Motion Capture
by Morrie · in General Discussion · 07/23/2007 (6:53 pm) · 11 replies
I'm using 3d max
I found this on GG.
I was wondering if this will work like a VR or Mocap machine.
http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=3850
http://www.naturalpoint.com/optitrack/
I'm looking for a cheap solution under $1000 that will save time when animated my characters movements for in game play.
I want my animations to work like the Torque Motion.
Thank you.
I found this on GG.
I was wondering if this will work like a VR or Mocap machine.
http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=3850
http://www.naturalpoint.com/optitrack/
I'm looking for a cheap solution under $1000 that will save time when animated my characters movements for in game play.
I want my animations to work like the Torque Motion.
Thank you.
#2
Actually we looked at that system at GDC this year. They were pretty much kiddie corner to the booth that we were at during the show. Obviously this intreged the hell out of me, simply because its a cheaper, lower end motion capture solution which get surprisingly clean data.
From what I was told at the show the entry system is about $6000 for about 6 or 8 cameras, the software and the suit. This gave you about a 10' x 10' space to play in. Which would be great for doing a lot of the animations you need to produce with Torque, or at the very least a decent set of animation data that you could then clean up and still save time by using.
We were actually pretty much prepared to buy the system at the show for the current project that we are working on (a serious game) however it wasn't ready at the time, so like you we have been window shopping.
@Neill
While hand animation can give you very good results it is also very time consuming and with some animation can be very difficult to perform. As such if you have a large number of animations to produce investing in a motion capture solution or motion capture data is a very good investment, regardless if you are a AAA game or an Indie title.
This is a pet peeve of mine so don't get too offended, but people need to stop associating "Indie" with garbage games, that are poorly invested, bargain basement, pieces of crap. An Indie is a games developer first and foremost, games development is a business first and foremost, as such you have to spend money if you want to make money. Sitting back and trying to use slide in the back door by cutting corners and not investing in yourself, your team and your product as you and others suggest "indies" should do is what will doom you to failure.
07/24/2007 (8:20 am)
@MorrieActually we looked at that system at GDC this year. They were pretty much kiddie corner to the booth that we were at during the show. Obviously this intreged the hell out of me, simply because its a cheaper, lower end motion capture solution which get surprisingly clean data.
From what I was told at the show the entry system is about $6000 for about 6 or 8 cameras, the software and the suit. This gave you about a 10' x 10' space to play in. Which would be great for doing a lot of the animations you need to produce with Torque, or at the very least a decent set of animation data that you could then clean up and still save time by using.
We were actually pretty much prepared to buy the system at the show for the current project that we are working on (a serious game) however it wasn't ready at the time, so like you we have been window shopping.
@Neill
While hand animation can give you very good results it is also very time consuming and with some animation can be very difficult to perform. As such if you have a large number of animations to produce investing in a motion capture solution or motion capture data is a very good investment, regardless if you are a AAA game or an Indie title.
This is a pet peeve of mine so don't get too offended, but people need to stop associating "Indie" with garbage games, that are poorly invested, bargain basement, pieces of crap. An Indie is a games developer first and foremost, games development is a business first and foremost, as such you have to spend money if you want to make money. Sitting back and trying to use slide in the back door by cutting corners and not investing in yourself, your team and your product as you and others suggest "indies" should do is what will doom you to failure.
#3
I've looked all over the internet and $6000 even sounds good. Do you remember the name of the machine or the companie?
I agree with you about the indie games statement. While we might not be we still want to put the best game we can. While I'm still an Indie I still have invested over $10,000 dollars now to me thats alot of money for some to say my game is Trash. I guess I'll have step up a notch so I can get a running demo by Christmas.
07/24/2007 (9:18 am)
@L FosterI've looked all over the internet and $6000 even sounds good. Do you remember the name of the machine or the companie?
I agree with you about the indie games statement. While we might not be we still want to put the best game we can. While I'm still an Indie I still have invested over $10,000 dollars now to me thats alot of money for some to say my game is Trash. I guess I'll have step up a notch so I can get a running demo by Christmas.
