Attached Link: Walk Test

Been working on this today. This is a Poser 6 preview render. The animation is around 1.6MB. Let me know what you think. I've been looking at this too long today to be objective.

Hello there At first the animation feels pretty linear (he moves the torso, head and arm at the same time). You should offset the keys. Make the head start moving first, then the torso and then the arm. During the walk itself I think you got the timing right, because he actually feels heavy. Maybe if you added a little more bounciness to add to the "impact" when the front foot falls on the ground. Also, bend the arms a little more ;) These are minor details I think, but unfortunately the minor details are the ones that take more time to fix, lol.

Thanks.. after sleeping on it for a while, I can actually stand to look at this again.. it's way more fun animating some bouncing beewbies than a heavy guy walking.:-)

I actually had the arms bent more at one time. I didn't like the result. I don't bend my arms much at all when I walk. Guess I'm just too lazy. I did offset the movements, but I didn't go far enough in separating out the movements a little more now that I look at it again.

Be back later with an updated version.

Message edited on: 10/21/2005 12:29

Attached Link: Walk Test Ver2

Well, I've reworked some things. Think I like where I'm going now. Surprising what a little sleep does for your objectivity.

Hello again. It's a good thing that you did that offset but the moves feel a little snappy. Generally I like what you did with the walk, however I was referring to the arms being too straight. They seem like he's carrying something because the elbow is not bent at all.

Thanks, I can see where the first part is a little too fast still. I decided that after I posted ver 2. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree about the arm bend though.:) I'm a big myself... over 6' and 250 lbs and my arms don't bend much at all when I walk and the arms in the animation pretty much mimic my own when I walk. I know what you're saying about the arms, but I don't think it applies in all cases.

After keyframing so for all this years I came to the realization that half of what an artist puts on his/her animation is personal taste. Sometimes when I do dialogues people tell me that I have to speed up characters and add more sudden moves (pretty much make a cartoon out of everything) but I always end up finishing my clip my own way (basing on my own performance) so I get what you are saying :)

Attached Link: Walk Test Ver 3

Isn't that the truth about personal taste, etc. I think it boils down to what feels right and looks right to your eye. It may not techinically be right but it looks right. Any way thanks for all the tips and help. I really do appreciate it when someone actually looks at something and says something about it other than "Oh, that's amazing! I could never do something like that." I reworked the first part a little more so here's another one for you look at:-)

Any way thanks for all the tips and help. I really do appreciate it when someone actually looks at something and says something about it other than "Oh, that's amazing! I could never do something like that." hahahah, good one downloading right now

How about speeding up a little bit the first part? The walk feels right according to the weight and all but the first part doesn't completely work. I like that small detail w where he pushes the door with the left hand. It's like he realizes "hey, I didn't push it strong enough" so he pushes it again to completely open it. BTW why does it close again?

Well it's supposed to be one of those gates with the electronic lock..... they generally just kinda pop open a little then you have to push them open. Most of them have a return built into them (the gate isn't level) so it will close on it's own. What I originally started to do was put like an electronic stop on the gate so it would stay open then start to close once the person is through the gate. Yeah I think I need to speed up the first part a bit. I went from one extreme to the other. I'm still don't quite like the part where he first pushes the gate open either. Timing is still off on that part to my untrained old eyes. Thanks again. I'll be back probably tomorrow with another update. I'm in the middle of making some poses to go with a commercial product that I need to get submitted the store.