Difference between revisions of "Arcane University:Animation"

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{{Trail}}
 
{{Trail}}
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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.
  
Before you start reading: There are two methods of animating meshes. One is used for characters rigged on skeletons, and the other is mainly using Nifskope settings for environmental assets like books or doors or chests.
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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
  
The '''Animation''' of skeleton-rigged meshes is the art of making them move correctly with Skyrim animation files. Creating new animation files is challenging, but doable. More commonly, an existing animation file is being used on a new skeleton,
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===Static object animations===
that has mostly the same bone count and proportions.
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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
 
 
===Specific Tutorials===
 
* [[Arcane_University:Nifskope Hinge Constraints|Nifskope Hinge Constraints]]: adding hinge animations with NifSkope
 
* [[Arcane_University:Editing Animation Skeletons|Editing Animation Skeletons]]: altering skeletons to fit existing animations to a custom skinned mesh
 
 
* [[AU:Exporting animated statics using ck-cmd|Exporting animated statics using ck-cmd]]: creating animated statics like doors or containers
 
* [[AU:Exporting animated statics using ck-cmd|Exporting animated statics using ck-cmd]]: creating animated statics like doors or containers
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* [[Arcane_University:Nifskope Hinge Constraints|Nifskope Hinge Constraints]]: adding hinge physics with NifSkope
  
=== General hints ===
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== 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.
 
* 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.
 
* Keep disconnected meshes at a minimum, as it will increase the effort to rig the mesh.
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* The left thigh of humans moves more than the right.
 
* The left thigh of humans moves more than the right.
  
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==Information by 3D software==
 
=== 3DS Max ===
 
=== 3DS Max ===
 
Click here for the main [[Arcane University:3DS Max for Skyrim|3DS Max]] page.
 
Click here for the main [[Arcane University:3DS Max for Skyrim|3DS Max]] page.

Revision as of 17:05, 28 May 2021

< Arcane University

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

Character and creature animations

Static object animations

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.

Information by 3D software

3DS Max

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

Click here for the main Maya page.

Outfit Studio

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

Blender

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

Nifskope

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