Several questions about Zero Joint and Keyframes in milkshape.

[Matarael]

So first of all, if I didn't do Zero Joint I'm screwed, right? Any way to get around this? Before I toss my computer out the window, that is.

Second, I've been animating in MS with sparsely placed keyframes (1-5, 5-15) and in Magos it looks like its a scene from 300 aka very slow motion. Is there a way to scale the animations?

Thanks.

 

[Direfury]

For a regular stand animation, set the keyframes from, say.... { 1 to 40-60} place on 2 thirds of the way where your character breaths in(30-45). That's a far more fluid stand animation.

Now, for attacks? I'd suggest starting at a max of 20 keyframes.
Have him reel back for an attack at about 5, then have his attack connect at 10, with the next 10 simply him reeling from the strike.

That should get you used to speeds rather quickly.

 

[Matarael]

Thanks mate the tip on breathing and attacking/reeling is great.

I swallowed the pain and redid the animations and they looked rubbishly paced (except for the running). I need to re-pace them.

 

[Direfury]

Try going between 16-24 frames for a good run.

 

[Matarael]

Beta model release.

Ok, so this is what I came up with. I am not happy with the attacks and run/walking animations because its not furious enough for a ninja XFD!!! but this is my first animation effort with milkshape for WC3 and I think after a few fixes I might be able to get it right.

Still, some questions I need answers to:

1. What happened to my Talk animations? I had 2 Talk animations but they're not showing in game.
2. How do I add attachment points.
3. If you see the knee during walking you'd notice how shitty it is, for some reason it wont let me decide how the joints bend the faces so I get these distorted looking legs.

I also would like to know how I would make the textures disappear (for when it dissipates) and how I'd add special effects attached to certain nodes like his fists or sword.

PS. the texture path is none, so when you're importing to map delete the path.

 

[Direfury]

I do all that in Magos and the Vertex Modifier.

Right, after looking over the animations, the hip needs to move during walk animations, and the chest does aswell. When attacking, try to keep the face centred on his target (ie, forward) have his entire body reel back. For examples, look at the Blademaster model and skeleton warrior model.

If you want, I can send you my latest model as another example.


Also, you may want to look for the "Recalculate Normals" option in the vertex modifier. Select the entire model before using this option, however.

 

[Matarael]

Ok so before I alter anything else I've just been trying to improve the animations. As per your suggestion I redid the attack anims a little and I hope this is a bit better.

I haven't done the Recalculate yet.

I'd love to see your latest animation mate. And I am seeing now that I made the model bad at the knee part, which is why the knee animation looks bleh.

Added also Origin and Overhead attachment points just to see if it works.

 

[Direfury]

Attack - 2 is a bit too fast, and again, the whole body needs to move with the animations. Act out an attack or movement in the mirror, try to replicate how your body reels back with your arm or leg.