Salutations fellow AVE compadres, I have been working on trying to clean up my poses and sell the motion but sadly I have been running into gimbal locks with my elbow controls even after using the Euler filter. Any ideas on how to fix that?
Mike, Morpheus has elbow controls that are locked in all but one rotation axis. So if the problem is indeed in the elbow, it's because it is rotating around backward. You can offset the curves in the graph editor from the point where they rotate the wrong way to fix this.
If it is a problem with the upper arm control, check to see that it's actually a problem with the rotation axises crossing or splitting in all two or three of the rotation curves. If it's just one curve, it's the same fix as mentioned above. If all three axises are interpolating strangely at those places, the delete the animation on only that control either from the glitch forward, or from there backward, and re-pose him in Gimbal rotation mode.
Oh, and I just got to a computer where I could watch the video. If your arms are in IK, any arm glitches are not gimbal problems. Only the wrists could be. Check to make sure that the pole vectors are not switching back and forth in their parenting, and that there are no stepped keys or partial frames hanging around.
Assuming that you have figured out how to fix the arms by now I feel like the torso is very stiff. You should probably try to work some curves into it. I think it is most stiff in the shoulders. Perhaps when he's lifting up the first weight he leans more to his left and leads the motion with his right shoulder so you can get some arc into that motion. That way he isn't really lifting it straight up and down but on a diagonal. Also it feels like at the end from the pose before the weight drops on his foot to the pose when it does there is not much change. You could maybe change the pose before so that his line of action is reversed when he gets hit and his pain seems more impactful.
The weight exchange from one foot to the next is getting better. I especially like when he rebalances himself after he lifts up from grabbing the weight. However, as you know I'm sure, the arms still need a great deal of work. Like when he bends down to pick up the first weight, they're bent on a really awkward fashion that wouldn't otherwise be natural to us, I'd say have him lead with his arms, extending almost straight towards the ground, then have them bend when they reach the weight. When he leans down a second time to grab another weight is especially awkward for me, he movies his entire upper nody down. Just have him bend over at the hips.
Yeah same as danielle, assuming you already fixed your gimbal locks, there is more you can do to help improve your piece. From what I see, it looks like some parts of your arm are still in stepped as it snaps to the next key frame. Also his feet stay in place too long. They should move while he's lifting as you need to reposition yourself as you try to lift a heavy object. At the beginning of the piece, you see him wave to the lady but it's so fast that you really don't notice it too much which doesn't help establish the fact that he's trying to hit on her or show off his strength. Even though you're already passed your 11 second mark, you need to try to give that wave more time as it is the only thing that lets the audience knows that this guy is trying to hit on this girl. Also his legs seem way too straight around 0:04 - 0:06 and then continued back to be extremely straight at 0:08 - 0:10. Because he's trying to lift the weight, his legs should be bent a little as he puts some of the weight onto his thighs. When he puts the weight onto the bar, make him take a step. Its really hard to lean forward when you're holding onto something very heavy while trying to keep your balance. Another thing I noticed was that we really don't even notice the lady's presence throughout the entire piece. Maybe you might want to zoom the camera in so she takes a little more space and seems a bit more important. Now what I really like in this is how you added him kind of falling down a bit after his first attempt to pick the weight up. It really gives the believability that he is trying to lift a heavy object. Maybe at the apex of his first attempt you should show him struggle a little before he falls back down. Keep going your animation is improving little by little every time I see it.
Mike, Morpheus has elbow controls that are locked in all but one rotation axis. So if the problem is indeed in the elbow, it's because it is rotating around backward. You can offset the curves in the graph editor from the point where they rotate the wrong way to fix this.
ReplyDeleteIf it is a problem with the upper arm control, check to see that it's actually a problem with the rotation axises crossing or splitting in all two or three of the rotation curves. If it's just one curve, it's the same fix as mentioned above. If all three axises are interpolating strangely at those places, the delete the animation on only that control either from the glitch forward, or from there backward, and re-pose him in Gimbal rotation mode.
Give that a shot and let us know how you fare.
Cheers,
Joe
Oh, and I just got to a computer where I could watch the video. If your arms are in IK, any arm glitches are not gimbal problems. Only the wrists could be. Check to make sure that the pole vectors are not switching back and forth in their parenting, and that there are no stepped keys or partial frames hanging around.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe, I will check the switchers. The arms are infact in IK but they don't switch between IK and FK at all during this scene.
DeleteSorry I mean I will check the parent controls not the switchers.
DeleteAssuming that you have figured out how to fix the arms by now I feel like the torso is very stiff. You should probably try to work some curves into it. I think it is most stiff in the shoulders. Perhaps when he's lifting up the first weight he leans more to his left and leads the motion with his right shoulder so you can get some arc into that motion. That way he isn't really lifting it straight up and down but on a diagonal.
ReplyDeleteAlso it feels like at the end from the pose before the weight drops on his foot to the pose when it does there is not much change. You could maybe change the pose before so that his line of action is reversed when he gets hit and his pain seems more impactful.
The weight exchange from one foot to the next is getting better. I especially like when he rebalances himself after he lifts up from grabbing the weight. However, as you know I'm sure, the arms still need a great deal of work. Like when he bends down to pick up the first weight, they're bent on a really awkward fashion that wouldn't otherwise be natural to us, I'd say have him lead with his arms, extending almost straight towards the ground, then have them bend when they reach the weight. When he leans down a second time to grab another weight is especially awkward for me, he movies his entire upper nody down. Just have him bend over at the hips.
ReplyDeleteYeah same as danielle, assuming you already fixed your gimbal locks, there is more you can do to help improve your piece. From what I see, it looks like some parts of your arm are still in stepped as it snaps to the next key frame. Also his feet stay in place too long. They should move while he's lifting as you need to reposition yourself as you try to lift a heavy object. At the beginning of the piece, you see him wave to the lady but it's so fast that you really don't notice it too much which doesn't help establish the fact that he's trying to hit on her or show off his strength. Even though you're already passed your 11 second mark, you need to try to give that wave more time as it is the only thing that lets the audience knows that this guy is trying to hit on this girl. Also his legs seem way too straight around 0:04 - 0:06 and then continued back to be extremely straight at 0:08 - 0:10. Because he's trying to lift the weight, his legs should be bent a little as he puts some of the weight onto his thighs. When he puts the weight onto the bar, make him take a step. Its really hard to lean forward when you're holding onto something very heavy while trying to keep your balance. Another thing I noticed was that we really don't even notice the lady's presence throughout the entire piece. Maybe you might want to zoom the camera in so she takes a little more space and seems a bit more important. Now what I really like in this is how you added him kind of falling down a bit after his first attempt to pick the weight up. It really gives the believability that he is trying to lift a heavy object. Maybe at the apex of his first attempt you should show him struggle a little before he falls back down. Keep going your animation is improving little by little every time I see it.
ReplyDeleteOh wow I never realized that you all responded to this video, thanks for the input I'll try to make sure to include this into my final cut.
ReplyDelete