Animation- Update 30/10/2014

Task list:
Mike - Continue editing Walk Cycle, record self walk cycle for reference
Rhys - Set poses for Run Cycle, record self run cycle for reference

Problems I was having last week fixed, can finally move on with work.



Mike's Notes:
Transform set

Select:
Feet
Knee
Hands
Elbow
Waist control (big green ring)

Quick set for transform

Main controller should not move (the pole)

Move each set back to the middle of the bottom ring if character moves ahead

Auto key set on (red button in bottom corner)

File, set project. Important.

Once set go to the project folder then accept so maya makes files you need.

Shift select middle left arrow

Graph editor, 4th button down right side

Select everything then shift select bottom ring then add to shelf

Frame 104 773.142 translate X

Shift

Match up arms

Two screens

Go to panel in viewport
Tear off copy
drag image to second screen

Create camera
scale up to see everything
panel look through selected camrea
see through camera to get a fixed view of the animation




Gantt Chart is on schedule.

Character - Thug 1 - 30/10/14 - Jenna Lane

The model is pretty much complete, however it is in need of definite refinement.

The head is mainly clean, however the ear will need a complete rework and the flow going down into the torso from the front of the neck needs to be cleaned up.

 I now have the shoulder attached again but I had to have more topology going across the chest which it doesn't really need. Removing the extra loop causing the problem resulted in a triangle.

For new models the shoulder needs refinement in it's flow and how much topology it has to allow it to raise correctly.

 The hands I'm relatively happy with and been told they are clean.

[Aidan] Thug_01 100% Complete + UV

[Character] Retopology Progression

[Animation] Updated Gantt chart and references for cycles

Animation Sub-Group update 

23/10/2014

After a trial period of 2 weeks, we decided 2 weeks isn't enough time to get a polished cycle animation out so we've extended the time required to get the best possible animation to our ability.

Images for cycle references (will find and add .GIFs later)

Walk cycle references:

Run cycle references:

Task list:

Mike: Beginning of Walk Cycle, rough draft.

Rhys: Beginning of Run Cycle, rough draft.

Both cycles will need to be at a workable base so they can be polished at a later date.

Problems: 

-Maya not keeping model/rig deformation when moving off key frame (for example, T pose at start, move to later key and deform model/rig, key frame, move to frame 1 and back to test motion, model/rig resets back to frame 1 pose in later frame.)

-Maya keeping model/rig deformation when moving off key frame (for example, T pose at start, move right leg up in later key, move back to T pose, leg stays in the same position as the later key)

[General] Character Gantt Chart

Aaran Griffiths

[23/10/14]

As a group we were unaware that we needed a production plan or gantt chart as we were working with another production studio but we've now addressed that and created a team gantt chart that works in coherence with a production plan, these are both first passes however as we need to conduct a team meeting to add refinements. As we've decided that showing our personal work flow would be best appropriate, we decided that personal gantt charts could be possible to work alongside our team one and production plan to keep on top of things. Both production plan gantt charts will change more often than not as the work flow and tasks are different within this module as we're all working on retopology/animation. Here is the first pass on the team gantt chart:

*Rhys' and Mikes will be removed from these charts as they're doing their own*

[General] Character Production Plan

Aaran Griffiths
[23/10/14]

This is the first pass on a production plan that will run through the course of the project, we've been tasked with the retopology of multiple enemy characters for 'Street Fist 2' and animatics, I've created a team gantt chart that runs in correlation with this production plan. They are both subject to change throughout the duration of the project, we also decided on having individual progression charts to illustrate individual targets. As we're only retopologizing characters and animating movements for those characters, the production plan and gantt chart will be in a slightly different format. Aidan and Jenna have been given around 3 weeks to completely retopologize a character whereas Richard and myself have been given an extra 2 (5 weeks) to complete a character. Here is the plan:
Week 1&2

As we had no set tasks during the first week, our individual tasks consisted of learning how to use the quad draw tool and to add key frames with animation. We then had to look for tutorials online for the upcoming weeks.

Planned: Tutorials (Retopology)

Reality:  Tutorials (Retopology)

Week 3

With lecture tutorials and self studied tutorials viewed, we had been allocated enemies to start retopology on.

