Hi Desertwalker,

   going from BVH to keyframes is very easy but the transition between them is linear (robotic looking). Also, mocap to mocap is easy as well but you end up with the same problem.  The key  to make it look good and natural is to have a little knowledge about human motion and the principals of animation, also to practice, practice, and practice. This is one of the reasons why my animation class part two (character animation) is taking so long to be released. I remade the class several times because i have to keep remembering that most people do not know the  principals of animation, so i have to make sure that i explain them as well, as we use iclone to make them. 

Cheers,

Stuckon3d



Product Specialist

My iClone 7 gallery

My IMDB

Thanks Mike and BigBoss.

So a MoCap system is out of reach unless one of my neighbors wins a 500-million-dollar lottery and decides to give it all to me for being a good neighbor.

Which lefts 3 options: 1) buy or get free BVH motion capture files that are compatible with iClone, 2) buy motion packs, and 3) do it manually via key frame animation.

I have been using the last two options. Would love to add BVH files as one more source.

Are you saying there are a lot of BVH files out there that are compatible with iClone skeleton? Can you share a few URLs that have been proven to be good?

I should be able to modify BVH file uisng a text editor like Notepad. Is it easy to identify from a file which lines of values belongs to which frame and which nodes and change the values to modify the motions, such as making a smile a little bigger?

Is it easy to seamlessly transit from a BVH controlled motion to key frame animations and then back to another BVH controlled motion?

In the context of iClone, I usually search the net for motion captures that are compatible with the iClone Skeletton. These are usually in the form of a BVH file and I use 3D Studio and the CS_BONE.Max Template provided by Reallusion to convert the BVH file into a motion that is recognizable by iClone. Typically, you will find BVH files that are either for Poser/Daz  skelettons or for iClone Skeletton. The Poser/DAZ BVH files are not compatible with iClone Character. You can tell which is which by looking at the names of the Bones that are inside the BVH File.

There are quite a lot of already captured motions available on the NET.

The process for properly converting BVH to iCLone is quite complex and would need a very long discussion. :)

Cheers!

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Allow me, DessertWalker and BigBoss, to joint the talk!

Today, most if not all serious animation is done via motion capture technologies.
The poor animator, without a MoCap system,goes for previously captured motions, contained in diverse file formats, being the best know the VBH and BIP formats.

Top-of-the-line motion capture devices allow capturing subtle facial expressions as well as the most complex body motions, at very high frame rates indeed!

Luckily, several new approaches to motion capture are appearing with substantially lower tag values.

Working with prerecorded motion files is a viable alternative, as motions can be mixed, trimmed, accelerated or slowed down.

Last resource... You handy mouse techniques and a lot of work at the character key framed animation.

I don't think any "natural moving" animation can be produced by "scripting" unless is a matter mechanical device animation.

I hope this helps!

Mike

Mike Aparicio-Reallusion Certified Innovative Content Developer

Thanks, BigBoss.

Let me ask the question from another angle. What do professional animators use to make animated movies? By using something like Motion Editor to do it manually or by creating and modifying XML Script files?

If the goal is to get better quality of animation, which of the two has the advantage?

Hi desert, ...

The AML Script Editor is a tool that you can use to generate the AML file that defines in textual form (using XML language) the Idle, Move, Perform and Operate commands that are accessible when you right click on an Avatar or on a Prop. For Avatars, this is the file that defines the 'Persona' of the Avatar.

The XML language is used to associate the Command with the appropriate Motion.

The Motion Editor is a tool that you use to generate the Motion itself. 

So they  are two entirely different beasts.

You can see what an AML files looks like by right clicking on Violet and selecting the persona-export persona option of the pulldown menu.

Hope this helps :)

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Can someone provide an explanation on the advantage of using AML Script Editor, as comparing to using Motion Editor to animate manually? 

Are the advantages mainly for CCD developers?

Some pros and cons of each will be highly appreciated.

When will be release the iClone AML ScriptEditor for iClone 4 ?????

David-Josué
http://www.iclone-fr.blogspot.com/http://www.iclonetemplate.com

Hi Sean.. Take a look at the link below. I updated the latest on AML Script Editor there.

https://forum.reallusion.com/Topic43432-161-1.aspx

Hopefully it won't be too long before it is ready.

                                                                

Peter
Forum Administrator

www.reallusion.com

There was a request for information last month from the Tutor zuijlen.

I would also like to know what is happening.