Question about more Animations

[Madox58]

As I've been playing with animations for SH3 I decided it was a slow process to create them.
So I started looking for a faster way to do this.
Motion capture is great but there's very few out there that actually can be used in Game.
(unless you want a dock with dancers, karate moves, etc.)
So I tracked down a few free programs that allow the creation/editing of .bvh files!
My reasoning is,
if one can work with stick men, and create the type moves or such that one wants?
Those that can import that into several programs could create a Library of new animations
for SH3!
Here is an example of how this could work.
Say Sailor Steve wants guys running from an explosion on deck.
He uses one of the programs to edit/create a new .bvh file by playing with a Stick man.
He's done the animation work!
He uploads the .bvh file, I download it and convert it to 3d Max .bip format.
I load the base model and the new .bip?
Wham, bam, Thank You Mam!
Animation is done and ready for import to a dat file!
I upload the .obj files and someone else grabs them and uses S3D to import and do the final timing
so it look right in Game.
That Someone releases the newer Community Animations .dat file.
All modders can now add the new animations as they see fit.
Does this thought interest anyone?

[Sailor Steve]

Having guys walking around the decks of the merchants as in SH4? Sounds great to me, though I'm not sure my computer could handle it.

Still, it amazes me what is being done with a game that was supposedly 'worked out' five years ago. :rock:

[brett25]

i think this idea has enormous potential:yeah: A simple fun way to start could be to tweak the already existing animations of the officers and crew that have animations? Perhaps Gerhard could revolve around and mess with the telegraph for example. Navigator could move like hes actually plotting a course, etc, etc

[Jankowski]

so you could program people rnning from an explosion?? WOW!!

now the next step is to include ragdoll physics! (only joking, but would be cool if you could:)

good luck, pity i dont havea any expierience like the rest of you all....

[Madox58]

Well,
I'm talking about simple animated figures.
Like the Life Boat animations or dock peeps.
Not the Crew animations yet.
(Although they can be done the same way to some extent)

Adding crew running from explosions, jumping overboard and such,
is fairly simple yes.

Doing all the different animations is a time eater!
That's why I asked if there's interest in a way to allow nearly anyone
to create simple animations useing Stick Men.

The programs are free, not hard to learn, and no 3D tools are needed.
You create the motions,
others import them into 3D programs and create the final obj files.
Then others could do the final import to dats for inclusion to SH3.

So Sailor Steve does a Stick Man playing Craps.
Sends the file up.
I grab it and do the needed objs for animation import.
I send it up.
Aces looks at it and says 'That would be great in the Bunkers mod!'
He grabs the files and now we have guys
shooting Craps in a corner somewhere!
:har:

Or people takeing wounded on stretchers off to a waiting ambulance.
The sky is the only limit on what could be done.

[iambecomelife]

I'm interested. A few simple animations would really add a lot to the game, especially to give the ships a greater sense of "life".

For my WWI mod I would love to have a man hoisting the British flag as a Q-ship opens fire.

I wonder if we will be able to have these animations triggered by certain states - for example, no panic motions unless ship is under attack, no sailors loading cargo during combat, etc.

Anyway, let me know what exactly needs to be done and I will give it a shot.

[brett25]

me too. if you can hook me up with the software, I don't mind making some .bip (or whatever the particular motion file format is) files for others to use in the production chain you have outlined above

[Madox58]

Here's a link to BVHacker.
http://www.bvhacker.com/
It's a free program to edit/create .bvh files.
As you will see, you edit a StickMan to create animations.

A good source of .bvh files can be found here:
http://sites.google.com/a/cgspeed.com/cgspeed/motion-capture
along with alot of information.

One could also create .bvh animations and join a site to sell them.
(Incase anyone needs some extra cash or incentive.)
:03:

[Madox58]

I'm interested. A few simple animations would really add a lot to the game, especially to give the ships a greater sense of "life".

For my WWI mod I would love to have a man hoisting the British flag as a Q-ship opens fire.

I wonder if we will be able to have these animations triggered by certain states - for example, no panic motions unless ship is under attack, no sailors loading cargo during combat, etc.

Anyway, let me know what exactly needs to be done and I will give it a shot.

Many fear the animations side of things so no major attempt has been
made to do much with them.

But there are keys to look at.
Gun crews move only when guns are raised or lowered.
So there is a key to look into.
Fireing animations through zones, particle effects, etc.
Also areas never tried to any extent.

You can also blend Mesh animations with Keyframe animations.
It all seems daunting, but so did making playable surface ships at one time.