Planned:  Aidan & Jenna - half of first retopologized character, Aaran & Rich - head of first retopologised character

Reality: Aidan & Jenna - half of first retopologized character, Aaran & Rich half of the head of first retopologized character

Week 4

Aidan & Jenna - first retopologized character completed at the end of the week, Aaran & Rich - moved on to torso and arms.

Planned: Aidan & Jenna - first retopologized character completed, Aaran & Rich - moved on to torso and arms
Reality: Aidan & Jenna - first retopologized character completed, Aaran & Rich - half of head/head completion due to implications and Rich torso and arms

Week 5

Aidan & Jenna - second character started, Aaran & Rich - completion of torso and arms, move on to hands, legs and feet.

Planned: Aidan & Jenna - second character started, Aaran & Rich - completion of torso and arms, move on to hands, legs and feet

Reality: Aidan & Jenna - second character started, Aaran & Rich - 

Week 6

Aidan & Jenna - second character halfway mark, Aaran & Rich - first character completion.

Planned: Aidan & Jenna - second character halfway mark, Aaran & Rich - first character completion

Reality:*

Week 7

Aidan & Jenna - progress on second retopologized character, Aaran & Rich - started the head and torso of second character.

Planned: Aidan & Jenna - progress on second retopologized character, Aaran & Rich - started the head and torso of second character
Reality:*

Week 8

Aidan & Jenna - completion of second character, Aaran & Rich - start on hands legs and feet of second character.

Planned: Aidan & Jenna - completion of second character, Aaran & Rich - start on hands legs and feet of second character

Reality:*

Week 9&10

Aidan & Jenna - start modelling third character and finalise them at the end of week 10, Aaran & Rich - finish second model. 

Planned: 
Aidan & Jenna - start modelling third character and finalise them at the end of week 10, Aaran & Rich - finish second model

Reality:*

Week 10-15

Planned: Week 12 and 13 would mark the completion of all our characters and the following 2 would primarily focus on presentation work.

*Judging on our plan here, either the production plan or gantt chart needs to change, as it stands Aidan & Jenna will only be able to finish 3/4 characters and Rich and myself will only be able to complete 2 which is a character less than we initially planned*

Reality:*

[General] Animation Task List

Mike & Rhys
[16/10/2014]

Task List:

Mike:
Prototype Walk Animation

Rhys:
Prototype Idle Animation

If time left over:
Prototype Run Animation

[General] Updated Gantt Chart & Animation List

Mike & Rhys

[16/10/14]

All of this is available on the google drive Mike and I share.

Google Drive Link:

 https://drive.google.com/?authuser=0#folders/0Bzw4uY9BfQfZZ1dhVTdtU0Z3REE

[Character] Thug02 Progress

Aaran Griffiths
[16/10/14]

Here is my progress on the thug02 retopology for Street Fist 2. As I'm not fully competent at retopology alongside Rich, we created a team gantt chart/timeline and assigned characters to be completed by January, Aidan and Jenna have 5 characters to complete and myself and Rich have 3. I wasn't sure what was feasible in terms of timescale and getting things done. I feel that the eye circles need to be adjusted far more and certain areas at the top of the head need to be changed, I also need to make it one singular mesh. I will adjust my progression plan accordingly and make any changes when needed. For my next upload, I plan to tidy up the head to a completed level and also start/finish the torso, here some screenshots illustrating my progression on the head:

[Character] Thug01 Retopology

Aidan Cadogan
[15/10/14]

Sitting at around 3k faces all in all, hands and piercings left to do. Ears could do with a rework too.

[General] Animation Production Plan & Gantt Chart

Mike & Rhys

[15/10/14]

Production Plan

What we aim to do for production practice is to fully animate three characters over the ten weeks with the final three weeks to be spent putting them into a short animated film. The film will feature one of the protagonists of the game fighting off the two hoodlums.

