Bipeds, Pelt Mapping and Textures.

The video below demonstrates Biped animations with the use of Skin modifiers and Pelt Mapping.

The first clip demonstrates a generic Biped using the automatic walk function and an oversized tongue with the Flex modifier to make it react to the movements of the Biped.

The footsteps show the direction and number of steps the biped will take, these can be moved and rotated.

The second and third clip show a skeleton model we were provided with that was made of separate objects. The goal was to parent each piece to a corresponding part of the biped to give it a natural movement when we animated it.

We had to ensure that the biped was resized first to match the model, this meant that the animation would line up correctly with the skeleton.

Our next task was to use a pre textured model and change the photoshop file to create our own character. Using a series of multiply layers and simple brush tools I changed the colour of the clothes, added torn clothing, blood and a skull effect to the face.

Making use of the biped once again I added a biped to the model using the physique modifier to attach the model to the biped and to change the envelopes so that the model would move naturally with the animated biped.

Following an online tutorial I attached a bone structure to a model of an arm. Using the HI solver I attached the forearm bone to the middle bone so that they would act as a normal arm would when moved. By adding a skin modifier I was able to attach the bones to the model itself and then using a combination of envelopes, vertices and weight tools I made the arm animate as naturally as possible.

Lastly the class was set with the task of Pelt Mapping a model of a frog.

To do this I followed an online tutorial and learned how to use several different mapping tools such as Point to Point seams to draw my own seams on the model, the relax tool to flatten my UVW maps and target weld to sew vertices together to create a smooth wrap around the different body parts of the frog.