Moho Forum

I would like to duplicate the walk cycle, used in South Park in Anime Studio Pro. The Ars Technica, July 1, 1999 Dr. Evil interview, http://www.spscriptorium.com/SPinfo/Mak ... thPark.htm, discusses making the characters to move in a very jerky, "amateur production" style as follows (which I don't understand):

It's animated on 2's and at 24 frames per second (with a process called a 3-2 pulldown to transfer the rendered images to 30 fps video).

The curves used to define the movement of objects are applied on every other frame instead of on every frame.

They use a "stepped" curve type instead of a smooth algorithm like spline or Bezier, that literally looks like a series of steps, the motion looks jerky because the key values from frame to frame jump from one discrete value to another with no interpolation.

Well you want to avoid smooth keys.
But simply changing your keys to linear isn't going to cut it.

Saying that the values jump from one key to the other
is just a long-winded way of saying that there's no inbetweens
generated by the software.

So it's basically the most simple type of keying,
which ironically can be fiddly to get out of animation software.
It becomes like stop motion, you want all keys, no tweens.

I'd tackle it by blocking out the walk cycle keyframes,
getting those how I want them, then get in and duplicate keys
so it's running on "2s", which means frames 1 and 2 are the same,
3 and 4 same, and so on.

Couldn't you just set all those key's interpolation to "step" instead?

It absolutely cracks me up that there needs to be some technical explanation for "step" interpolated key frames of "South Park" walk cycles. I just find this very funny.

-vern

Vern,

It is funny looked at a certain way... but then again, perhaps not given that smooth animation is not necessary the be-all end-all of techniques. Perhaps another, less humorous, way of looking at it is that computer animation often takes it for granted (and automates) things which we may not necessary want done.

In any case, for the original poster ST is right -- just set all your keys to step and you don't have to worry about any duplication of the keys in the timeline. As it moves from key to key the motion will indeed be herkey-jerkey.

vern: Yes, it's funny. And it supports my theory that the default settings of any program must be chosen with care, because 90% of all users will never bother to change them. Proof: all the videos with that ever-so-slow-flowing animation because all the programs inbetween automatically.

I almost thought their answer to that question in the article was possibly "tongue in cheek" or kind of a joke. Over explaining something simple in the same way as using high end 3D software to create construction paper cut out animation. Most of the answer regarding 24fpx and 2/3 pull down has NOTHING to do with STEP KEYS at all. Any animation done on computer at 24 fps that goes to video will need that, whether it's south park or a realistic rendered effect from a sci-fi show.

The only mention that addressed the "jerkiness" was at the end with the explanation of what a "step" or "hold" key frame interpolation is. The 2/3 pull down might add some "blur" to the jerkiness possibly to smooth it out and make it look more "real". I suppose animating on 2's would REQURE 24fps? Can you animate on 2's on the computer at 30fps? Obviously 4's would be tricky.

-vern

Fortunately (or not) you can have it whatever way you want now. On 1's, 2's, 3's or whatever, or mix them all up.

slowtiger wrote:Fortunately (or not) you can have it whatever way you want now. On 1's, 2's, 3's or whatever, or mix them all up.

What exactly does "animating on (x)" mean?

TheChewanater wrote:

slowtiger wrote:Fortunately (or not) you can have it whatever way you want now. On 1's, 2's, 3's or whatever, or mix them all up.

What exactly does "animating on (x)" mean?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditiona ... on_twos.22
-G

slowtiger wrote:Couldn't you just set all those key's interpolation to "step" instead?

Cool, I wasn't sure if that would do it.
Good to know. Thanks

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