean timeline
Or, and this is not really a big deal, and might help you get your head around what's going on, select all the leg bones you've been keying, copy their rotation at frame 0, and paste that where you want the hold to end.
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For example, and please bear in mind this is just for example, there is no single "right" way to key a walk cycle, but this will address your float issue:
The first leg you described is sweet, as you only need the hold on frame 0, and the movement starts immediately. So leave that as is.
The second leg, you need the hold to end around frame 12 (let's say).
So you could copy the leg bone positions (rotation I'd imagine) from frame 0 and paste it to frame 12.
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This might be fiddly, might not work for you the way you'd like it to first try, but the process of trial and error, making mistakes and then fixing them in a invaluable part of learning this stuff, so go for it.
One of the reasons computer software keyframe animation can be a bit confusing is that it's automating a lot of what used to be frame-by-frame animation. I'd recommend looking into frame-by-frame animation a bit, there are a lot of books and web resources on it. You don't have to sit and do every bouncing ball animation exercise if you don't want to, but definately read about it, it gets you thinking in the right headspace.
Good luck and above all enjoy!
I swear at my computer as much as anyone, but animation is hands down one of the most rewarding things to be doing IMHO
The keyframe will then designate the end of the hold - defined by its position at frame 0, and the same position, keyed again, where you choose. The frames between are a hold, where the leg stays in that position.
The keyframe also now designates the start of the movement, in this case a leg raise. The leg does not start that movement until designated. The problem you have been facing is that both legs have started the movement at frame 0. So between the first keyframe of the move (at frame 0, or wherever you define the last key of the hold) and the key you placed with the leg "up" position, the software will extrapolate the movement between for you.
You might find it a bit fiddly to fix at this stage. You could approach it one of two ways.
Either start over, with a clean timeline
Or, and this is not really a big deal, and might help you get your head around what's going on, select all the leg bones you've been keying, copy their rotation at frame 0, and paste that where you want the hold to end.
------------------------
For example, and please bear in mind this is just for example, there is no single "right" way to key a walk cycle, but this will address your float issue:
The first leg you described is sweet, as you only need the hold on frame 0, and the movement starts immediately. So leave that as is.
The second leg, you need the hold to end around frame 12 (let's say).
So you could copy the leg bone positions (rotation I'd imagine) from frame 0 and paste it to frame 12.
--------------
This might be fiddly, might not work for you the way you'd like it to first try, but the process of trial and error, making mistakes and then fixing them in a invaluable part of learning this stuff, so go for it.
One of the reasons computer software keyframe animation can be a bit confusing is that it's automating a lot of what used to be frame-by-frame animation. I'd recommend looking into frame-by-frame animation a bit, there are a lot of books and web resources on it. You don't have to sit and do every bouncing ball animation exercise if you don't want to, but definately read about it, it gets you thinking in the right headspace.
Good luck and above all enjoy!
I swear at my computer as much as anyone, but animation is hands down one of the most rewarding things to be doing IMHO
Whoops, sorry, synthsin75 has you on the right track. Please excuse my overlong reply 
Most basic animation books or web resources will have an explanation of a walk cycle and how-to in terms of frame by frame. (The Animators Workbook etc) library, web, whatever.
synthsin75 is right about overlapping the motion of the two legs etc.
Most basic animation books or web resources will have an explanation of a walk cycle and how-to in terms of frame by frame. (The Animators Workbook etc) library, web, whatever.
synthsin75 is right about overlapping the motion of the two legs etc.
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bradhammer
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 8:24 pm
http://www.awn.com/tooninstitute/lesson ... on.htm#top
Check this out
It has the basic tutes I was talking about.
Might seem at first glance like a waste of your time,
but it's not. Give it a go, because the basic ideas you
pick up in these simple exercises will come to bear
in everything you do.
Check this out
It has the basic tutes I was talking about.
Might seem at first glance like a waste of your time,
but it's not. Give it a go, because the basic ideas you
pick up in these simple exercises will come to bear
in everything you do.