Help with animation

[Pim]

I created a character that I want to animate.
The easiest, I think, is using the Character Object.
So I added a Character Object, Adjust and Bind.

Then I weighted using the Weight Manager and the Weigth Tool.

Question:

• Weighting was not that easy, I could not select / deselect the correct polygons.
  Could it be that my mesh is not good enough, incorrect polygons or too large polygons?

• What is now the best way to animate?
  I see there are only User Data Controls for the Legs, but not for the other components like the Arms and the Head?

• I added a CMotion Object
  But I could not make the arms move in sync with the legs?

• Looking at the knee, it is a bit jumpy, not smooth?

Hope you can help me and correct / explain things.

Regards,
Pim

cineverisity.c4d

PS I hope the upload of the c4d scene is ok, It gave me an error. The file is only 1.262 KB

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi Pim,

I would encourage you to go through the series from Joe about rigging
https://youtu.be/rN_5weIhiMY?feature=shared

Even the Character Object allows for a short setup time; you seemed to want to know more. This series gives you the base for that.

Here are some short answers to your questions before I get the file:
The mesh should not be too dense. What is dense? If the Subdivision Object shows no significant effect, that would indicate that it is too dense.

There are several ideas on how to weigh; going by the most pro-based training we have, the idea is to start with the pelvis and weigh that to 100% for the whole mesh, then move up or down in the hierarchy and refine the resulting motion based on weighting the next join in the hierarchy. Others like to use the automatic way and fix problems only. There is no right or wrong way, just what works best for you. In other words, try both methods and use what feels best for a given object.

I can't open the file, but arms are typically easily synced with CMotion. The initial learning curve is a bit abstract if one has not watched this series below.
https://www.cineversity.com/vidplaytut/cmotion_overview_part_01
This is the best training available about CMotion, from an Oscar-winning artist.

Yes, 1MB is typically the max.
Typically, for exchange, most people use Dropbox, Wetransfer, Google, Adobe, or Apple cloud services, which would be nice so you can share the file. (for security reasons, I do not touch anything else, cloud storage-wise.)

The Character Object provides controllers; these are there to animate. But leave the CMotion for now and get comfortable with the rig itself. CMotion does not allow for individual temporary expressions, so it is limited. Use Motion capture Data and the Animation/Motion System when you get more comfortable.

One request: since we try to keep the forum readable, can we focus on one problem per thread to keep it readable for anyone?

All the best

[Pim]

@Dr-Sassi Thanks for the tips on the tutorials.
I will start again with an Advanced Biped and not with a Biped.

But hopefully you can have a look at my scene file and give me some tips on what I do wrong.

I downsized my scene file to below 1 Mb and I can upload it.

cineverisity.c4d

Regards,
Pim

[Dr. Sassi]

Thanks for the file, Pim.

I have added a little bit to the arms so they move. Click the "Push (P.Z)" to see the parameter and adjustment options.

CV4_2024_drs_24_CAal_01.c4d

The Controllers (the splines along the joints) can be clicked and then changed; they are typically rotated in most cases, but some make sense to be moved. If trhe splines are in Primitive mode, the Attribute Manager allows to adjust the radius.

Those were hidden inside the character. They need to be scaled while in Point mode to have them available for proper use; I also did this for you.

The Weighting needs more work.

Every single point must have 100%, not less, not more, not even 0.1%, nor less, just 100.00%; if it is more, the points will move faster; if less, the points will stay behind.
I have encouraged each tutorial series/show to stress that point, but obviously, it was forgotten to explain the why during those shows, so it is just mentioned 100%.
It is good practice to have a low amount of joints working on one point; most artists will tell you not more than four. Some export formats do not support even more than that.

Weighting: the character is ideally in a T-Pose, which means the arms are lined like the top line of the T., which helps to prevent problems and is one standard to model and rig characters. Some use an A pose, but that is less in use.

Please note that the Subdivision Surface needs to be OFF to see the Weighting.

All the best

[Dr. Sassi]

P.S.: here is a quick screencapture (60 sec) how to animate.

https://stcineversityprod02.blob.core.windows.net/$web/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2024_Clips_DRS/20240121_CA_alien.mp4

[Pim]

@Dr-Sassi Great, thanks for the tips!
I studied your scene file and the tutorials and for me it is now working!
I did the Build again - and used Ik instead of Fk for the arms - and improves the weighting, continually looking at the details. I had to redo it about 5 times, but that give me experience in weighting.
I also used your tip to increase the size of the controllers.

Here my updated scene file.
v2 04.c4d

A last question, how difficult is it to make your walk cycle.
So not using CMotion?

Regards,
Pim

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi Pim,

You made significant progress, and only five setups to get there sound like speed-learning.

I thought to say just to create a cylinder and animate it as a leg with a few joints, as that helps to focus on a minimum requirement and be fast to re-weight, without the pressure or a whole character. But you don't need that anymore.

Character Animation is acting. Acting is observation first. Observation is often done with reference material. You can even take a video of yourself walking and then analyze it.

To make a walk cycle, typically, one would move the character and the feet, swing the arms, and perhaps move the head slightly. After a while, it does not feel right. There is more to it. Here is the part where you, as an artist, find your walk-cycle voice. Putting that little bit of extra motion here and there makes it look more authentic.
So, how does that work for an alien? We indeed have no reference for that. The walk tells a story; since you produce for humans, use whatever expresses it.

Or, you toss all of that out of the window, use the C-Motion as a reference, and after the first complete step cycle, you set the keyframe information to Repeat after in the Timeline> Function. … I have the feeling you want more than that. It doesn't feel right!?

Now, you have the technical and the artistic corner points defined as the bandwidth of your expression. Where will you go with it?

As I write it here for nearly two decades, you can only simulate what was understood before. Watch people and how they move differently, and yes, "we know that," but what makes the difference?

All the best

[Pim]

Great words, thank you!

One question about the screencapture.
I guess you remodeled the alien, because with my model the arms are very difficult to animate.
Your animation is very smooth with the arms.

Can I have a look at the model?

Regards,
Pim

[Dr. Sassi]

Hi Pim,

Of course, you can have your model. I used to move the arms into a T-Pose.
CV4_2024_drs_24_CArm_01.c4d

Typically, I would set more edges around the elbow, but that would also be an art directional step, which I avoid as it changes the expression.

My tip is to go to the Asset Browser and explore the tagged characters of the library. It is perhaps the fastest way to see what works and how to find your way.

All the best

[Pim]

Ok, thanks for all the support.

[Dr. Sassi]

You're very welcome, Pim; thanks for your interest and patience.

I used the Character Object to Weigh it - automatically, which needs a little more care in this case. Hence, I shared only the Geometry.

If you have any other questions, please open a new Forum thread.
I'm happy to look into it.

Enjoy