Getting Started With Blended Animation
by Edward Pollard · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 12/13/2004 (5:16 pm) · 5 replies
Hey guys,
I don't see a better place for a post like this, so please excuse me if I'm just stupid.
I'm looking for information on getting started with DSQ files and blended animation. Any advice or resources to that effect would be most helpful.
I don't see a better place for a post like this, so please excuse me if I'm just stupid.
I'm looking for information on getting started with DSQ files and blended animation. Any advice or resources to that effect would be most helpful.
#3
The ORC had 5 (I think) they are the LOOK, HEAD and HEADSIDE animations. They help define the position of the character while holding different weapons or looking around. Basically the way they blend is. Anything that is not directly animated by the above animations continues to play as normal. The things that are animated get animated. LOOKDE.dsq is the default look animation "The crossbow". MS is missle, SN sniper rifle, NW is no weapon.
Its simple.
Now when you export one all you do is check "Blend Sequence". You can check "cyclic seq" or "complete cycle" but they might or might not actually do anything in some cases. Thats still a mystery to me. I leave them unchecked and have no problems.
And last there would be a better place to post this. If your not using 3dsMax than none of the above will make much sense, as far as other tools go. You should probably post under the tool you are using in the public art forum if you want specifics.
Hope that helps some
Matt
12/13/2004 (6:04 pm)
The biggest thing is to make sure you can acheive every step up to the point in which you are now ready for blended animations. They are not a big mystery.The ORC had 5 (I think) they are the LOOK, HEAD and HEADSIDE animations. They help define the position of the character while holding different weapons or looking around. Basically the way they blend is. Anything that is not directly animated by the above animations continues to play as normal. The things that are animated get animated. LOOKDE.dsq is the default look animation "The crossbow". MS is missle, SN sniper rifle, NW is no weapon.
Its simple.
Now when you export one all you do is check "Blend Sequence". You can check "cyclic seq" or "complete cycle" but they might or might not actually do anything in some cases. Thats still a mystery to me. I leave them unchecked and have no problems.
And last there would be a better place to post this. If your not using 3dsMax than none of the above will make much sense, as far as other tools go. You should probably post under the tool you are using in the public art forum if you want specifics.
Hope that helps some
Matt
#4
12/14/2004 (12:26 pm)
First blend animation advice: Make sure your config file culls out all the nodes you don't want to be part of the blend. Other than that, if you already have figured out DSQ exporting, there really isn't that much that can go wrong.... :)
#5
12/14/2004 (6:35 pm)
Ed, hopefully there's some info for you in whatever DTS exporter documentation you'll use. www.garagegames.com/mg/projects/torque1/artist.php 
Torque Owner Westy