#4
Mocap suits without cameras, dunno price, gotta aks em yerself. ;)
07/24/2007 (10:08 am)
www.animazoo.com/products/gypsyGyro.htmMocap suits without cameras, dunno price, gotta aks em yerself. ;)
#5
Optitrack was the system we were looking at. The 6k prices was what their rep at GDC said that the rig that they had their would cost.
07/24/2007 (11:26 am)
@MorrieOptitrack was the system we were looking at. The 6k prices was what their rep at GDC said that the rig that they had their would cost.
#6
07/24/2007 (12:38 pm)
Mocap is about 15K. I can really only dream of mocap, because I have no steady income other than allowance (ug). In my eyes, animations are something any decent animator can fulfill.
#7
I can't afford 15k that why I'm looking around.
The one I'm talking about is seem like a good solution (Optitrack).
$5000 to $6000 should be able to afford it in about two months. The will have the it ready for Max by then. Unless some one know of a cheaper solution.
07/24/2007 (1:16 pm)
Bryce:I can't afford 15k that why I'm looking around.
The one I'm talking about is seem like a good solution (Optitrack).
$5000 to $6000 should be able to afford it in about two months. The will have the it ready for Max by then. Unless some one know of a cheaper solution.
#8
Look here...
www.e-motek.com/entertainment/stockmoves/index.html
07/24/2007 (2:10 pm)
In the case of my game I'm working on, I'm going to be purchasing some pre-made mocaps and doing the post-production by hand. (Looping, blending my own IK into them)Look here...
www.e-motek.com/entertainment/stockmoves/index.html
#9
I believe they were pursuing getting into that business so this might be old news at this point, but please be careful not to assume capability beyond the specific capabilities they promise. The camera hardware and SDK can indeed be used to provide a motion capture capability, but whether they provide such a capability out-of-the-box is a totally different question it would be a VERY good idea to answer!
Again, my familiarity with this system is 6 to 8 months old. Please check carefully for yourself. I really like the Natural Point products and the company and wish that the project we were looking into at that time had gone forward.
07/24/2007 (2:40 pm)
Be sure and check over the Natural Point website carefully. 6 Months ago, OptiTrack comprised camera hardware and an SDK. If you wanted to do more than 2D positioning (.g.: what could be provided from the output of a single camera) you had to write your own "motion capture" software. In other words, the OptiTrack SDK provides the interface for tracking "dots" on a moving object _relative to each camera_. Integrating the data from multiple cameras and position determination in 3D was left to the user. That is, you could indeed use this basic capability to write your own low cost motion capture system, but AFAIK, such a system _was not provided_. Of course, this is one of the more complicated parts. I believe they were pursuing getting into that business so this might be old news at this point, but please be careful not to assume capability beyond the specific capabilities they promise. The camera hardware and SDK can indeed be used to provide a motion capture capability, but whether they provide such a capability out-of-the-box is a totally different question it would be a VERY good idea to answer!
Again, my familiarity with this system is 6 to 8 months old. Please check carefully for yourself. I really like the Natural Point products and the company and wish that the project we were looking into at that time had gone forward.
#10
heres the link for when they release it: http://www.naturalpoint.com/optitrack/corporate/news.html
He also said it would work inside of Max in about 2 months.
07/24/2007 (3:28 pm)
I talked to them today the total cost with the suit will about $6000 and it comes with the softwareheres the link for when they release it: http://www.naturalpoint.com/optitrack/corporate/news.html
He also said it would work inside of Max in about 2 months.
#11
I've talked to animazoo before and their suits are quite costly ($30k or so if I remember right), but they have very affordable prices if you go into their studio and do the shoot.
07/24/2007 (4:34 pm)
Just go to any random mocap studio. It's honestly not that expensive. You get half a day for a couple of grand. Half a day is more than enough to get most stuff you'll ever need. If you need a lot of animation it can most certainly be cheaper than keyframing it all. I've talked to animazoo before and their suits are quite costly ($30k or so if I remember right), but they have very affordable prices if you go into their studio and do the shoot.
Torque 3D Owner Neill Silva