Introduction
In my 3D animation in portfolio, the most interesting shot is that the boy chases a ball. So, before I did it, I just took the videos that I ran and then animated according to these. At that time, there are some problems. For example, I just studied walk cycle, so if the character walks or runs, it’s difficult for me to make sure the position. Therefore, I made a walk cycle and move the main controller, which resulted in slide step. And now, I would like to follow what Luke said, to key my frames one by one.
TIPS:
1. Be careful of adjusting the knee controller.
2. Please adjust it one by one and follow the experience. If I copy the frame directly for convenience, it will be even more time-consuming
3. It’s better to make a plane to check where the feet located.
4. Calm down!!!
5. The body should arrive the highest position, which higher than the last breakdown pose.
PROBLEM:
1. Also, the character does slide step.
2. The legs sometimes reverse when I ignore to adjust the knee controller.
3. If I do in a hurry, I find there would be more problem I meet.
4. Maya would crash when I try to adjust it too much.
Process
At first, I need a reference to animate, so I chose the picture that tutor showed in class. So, according to the reference, there are total 9 keys in 24 frames. What’s more, in the 12th frame, the character will change its feet to another side and finish a whole cycle in 24th frame.
Now I began my first attempt. In order to check better, I changed a display mode which just show perspective as well as side-x. And then, following the picture to adjust the heel controller.
The main body controller is what I need to adjust before everything began. It decided the position of character, especially the height. Because it was significant for character to move like an arc.
In the heel controller, apart from translate Y and Z, I still needed to adjust the index of foot roll which means the rotation of foot can be change and foot break which means the toes will be rotate.
What I absolutely to notice was two knee controllers, in fact I didn’t know the function of these controllers, until I moved my character. The direction of knee may change another side if I didn’t move it.
Now I finished the first 24 frames.
However, my character have slide step in some frames, because I don’t adjust the frames one by one, or I didn’t notice that I moved the feet. Even if probably it’s hard to notice when played, I still felt uncomfortable.
By the way, I went to graph editor to shape the line, particularly adjusting translate Y in main body. But after changing it, I found I made a mistake! In the 4th extreme pose, the body should arrive the highest position, which higher than the last breakdown pose. I am really wrong!
Thanks God, I noticed this mistake.
Conclusion
Just a simple walker, it exposes my many problems in doing such a basic animation. I need to practice in the next time, avoiding the mistake I have made. Then, learning fully about it.