If this has been brought up before, I apologize, but an idea occurred to me...

I know that in Director mode, you can use the WSAD keys to move the character, and hit hotkeys to change the mode of the character...but...

How about the ability to use a PC game controller (like the kind that resemble Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 controllers) to control characters, cameras, and objects.

Now, here's what I'm thinking.

When the controller is plugged in, the iClone program has a function that allows you to assign animations to buttons, sticks, and d-pad. To assign an animation of a character to a button or stick, right click on the animation, and there could be a prompt that comes up asking "Map to controller?". Click on it, and then the controller schematic pops up, and you then just push the button on the controller that you wish to map that animation to.

When assigning movement, select the type of walk you wish to utilize (whether it's a premade one, or a walk animation you created yourself), and follow the procedure I mentioned above. Assign forward motion to UP on the left analog stick, backward to DOWN, and lateral movement to LEFT and RIGHT on the analog stick. You can assign turning motions to the right analog stick. If you want to switch from walking to running, assign "mode switch" to one of the buttons.

And, the controller maps can switch automatically depending on which avatar/object/camera you've selected. Say you have a set of moves assigned to one avatar, and a different set of moves assigned to a second avatar that the first may interact with. When you click on the different avatars, the controllers mappings switch to that avatar's custom control map.

So, if you've thought a scene out well enough in advance, you can stage a fight scene, a love scene, a conversation, what have you, in moments. And imagine the fluidity of control one would have with the cameras with a controller mapped to a user's personal preferences.

Just an idea.... :)



"Incompetence will always prevail so long as evil men stand by and do nothing."
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