DeleD Community Edition

Daaark · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 11:59 am Post subject: Fragmotion

Anyone here using Milkshape, specifically for bone animations?
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Mr.Fletcher · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:21 pm Post subject:

Yes, me. What do you want to know?

Daaark · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:45 pm Post subject:

Just wondering about the bone animator in general. I downloaded it yesterday to check it out. I'm still not sure what to think about it. It doesn't seem to offer any features other than just saving keyframes?

Can I lock joints at a proper distance? So I can't like drag an elbow out 2 feet from the body by accident? Or does Milkshape just let you deform the skeleton in all kinds of nasty ways with no protection?

I found it difficult just to try and animate the default skeleton doing a basic wave. Because it seemed like there was no nautral way to move the elbow out without knowing if you are within the realistic limits of it's movement?

Am I supposed to save every animation out to it's own file? It seems like it was made only for files that store all their animations in one big loop?

Is it possible to animate 2 skeletons?
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Mr.Fletcher · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:25 pm Post subject:

A reason why I want DeleD to get a Bone Animator. Alas, Milkshape's layout is that simple that only minimalistic features are given.
Yes, there are no options to keep the distance of one joint to another. I'm afraid I got used to it.

Daaark · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:14 pm Post subject:

I mean animate 2 skeletons at once in one animation?

I'm not making a FPS, like everyone else seems to be making. I need to have seperate animation files for hundreds of little sequences. And I need to make things like this... it requires 2 or 3 skeletons to interact together.

(if those didn't load^, here are the links)
http://www.ringinsider.com/wrestlingmedia/photos/gifs/powerbomb3.gif
http://www.ringinsider.com/wrestlingmedia/photos/gifs/tigerdriver91.gif
http://www.ringinsider.com/wrestlingmedia/photos/gifs/3d4.gif
http://www.ringinsider.com/wrestlingmedia/photos/gifs/mist3.gif
http://www.ringinsider.com/wrestlingmedia/photos/gifs/powerbomb6.gif

I'm not sure milkshape is up to the job. Confused

Also, I'm clueless about how to go about this, but I'd like to stop putting it off.

(ugh, looks like you'll have to copy those links and paste them into a new window address bar to get them to work) Sorry.
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Mr.Fletcher · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:30 pm Post subject:

I see what you mean and no, Milkshape definitely can't do that. I wonder what other (cheap or free) programs are able for those applications.

Daaark · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:36 pm Post subject:

Mr.Fletcher · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 3:20 pm Post subject:

It's possible internally in Milkshape but when I tried it, it couldn't be displayed proberly in my game. So you should first try it out, then.
//edit
If not, create a general root joint and then connect it to the root joins of the two objects.

Daaark · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 3:43 pm Post subject:

mappy · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:18 pm Post subject:

Daaark · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:48 pm Post subject:

I typoed that. I meant I just didn't want to move them awkwardly, and not know it.

I know about Fragmotion, and some people say it's better than MS. But the author seems to be a ghost. It's been at version 0.70 forever, and the next version is always around the corner. He's seems to not post much on the forums. The program looks really cool, but I'm unsure about the author's commitment to maintaining the program. Then again, it's ~20$ cheaper for fragmotion in my local currency. Smile

I'm looking in the forums now, and the stuff people are making seems to be impressive.

Is there a default skeleton that comes with it? What exactly is IK? I used to know, but I forget.

What about my multiple skeleton problem as it relates to fragotion? I'm very interested in anything nayone has to say on this subject.
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Mr.Fletcher · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:09 pm Post subject:

Fragmotion looks good, indeed. Strangely, I never came across it yet. I'm going to give it a try next time I need something animated. Where's the limitation between the free and the purchased version?

mappy · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:12 pm Post subject:

I think Fragmo (the author nickname) works alone, and also has a full time job, but he is always replying to questions on his forum.
He recently said that the next version will maybe be for may.

There's no default skeleton that comes with the app. But building your own is really not that hard. The hardest part is attaching all the vertices to the bones and then animating the model.

IK is when ... for example you pull the hand bone and the whole arm moves, like it would in the reality if you were pulling someone's hand.
Using forward kinematics you would have to rotate each arm's bones to produce the same animation.

I will see if I can do a multiple skeleton test for you this evening, but actually I'm very tired Smile

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Daaark · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:21 pm Post subject:

mappy · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:59 pm Post subject:

I've done this simple test.
2 different cylinders, animated at the same time in a single animation, it works.

I suppose Bone and Bone1 could be considered as root bones here.
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OL.