Prerequisites: [Successful completion of GAD402 Character Rigging]
Semester Credit Units: [4.0]
Class Contact Hours: [36] Lab Contact Hours: [48]
Instructor: David Latour
Phone: (415) 302-9608
Email: dlatour@expression.edu
Class Meets: m/w/f 8am-4pm
Course Length: 5 weeks
Course Description
This class focuses on animation sequences typically needed for games – Idle cycles, walk cycles, run cycles, bridging/transitional animations, and attack animations. Students will create the animation assets for the game they design in Advanced Game Production. Students will be taught advanced skills and techniques used within Maya for character animation.
Goals and Objectives
The goal for this class is to understand the set up and animation process for games. Students will apply the 12 principles of animation in complex animation applications. They will learn how to create Character Sets, Use the Graph Editor, and create cycles and build transitional animations. They will also learn how to convey specific character qualities and traits through timing and movement. The course will also cover advanced Maya animation techniques using constraints and snapping. At the end of the course students should have a complete understanding of the different components needed to build a character animation set. They should have 5 pieces of animation, completed to a high level of quality.
Course Requirement & Policies
Students are expected to do all assigned work, which means creating a personal level that is playable in the game engine, participating in the group assignment which is a level that is playable in the game engine, a midterm that shows fundamentals of all the lectured classes and finally Group Participation.
Each student is responsible for communication with the instructor and the other members of the team. Any demonstrations that were missed due to absence is still required to be completed. Students are highly encouraged not to miss classes as this can affect your group participation grade.
Course Topics
Class 1 | Intro to Animation for Games and the 12 Principles | |
Class 2 | Extended Character Idle and Animation Planning | |
Class 3 | Walk Cycle - In class | |
Class 4 | Basic Run Mechanics | |
Class 5 | Advanced Character Run | |
Class 6 | Transitional Animations, Idle2Run, zooXferAnim | |
Class 7 | 3 Strike Attack, Planning | |
Class 8 | 3 Strike Attack , Advanced Animation Techniques | |
Class 9 | 3 Strike Attack , Advanced Maya Techniques | |
Class 10 | 3 Strike Attack, Polishing | |
Class 11 | Connecting all the pieces | |
Class 12 | Final Critique |
Text & Bibliography
"How to Cheat in Maya" by Eric Luhta"Stop Staring" by Jason Osipa
"Simplified Drawing for Planning Animation" by Wayne Gilbert
Obtaining Books & Library Resources
The Wintzen Library is open Monday through Friday, 9AM – 12 midnight, and noon to 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Aside from being a great resource the library also distributes all text books.
All GE students must have library barcodes on their ID badges in order to obtain their GE books.
Course Grades
The primary grades for the course is based on the assigned individual pieces of animation used create a basic character movement set. Class Participation and Peer Evaluation make up the balance of the grade.
This breaks down to these:
Character Idle 20%
Walk Cycle 10%
Run Cycle 20%
Idle2Run 10%
3 Strike Attack 20%
Class Participation/Evaluation 20%
Course Schedule
Class 1 - [Intro to Animation for Games]
Class 1 Objective:
The objective of this class is to have students doing animations that would be found in games and introduce animation character sets. We will discuss all of the things we will be doing for the month. Introduce The 12 Principles of Animation and how to apply them.
Class Outline:
Introductions, examples, prepping character rig for animation, common pitfalls in Maya, character referencing and scene setup.
Due Today: [EOD]
Students will create a character description, due at end of class. All future animations will be based on this character description.
Lab 1 Objective:
Students create a character description, and a basic character Idle animation.
Lab Outline:
Create a character description, favoring clear action oriented adjectives. Discuss principles of good posing. Use those principles to make a Character Idle Pose, and then add natural breathing and milling behavior around 3-5 sec long.
Class 2 - [Extended Idle]
Class 2 Objective:
Create extended idle animation and learn about proper animation planning.
Class Outline:
Examples, discussion, Inventing actions, Finding reference.
