Difference between revisions of "Arcane University:Animation"

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This is the main page of the Beyond Skyrim Arcane University Animation tutorials.  
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{{Trail}}{{AUDisciplines}}
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'''Animation''' in Skyrim has two sub-categories: character animations, rigged to a creature or npc skeleton; and static animations, like doors and chests. Creating new creature/npc animation files is challenging, but doable. More commonly, an existing animation file is being used on a new skeleton, that has mostly the same bone count and proportions. Static animations are much simpler.
  
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== Expectation ==
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==Specific Tutorials==
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===Character and creature animations===
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* [[Arcane_University:Editing Animation Skeletons|Editing Animation Skeletons]]: altering skeletons to fit existing animations to a custom skinned mesh
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* [[Arcane University:Implementation of Custom Animations|Implementation of Custom Animations]]: implementing new creatures with wholly custom animations and behaviors
  
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An animator can make assets move the in-game engine. There are two different methods, one being Nifskope animations of bodies and the other bone-rigged (also called "skinned) animation. This work plays a vital role to implement [[3D-Art]] and is often the last step of editing a 3d-Asset before implementing it directly inside the game engine.
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===Static object animations===
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* [[AU:Exporting animated statics using ck-cmd|Exporting animated statics using ck-cmd]]: creating animated statics like doors or containers
  
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== General Workflow ==
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====Videos====
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DrN_AS28qk Animating Crash Course - Basic Static Animations in Blender (Youtube)]: creating a basic animated static in Blender, using an armature
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23-JjWs_nrg Nif Animation - Kettlewitch // AToMM August 2021 (Youtube)]: creating animated statics using only NifSkope
  
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== Asset-specific Tutorials ==
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== General hints ==
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* It is not recommended to place a lot of meshes in regions with a lot of movement, like armpits, thighs and so on as glitching (surfaces being visible where they should not) is more common to happen.
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* Keep disconnected meshes at a minimum, as it will increase the effort to rig the mesh.
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* Cover body parts that have different proportions (Argonian head, Khajit head, human head) to cut work for unique variants.
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* Prefer booleans to insert meshes to avoid complex clipping.
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* The quality assurance of your work must happen with the animations loaded. Expect that you have to go back and iterate on the movement a few times.
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* The left thigh of humans moves more than the right.
  
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== Tool-specific Guidelines and Links ==
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==Information by 3D software==
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=== 3DS Max ===
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Click here for the main [[Arcane University:3DS Max for Skyrim|3DS Max]] page.
  
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[[Category:Arcane University]]
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Here you can see a tutorial of animating a skeleton for FO4, which uses the same engine as Skyrim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-NkbrmG5po
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=== Maya ===
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Click here for the main [[Arcane University:Maya for Skyrim|Maya]] page.
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=== Outfit Studio ===
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Click here for the main [[Arcane University:Outfit Studio for Skyrim|Outfit Studio]] page.
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Rigging within Outfit Studio is documented on the page [[AU:Rigging in Outfit Studio|Rigging in Outfit Studio]].
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=== Blender ===
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Click here for the main [[Arcane University:Blender for Skyrim|Blender]] page.
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Rigging Tools within Blender is documented on these pages:
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* [[Arcane University:Rigging with Blender  2.79|Rigging with Blender  2.79]]
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* [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q_mNPVJdQ5udrYYftIaeXv7V1Wk7RFoP/view Rigging Jewelry with Blender  2.79]
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=== Nifskope ===
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Click here for the main [[Arcane University:Nifskope for Skyrim|NifSkope]] page.
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* You have to enable each of these boxes in BSDismemberSkinInstance or NiSkinInstance of every skinned mesh:
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** Partitions: ''BodyPartList''
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*** Part Flag: PF_Editor_Visible, PFStartNetBoneSet ''BSPartFlag''
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*** Body Part: SBP_32_Body ''BSDismemberBodyPartType''
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[[Category:Arcane University-Animation| ]]
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[[Category:Arcane University-3D Art| ]] [[Category:Arcane University-Method| ]]

Latest revision as of 03:32, 29 September 2022

< Arcane University
AULabel.png AU Disciplines
3D Art
Animation
Concept Art
Implementation
Level Design
Music Composition
Project Management
Sound Effects
Voice Acting
Writing

Animation in Skyrim has two sub-categories: character animations, rigged to a creature or npc skeleton; and static animations, like doors and chests. Creating new creature/npc animation files is challenging, but doable. More commonly, an existing animation file is being used on a new skeleton, that has mostly the same bone count and proportions. Static animations are much simpler.

Specific Tutorials[edit]

Character and creature animations[edit]

Static object animations[edit]

Videos[edit]

General hints[edit]

  • It is not recommended to place a lot of meshes in regions with a lot of movement, like armpits, thighs and so on as glitching (surfaces being visible where they should not) is more common to happen.
  • Keep disconnected meshes at a minimum, as it will increase the effort to rig the mesh.
  • Cover body parts that have different proportions (Argonian head, Khajit head, human head) to cut work for unique variants.
  • Prefer booleans to insert meshes to avoid complex clipping.
  • The quality assurance of your work must happen with the animations loaded. Expect that you have to go back and iterate on the movement a few times.
  • The left thigh of humans moves more than the right.

Information by 3D software[edit]

3DS Max[edit]

Click here for the main 3DS Max page.

Here you can see a tutorial of animating a skeleton for FO4, which uses the same engine as Skyrim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-NkbrmG5po

Maya[edit]

Click here for the main Maya page.

Outfit Studio[edit]

Click here for the main Outfit Studio page. Rigging within Outfit Studio is documented on the page Rigging in Outfit Studio.

Blender[edit]

Click here for the main Blender page. Rigging Tools within Blender is documented on these pages:

Nifskope[edit]

Click here for the main NifSkope page.

  • You have to enable each of these boxes in BSDismemberSkinInstance or NiSkinInstance of every skinned mesh:
    • Partitions: BodyPartList
      • Part Flag: PF_Editor_Visible, PFStartNetBoneSet BSPartFlag
      • Body Part: SBP_32_Body BSDismemberBodyPartType
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