Ranger model

[Sylvos]

Hello !
I'm building a model and I need help
The model is based on Sylvanas and Illidan
I can not animate correctly the cape of my model
I want the rendering to be close to that of Sylvanas
Would anyone be interested in helping me?
Here is the model

Thanks in advance !

 

[Zwiebelchen]

The sylvanas model is a bad example for proper cape animations. The best thing would be to do them from scratch. Build a consecutive line of bones that follow the cape, then map the vertices to each bone that is closest. Then use rotation and translation modifiers to move the cape around.

All this can be done in MDLVis. No other tools required (except for Magos once to connect the bones in correct order).

 

[Sylvos]

Thanks for these informations.
I know MDLvis but I have not the level to shape the cape.

 

[Zwiebelchen]

Thanks for these informations.
I know MDLvis but I have not the level to shape the cape.

That's a perfect reason to try and learn how to do it then.

 

[Sylvos]

I tried several times but without success.
I will be delighted to know how to do it.

 

[Cuore]

Hey Zwiebelchen I was eavesdropping this conversation cause I'd like to learn more and maybe help wolgan666 (satan! waaah!!!).
Would you advise against trying to make a global sequence to animate the cape? (i'm suspecting that it'd be bad for the decay flesh but on the other hand seems a handy way to extend a simple cycle to all the line of sequences)
Ty

 

[Zwiebelchen]

A global sequence would probably look bad as it would ignore the physics of the different animations.

For example, you want the cape to point in the opposite direction of the character movement when walking, but point downwards when standing still, etc..


Animating cloth physically correct can be tedious and requires a lot of trial and error to make it look right, but when you actually did the work, it adds a lot of dynamics and life to your model.

There is not much to explain or advice here:
Create bones, map them to the vertices in MDLVis, then move them around in the sequence editor. Read a tutorial on animating in MDLVis if you still have problems.

 

[Direfury]

There are, however, tricks to animating capes, or other flowing garments.

Consider them fluid. Motion creates ripples, starting at the source, and radiating outwards.

Meaning, for a cape to flow in the wind, frame one, the first bone should be the only one animated, then the second in the next frame, and so on. After that, just adjust it 'til it looks natural.

Be sure to check it from all angles though.

 

[Cuore]

Thanks for that tip @Direfury!

 

[Zwiebelchen]

There are several tutorials on youtube for animating floating capes and cloth that also go deep into physics and stuff like action lines. They are not WC-specific but the rules of general animating of course apply here too.


If you have trouble at making it look natural, simply start up a game that you think has great animations and study how it looks there.
You can also rapidly take screenshots of it and compare them to analyze what is happening there in detail. Or simply watch a youtube video and pause it frequently.


Making a floating cape that looks acceptable is kinda easy. Making a floating cape that looks amazing is difficult though. It's important that eventually you say to yourself "that's good enough for me.", else, you will tweak this for days. Trust me on that. Been there, done that.