Due Today: NA
Lab 2 Objective:
Continue work on Extended Idle
Continue work on Extended Idle
Lab Outline:
Continue work on Extended Idle
Class 3 - [Walk Cycle, build in class]
Class 3 Objective:
Based on the character descriptions, Students will build a walk-cycle in class. They will follow along as the instructor demonstrates.
Class Outline:
Good animation planning, Gathering and analyzing reference.
Due Today:
Extended Character Idle
Lab 3 Objective:
Play-Along Demo: building a basic walking cycle based on a character description collaboratively created by the students.
Lab Outline:
In class Walk Cycle creation to hand in for next class
Class 4 - [Basic Run Mechanics]
Class 4 Objective:
Using lessons from the walk cycle, Students will build a character Run cycle
Class Outline:
Show reference, analyze and execute. Instructor will demonstrate building a basic run cycle based on character description from class 3.
Due Today: [at start of class]
Walk Cycle
Lab 4 Objective:
Work on Run Cycle, individual review of class work
Lab Outline:
Work on Run Cycle and give individual feedback on work in progress.
Class 5 - [Advanced Character Run]
Class 5 Objective:
Using the graph editor, motion paths, as well as other techniques, students will polish their character run animations to completion.
Class Outline:
Individual review, identify common issues
Due Today: NA
Lab 5 Objective:
Finish Run animation
Lab Outline:
Finish Run animation with individual feedback and guidance
Class 6 - [Transitional Animations and Idle2Run, Copy and Paste Animation]
Class 6 Objective:
Students go over reactionary and non typical cycle animations such as falls, hits, as well as transitional animations. Students also learn about copying and pasting animation.
Class Outline:
Examples, Match poses and Pose2shelf, Discuss ground speed and acceleration. Copy and Pasting animation with "zooXferAnim" will also be covered.
Due Today:
Run Cycle
Lab 6 Objective:
Build Idle2Run transitional animation.
Lab Outline:
In class play-along demo of how to build an Idle2Run animation. Students will build an animation that moves though space and then convert it to a treadmill. We'll also talk about copying and pasting animation from one file to another in Maya.
Class 7 - [3 Strike Attack, Planning]
Class 7 Objective:
Students will plan an attack animation
Class Outline:
Example, Parameters, Gathering good reference, Building Basic Constraints in Maya
Due Today:
Idle2Run
Lab 7 Objective:
Plan and lay out the attack animation
Lab Outline:
Using primitive objects and other techniques, students will plan out and choreograph their attack animation. They will then use simple guides to build their key poses.
Class 8 - [3 Strike Attack, Advanced Animation Techniques]
Class 8 Objective:
Work continues on the 3 Strike Attack,
Class Outline:
Check work in progress, identify common issues
Due Today: NA
Lab 8 Objective:
Work continues on the 3 Strike Attack, introduce additional advanced animation techniques; path of action and arcs
Lab Outline:
Work continues on the 3 Strike Attack using common issues as a way to demonstrate some advanced techniques used in animation
Class 9 - [3 Strike Attack, Advanced Maya Techniques]
Class 9 Objective:
Introduce students some of the less common tools in Maya to improve animation work-flow
Class Outline:
Examples, simple mel scripting, animation utilities, other tips.
Due Today:
Progress Check
Lab 9 Objective:
Students work on bringing all assignments to completion
Lab Outline:
Individual feedback on all work to date and final notes
Class 10 - [3 Strike Attack, Polishing]
Class 10 Objective:
Students continue refining all of their work
Class Outline:
one on one with students and group
Due Today:
[Progress Check]
Lab 10 Objective:
[Continue working on group and personal projects, Test Levels]
Lab Outline:
[Continue working on group and personal projects]
Class 11 - [Connecting all the Pieces]
Class 11 Objective:
Teach students how to match all of the parts of the animation set into continuous behavior.
Class Outline:
Pose2Shelf and match poses. Copy and paste in Maya
Due Today:
Progress Check
Lab 11 Objective:
String together all animation to test match pose integrity
Lab Outline:
Provide individual feedback on all work.
Class 12 - [Final Critique]
Class 12 Objective:
Final critique of individual animation
Class Outline:
Final critique of individual animation
Due Today:
All final animation
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