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Learn to Animate a Quadruped Run Cycle in Maya for Games
Rating: 4.1 out of 5(10 ratings)
202 students

Learn to Animate a Quadruped Run Cycle in Maya for Games

Understand how to effectively setup and animate a 4-legged animal!
Created by3dmotive LLC
Last updated 4/2017
English
English [Auto],

What you'll learn

  • Setup references for your animation
  • Blockin and frame poses
  • Edit animation curves
  • Build and polish animations
  • Understand animation timing

Course content

1 section • 14 lectures • 2h 20m total length

  • Download Course Files Here!0:06
  • Introduction0:44

    Learn to create a from-scratch quadruped run cycle in Maya for games, starting with reference speed and layering motion body to legs and head, refining curves in the graph editor.

  • Scene Setup4:38

    Load the reference without altering the model, enable real-time playback, and create a ground cube. Use the graph editor to smooth curves and auto-create keyframes for a quadruped run cycle.

  • Creating Key Poses7:59

    Learn to pose a character using reference images, choose side or perspective views, save a key on each controller, and block rough run poses focusing on landing and stretch.

  • Creating Breakdown Poses11:56

    continue refining breakdown poses for a quadruped run cycle by adjusting the third position with timing shifts and limb contrasts for realism, testing delays and opposite movements.

  • Timing17:00

    Learn timing techniques for a quadruped run cycle in Maya by refining ground speed, keyframe placement, and graph editor edits to keep motion lively and avoid a mechanical look.

  • Adding Overlap17:23

    Apply overlap to a quadruped run cycle in Maya, exaggerating neck and head motion while refining timing and consistency with the graph editor.

  • Refining the Legs19:40

    Refine a quadruped run cycle in Maya by smoothing leg motion, aligning ground contact with forward movement, and adjusting tangents and curves for fluid, non-linear timing.

  • Secondary Tail Motion9:26

    Learn to animate a quadruped tail for secondary emotion in a Maya run cycle. Block from center of gravity, refine the first key, and adjust with shift for fluid motion.

  • Secondary Ear Motion11:39

    Master secondary ear motion in a Maya quadruped run cycle by shaping curves, keyframes, and channel timing to add varied movement while maintaining a clear lead.

  • Secondary Motion Extras8:39

    Apply secondary motion by animating up-and-down curves and rotational movement on the X axis, copying keyframes and balancing channels for a fluid, natural quadruped run cycle in Maya for games.

  • Polish Pass19:21

    Perform a thorough polish pass by testing and fixing every controller in the quadruped run cycle, refine ground contact, axis tweaks, and subtle details for a game-ready Maya animation.

  • Animation Layers and Course Wrapup11:51

    Learn to animate a quadruped run cycle in Maya using animation layers to manage timing and symmetry; wrap up by refining keys with the graph editor and adding variation.

  • Bonus Lecture: Further Learning with 3dmotive0:18

Requirements

  • Autodesk's Maya

Description

In  this course, we will be animating a quadruped run cycle for a video game from  scratch. We will start by setting up  the reference plane for the in-game speed, followed by blocking all the main  poses with appealing shapes that can be read from any angle of view. From there, we will start to work with the  timing to make those poses fit on the correct frames, and progressive. We  will then add in-betweens as we continue to adjust the timing. It is going to be a progressive refining  process, and we will be moving around a lot between the animation controllers  as we refine the motion. We will also  work with some variation in speed, dynamic arcs, follow through, and how to  correct address the feeling of weight for the character. During this final polish stages, we will  begin working on the core of the body, and edit that as we begin to edit and  tweak the motion of the secondary elements. To wrap things up, we will be covering a quick trick to make the animation look  more organic by using animation layers on certain parts of the character.

(Students - please look under Section 1 / Lecture 1 downloads for the source files associated with the lesson.)

More about the Instructor:

Thiago is a freelance character artist an animator currently located in Paris,  France. He graduated from the  University of Sao Paulo with a degree in Architect and Urban Planning, and  also attended Animation Mentor. He has  worked on various projects in recent years including some with Brain Corps  Entertainment, Ossian studios, Swordtales, and the Dota2 Workshop.

Who this course is for:

  • Those looking to understand the realm of animal and non-bipedal animation

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