Difference between revisions of "Arcane University:Animation"

The Beyond Skyrim Wiki — Hosted by UESP
Jump to: navigation, search
(disciplines template)
 
(23 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
This is the main page of the Beyond Skyrim Arcane University Animation tutorials.  
+
{{Trail}}{{AUDisciplines}}
 +
'''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.
  
−
== Expectation ==
+
==Specific Tutorials==
 +
===Character and creature animations===
 +
* [[Arcane_University:Editing Animation Skeletons|Editing Animation Skeletons]]: altering skeletons to fit existing animations to a custom skinned mesh
 +
* [[Arcane University:Implementation of Custom Animations|Implementation of Custom Animations]]: implementing new creatures with wholly custom animations and behaviors
  
−
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.
+
===Static object animations===
 +
* [[AU:Exporting animated statics using ck-cmd|Exporting animated statics using ck-cmd]]: creating animated statics like doors or containers
  
−
== General Workflow ==
+
====Videos====
 +
* [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
 +
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23-JjWs_nrg Nif Animation - Kettlewitch // AToMM August 2021 (Youtube)]: creating animated statics using only NifSkope
  
−
== Asset-specific Tutorials ==
+
== General hints ==
 +
* 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.
  
−
== Tool-specific Guidelines and Links ==
+
==Information by 3D software==
 +
=== 3DS Max ===
 +
Click here for the main [[Arcane University:3DS Max for Skyrim|3DS Max]] page.
  
−
[[Category:Arcane University]]
+
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 ===
 +
Click here for the main [[Arcane University:Maya for Skyrim|Maya]] page.
 +
 
 +
=== Outfit Studio ===
 +
 
 +
Click here for the main [[Arcane University:Outfit Studio for Skyrim|Outfit Studio]] page.
 +
Rigging within Outfit Studio is documented on the page [[AU:Rigging in Outfit Studio|Rigging in Outfit Studio]].
 +
 
 +
=== Blender ===
 +
Click here for the main [[Arcane University:Blender for Skyrim|Blender]] page.
 +
Rigging Tools within Blender is documented on these pages:
 +
* [[Arcane University:Rigging with Blender  2.79|Rigging with Blender  2.79]]
 +
* [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q_mNPVJdQ5udrYYftIaeXv7V1Wk7RFoP/view Rigging Jewelry with Blender  2.79]
 +
 
 +
=== Nifskope ===
 +
Click here for the main [[Arcane University:Nifskope for Skyrim|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''
 +
 
 +
[[Category:Arcane University-Animation| ]]
 +
[[Category:Arcane University-3D Art| ]] [[Category:Arcane University-Method| ]]

Latest revision as of 02:32, 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
Retrieved from "https://wiki.beyondskyrim.org/w/index.php?title=Arcane_University:Animation&oldid=4497"