Week 1-3

·         Week one to three will be spent planning what we intend to do over the course of the fifth teen weeks       using a gantt chart and this production plan

·         We intend to do research and tutorials for the first few to weeks to get the hang of animating

·         We also intend to write an animation description sheet so we can better understand how the character will be animated

Week 3-7

·         Week 3-4 will be spent animating Johnny idle, walk and run cycle

·         Week 4-5 will be spent animating the kick, punch and jump cycle

·         Week 5-7 will be spent animating two different combo attacks for Johnny

Week 7-10

·         As we don’t know how long it will take to fully animate Johnny this is just a rough guide for us to follow as we are hoping to do three within the fifth teen weeks

·         Week 7-8 will be spent animating Thug one idle, walk and grab cycle

·         Week 8-9 will be spent animating jump, kick and punch

·         Week 9-10 will be spent animating combo and weapon attack (club)

Week 9-13

·         Week 9-10 will be spent animating Thug two idle sequence

·         Week 10-11 will be spent animating walk, grab and jump cycle

·         Week 11-12 will be spent animating kick, punch and combo

·         Week 12-13 will be spent animating a weapon attack (knife or bottle)

Week 13-15

·         In the final three weeks we will be choreographing a fight sequence between Johnny and the two thugs and hopefully adding in each of the animation we have spent the term doing

·         We will then render and record into a video that will be shown in the presentation at the end of the term

[Character] Thug01 Progress

Jenna Lane

[15/10/14]

New update on character.

[Character] Thug01 Progress

Jenna Lane

[12/10/14]

Just an update of the progress of Thug01.

[Character] Thug01 Progress

Jenna Lane

[12/10/14]

This is the current state of the retopology of model Thug01 started on 09/10/2014.

I estimate at least a week until the retopology is done, at most two weeks.

[General] Character Modelling & Retopology Tutorials

Aaran Griffiths
[09/10/2014]

Our task for the first semester of 'Production Practice' was to innovate ourselves within an on going development with an indy game title called Street Fist 2. Street Fist 2 is a 2D side scroller which implements 'Streets of Rage' esque fighting, we've been tasked to either work on environment or character and have been split into two groups. We'll be modelling extra characters and working on retopology and animation that haven't been completed as part of our first assessment for 'Production Practice'.

As the initial planning and certain aspects of the game have already been done, I looked for some good character modelling and retopology tutorials that the team can attire to when 
given an asset to create. Here are the two main sources I found:

www.2d.cgmasteracademy.com

http://www.3dtotal.com/tutorial/best_of_tutorials/character/best_of_characters_01.php


www.digitaltutors.com

http://www.digitaltutors.com/tutorial/1234-Retopology-Techniques-in-Maya

We also got given a list of helpful resources from Martin (XD Games), I wrote the list down so everyone could make accounts/take a look for tutorials and reference, here's the list:

www.gdcvault.com

www.pinterest.com

www.artstation.com

www.polycount.com

www.polycountwiki.com

www.zbrushcentral.com

www.artforgames.com

www.cgsociety.com

www.pixelprospector.com

www.gamasutra.com

[General] Motionbuilder Tutorials

Mike Hunter
[09/10/14]

These are some tutorials I found to be a great help with learning Motion Builder, they teach it very well and one of the tutors giving the tutorials actually works for Ubisoft and has worked on many of their best sellers like Farcry and Watchdogs. His tutorials is mainly for motion capture clean up and retargeting, here are the links to some tutorials I found:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxHi7_pXN-k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va1Xywk6BNc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq1XTjnXlrw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b44qWatsEH4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt5FMBu_AHQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pR4CYv4H9A

[General] Animation List

Rhys Bevan
[2/10/2014]

General Animations that Mike and myself considered, if you can think of any more, get it to me and I'll add it to the list. Character specific animation lists will be coming later.

*Note that some of these animations won't be used, these are just ideas*

Animation:
Grab
Right hand punch
Left hand punch
Right leg kick
Left leg kick
Jumping
Walk cycles
Knee attack (Can combo with grab)
Knockback  (After getting hit by projectile)
Falling
Getting up
Blocking
Taking a hit
Baseball bat attack: Side swipe
Baseball bat attack: Overhead strike
Knife jab
Knife slash
Knife stab
Knife grab (Combo)
Grab attack combo (Example: Suplex)
Throwing animation (Example: Throwing weapon/barrel)
Headbutt