make a character stand at one place yet move

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super8mm
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make a character stand at one place yet move

Post by super8mm »

I need to find a way to freeze the feet bones to make the feet stay in one place. Something like an inverse kinetic how is that achieved in AS?

Right now my root bone is the hip bone. If I make a bone that represents the floor and link the feet to that floor bone as the root bone perhaps?
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synthsin75
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Post by synthsin75 »

Have you tried bone locking the feet bones? (it's next to the bone constraint drop-down in the select bone tool options at the top of the workspace)
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super8mm
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Post by super8mm »

Yes but the locked bones are still influenced by their parent bones.
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synthsin75
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Post by synthsin75 »

That should only happen if you move the character too far from their original position. Without seeing the actual problem, I'd probably suggest adding some extra bones off the feet and then locking these instead.
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super8mm
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Post by super8mm »

Maybe it's not working because I'm trying to fix an existing animation where Perhaps I need to clear all the key frames first then animate it again.
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super8mm
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Post by super8mm »

No good! Lock bone only prevents me from moving the bone.
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heyvern
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Post by heyvern »

If you have the character moving or walking and then stop, at that point lock the feet, continue the "in place" animation making sure not to translate the root bone too far causing the feet to move. After that if you want the character to "freely move" again, key the feet lock to off and continue.

Yes, the locked bones will move if you drag or rotate bones higher in the chain "too far". Bone locking is only an aide to the animation process. It is just "math" based on the values of the bones in the chain... it isn't "magic" or automatic and may not always give the results you expect.

Bone locking uses an algorithm to force the other bones higher up in the chain to reach a specific point. It calculates all the angles and lengths of each bone to determine how to rotate each bone to reach a specified target (the locked bone). The algorithm is never going to be perfect and will sometimes cause spinning of bones. If a locked bone is "too close" to higher up bone in the chain it would impossible to reach the target location set by the locked bone. The trick is to "tweak" the position of the root bone to avoid unwanted movement and twisting. Also adding rotation keys to other bones acting "oddly" will sometimes help.

Even high end 3D software will sometimes have issues with "gimbal lock" which is similar but more of a problem in 3D.

-vern
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synthsin75
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Post by synthsin75 »

I'd have to see an example file, because I don't understand why you'd need to lock a bone you need to move. It sounds like you don't understand some basics, but I can't guess at what the specific problem may be.

:?: :wink:
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slowtiger
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Post by slowtiger »

If my character isn't moving away from its place in the entire scene, I just un-bind the feet from any bone. This way they will stay like concrete shoes. I just have to adjust the legs a bit.
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Víctor Paredes
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Post by Víctor Paredes »

read this little thread about bone locking.
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super8mm
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SOLVED

Post by super8mm »

I found out that I can manipulate a character to bend its knees and keep its footing at the same place if I use the starting artwork with the knees already bent to a position that I would ever need in my animation.

In other words it is easier to pull up a character from a default squat than to squat down a character form a default straight standing position.
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