Inspiring

Question

Walking from A to B then Sitting Down

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
August 13, 2018
3 replies
2118 views

This seems like a pretty basic process, but I'm having trouble figuring it out. My bet is there are Okay Samurai tutorials that cover this in pieces, but I haven't managed to track them down.

I'd like my puppet to walk onto screen from the left, stop at a particular point (on his mark is how I'd put it if my actor were alive), turn towards us, then simultaneously move down the Y axis a little and scale down some. This last part is to give the impression he is sitting down (we only see him walk in from mid-thigh so it's OK that his knees don't bend when he sits). He'd then sit there and talk for a while, then get up and goes off camera the way he came.

I know how to make my puppet walk across the screen, but not how to end at a precise point (he needs to stop exactly in front of his chair).

I know how to transform along the Y axis while recording and how to change scale while recording, but not simultaneously and not that precisely. But I don't know how to do this, um, not live.

I think if I understood how to do those two things, I could figure out the rest. Anyone who can point me to suitable tutorials? It would be much appreciated.

Martin

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KJerryK

Legend

Here's a very simple walk/sit example, using a swap set to sit the puppet. The stool has its own transform behavior to position it where it needs to be. The sitting can be smoothed using cycles.

SharonfromMD

Inspiring

I'm not as experienced as Alan, but I'm a teacher who has spent the entire summer sitting at the computer trying to animate my children's songs, so I have some practical knowledge. (I only have two-only 2 1/2 songs almost done-so I'm hoping I'll get faster)

1. ) First of all, I have found that my best solution is to record one or maybe two behaviors at a time. First of all, I record a stationary X Y and scale. This can be easy, because all three of those can be set before you start the record button. You just record a little and then drag it for the length of the scene you need.You want this because you will have a set point to work from.

2.) In terms of walking and a set point-I would record a walk behavior and quite frankly-don't worry about where the character ends. It's best always to go farther. Then all you do is to drag the walk behaviors(there's generally a few) to exactly where you want the character to stop.

3.) Then fool with the other values-the scaling and the X and Y axis one at a time.

IMPORTANT TIP- Remember if you have anything red on the panel it will default to the program's defaults. In other words, un-red them each time. When they are un-red you will see your previous recorded values, which you need to see.

ALSO-every time you change anything it's a good idea to refresh, but that will bring you to the beginning. Just remember when you get to where you want to be, make sure the red buttons are selected and you have a value. I can't tell you how many times I've pushed record in a walk behavior only to find out that the body speed was zero-bummer!

ALSO-I'm a pianist-practicing always helps. You can practice before your record. Again, just make sure you only have the behaviors you want to record.

Good luck. And remember there is a stiff learning curve. -Sharon

alank99101739

Legend

To build upon what Sharon said, another variation is to do a record of a walk behavior (note, my stuff on blends does not work with the Walk behavior!), work out where the character stops walking (just rough, recording a bit too much), then you can (with record button *disabled*) adjust the puppet Absolute Position X/Y afterwards.

But I find the Walk behavior hard because of the way it works. For me I cheat - I tend to walk towards / away from camera more (because I never got around to drawing profiles!! At least not ones that are very good! ;-) so I use blends on the Y value to make it bob up and down.

One or the other is not more right or wrong - it just feels like you should be consistent in your style (with the same characters or show). So since I started that way I stick to it.

MartinnelAuthor

Inspiring

Alan and Sharon,

I've spent some time today trying to work from your advice and I'm starting to suspect I have both forgotten much of what I had already learned about Ch and am still so much a novice as to not be able to follow some of what you are both saying.

I walked my puppet off screen right, hit record, walked him on and over to approximately where I want him to be, adjusted scale and adjusted Y to seat him, left him sit there for a bit, then adjusted scale and Y back, walked him off screen right and stopped record. I then planned on playing with your suggestions.

But when I play this back, it is sometimes exactly what I want (as a starting point) and sometimes he starts walking from the middle of the screen, sometimes he starts walking from I'm not sure where because I can't see him and sometimes he walks through the frame when i haven't even hit play.

Any idea what I'm not understanding?

Martin

alank99101739

Legend

This might be useful: https://extra-ordinary.tv/2018/08/08/timing-music-with-character-animator-movements/

You don't have music of course, but it describes how you can use "blends" to control precise start and stop positions. Music has the additional restriction of doing it exactly to a beat, which you don't need. So there will be more than you need, but hopefully solves your problem. (I do "blends" all the time for smooth motion, and do it frequently for what you describe.

This video shows getting up a chair and walking forwards, which I did using blends. Good Thoughts (Extra Ordinary, Episode 2) - YouTube (around 1 min 30 secs into the video)

MartinnelAuthor

Inspiring

Thanks Alan. I'll take a look at this tomorrow.

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