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IK Dynamics animated with constraint controller
Posted: 31 January 2018 08:20 PM   [ Ignore ]  
Total Posts:  81
Joined  2016-02-22

Hello

Id like to check if I have this set up to me most efficient.  I have joints that represent wings.  The Root joint on each wing is PSR constrained to a Null Controller for manual animation or to add a Vibration Tag.

I have both a Constraint Tag and IK tag on the root joint and both by default are given the priority as Expression.  At random times one over takes the other for instance depending which order the tag is applied as to the outcome.  I can manually rotate the controller that is constrained to the joint and it will not rotate the joint.  If I put the tags in the opposite order the constrained joint controller now rotates but there is no dynamic joints.

If I put the constraint priority to Animation it works with a vibration tag as this works on the basis that the play sequence is running hence animation priority works.  If I turn off vibrate tag and try to animate the controller manual at frame 0 sometimes it rotates, other times it dont.

Thanks,  Dan

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tests priorities.zip  (File Size: 155KB - Downloads: 97)
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Posted: 31 January 2018 08:55 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]  
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Hi Dan,

• No constrain. The flap occurs in the beginning, and is not based on the Vibrate tag at all. If you like to have this working, define a Goal, and make it a child of the Vibrate Tag. Not sure if that works as you like to have it.
• No Dynamics, same here, all you get is the initial movement and then nothing. The first joint can’t put any force into the IK chain.
• Both, well…

The animated version:
Scene File
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/WiAa4IGri5vhSTYNCN4oDiKAgPQkdn78qGIEGcftI9w
The dynamic version:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/jimZobb4HlWW5jRmUliy5a143qbjKDKn0gvONj2jqZ

Keep in mind that the Dynamics with the Inverse Kinematics do not work with the first joint at all in the IK chain. It is driven by the last one and so the Goal Null would be the one that needs to be moved, or the whole chain, i.e., the Parent Object. The Dynamic Tab contains some “curves” options, in those you can change along the chain the parameters of Position or Rotation Hold, which seems to be an essential part of a wing.

“Id like to check if I have this set up to me most efficient.” Well, that might be a discussion where I believe each artist might have his/her own take. My way of doing it, would be always determine by the first requirement, how much control do I have, then how much work is the set up, and how much time does it take to change things: for the rigging itself, or the animation.
The typical (things vary!) way would be, the rigging time is a single work, independent from the animation. The animation might be short or a very frequent work. There should be a good balance between the two. However, an animator should be able to focus purely on the motion and expression, not the rigging.

Having said that, a Pose Morph (joint-hierarchy) seems to be the way to go. So the wing has some predefined motions, and a single set of keyframes, while set to repeat after (multiple time) will allow for a nice and art directed result, without a constant calculation of the dynamics. IF a flock of birds is even wanted, that might add up. An alternative would the the Animation clip.

Again, if you have a mandatory use for dynamics, that would be a different idea, but I can’t see it, as a wing of a bird flaps, then glides, while the bird body moves up and down as well, it is not stable (summery of power).

All the best

edited

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

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Posted: 31 January 2018 09:29 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]  
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P.S.: here is an animated version, all based on a single slider input.

Scene file
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/H8Ytu0CQjtP7hgwJDTz4ZtuCIplPwGF3W3SB2woGmtp

It is set to repeat in the F-Curve, you might change that, as well as the Range Mapper Spline Interface curve.
With another Range Mapper, the counter movement of the body could be established as well, if needed:

one minute clip
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/YkezsSoztxaPsHivAo3bzKYj6svjqLTw1sBmwf472cR

Edit: I found a nice source of natural movements
http://www.brendanbody.co.uk/flight_tutorial/

With an update of the sketch file:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/fCQmaDKzecIm8xKfr1pUMafYPSHewoO5jIviuhclkR6
/edit

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

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Posted: 01 February 2018 06:08 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]  
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Here is the way I that I would prefer, since it is re-usable, as long as the joint hierarchy is the same.

Animation Clips.

One minute clip, screen capture, and only shared to give a glimpse about it.
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/iIGMMBFNeuX01YTQPIjXmP806nbDYfPaWQi963TXazF

Example
Scene file
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/YKQ77E9MM97hduzjdeI0c38P6MtNxJqEAZdUou5h0ma

If the motion files are saved as source (RMC on the clips), they can be reloaded (As shown in my series about team based use of such). Please not that they are purely rotational based, so the size nor position of the join/bones matters. The Hierarchy must be the same, though.

Example screen capture:
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/x6Wj0tsEemQ5s4y0WwnjFwDMoUZbvoqRMS46fJl35vJ

Why do I share several character animation methods? Because I think that knowing the options is the support for a better project; In other words, if one does know only one way of how to do it, the project might be already limited before it even has started. I keep the clips to one minute, to avoid the procrastination trap, Everyone has a minute…

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Dr. Sassi V. Sassmannshausen Ph.D.
Cinema 4D Mentor since 2004
Maxon Master Trainer, VES, DCS

Photography For C4D Artists: 200 Free Tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/DrSassiLA/playlists

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