Animation Patterns

Background

The idea of creating Animation Patterns came up when teaching 3D Character Animation at Stockholm University / KTH, Department of Computer and Systems Sciences.

Patterns are available in many areas e.g architecture (Alexander), OOP (Gamma) and usability (Folmer)

One core concept of patterns is to specify a problem related to a context, and within that framework propose solutions. This helps implementing the concept in a better way than guidelines and principles.

The idea is hence to use this WIkipedia page to define Animation Patterns together with peers.

The first step is to start identify Animation Patterns.

Proposed patterns

The following are just a few first suggestions.

Pattern name: Physics blending

Problem: Blending Physics and Animation

Context: Keyframe animated characters interacting with physical simulated objects

Solution: Have a ragdoll as stand-in for animated character, or use an animation engine (e.g Euphoria)

Motivation: Animation can’t be premade for all possible interactions

Pattern name: Climbing character

Problem: Keep hands and feet at surface positions when climbing

Context: Character who climbs, in camera angles where the surface distance is visual

Solution: Use IK for both hands and feet. Turn off IK on hands when not climbing.

Motivation: Hard to achieve with FK

Pattern name: Character crashing into ground

Problem: Different every time depending on ground profile

Context: Character falling down on multiple ground profiles (stairs, floor, terrain etc)

Solution: Consider having a ragdoll as standin or keyframe animate every possible crash. The number of different crashes is key.

Motivation: May be hard to evaluate which takes less time; rig a ragdoll and handle Physics blending, or key frame

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