Going Live update 15/03/23

Going Live update                                                                                                                                           15/03/23

Figure 1: Animating Nikko in Maya

I've currently moved onto animating Nikko in Maya whilst Tinny is currently still being rendered, and despite some periods where the process has been particularly stressful, the animation is becoming smoother and more refined.  Starting off, the feet proved to be particularly troublesome, mainly when it came to getting the positions just right in the midframe, but I've managed to find a workaround for this.  Despite the obviously much smaller proportions than the Kayla rig I've been using previously, I've managed to transfer the movements from the basic walk tutorial fairly well.  I'm moving onto the fine tuning section of the animation, and I do know that I will need to update the reference model in order to save time on animating again.  Thankfully this is a model that, for the most part, looks decent on almost every angle.

The adjustment of the animation in the graph editor will prove to be particularly tricky given how the movement has reacted to some tweaking in the past.  The first run through of the animation as a basic walk cycle has turned out smooth enough.  It may well need some more work when showed to my peers but hopefully it has still made the grade.

Figure 2: Nikko graph editor

Figure 3: Nikko walkcycle test

Figure 4: Nikko double-bounce graph

The double bounce walk for Nikko, adapted from the standard masculine walkcycle, usually requires slowing the animation cycle down from 24 frames to 33 frames so that the bounce is less sudden and jerky.  It also allows the viewer more time to observe the movement.  This is the method employed by the tutorial I've been following, and it's translated very successfully.

Figure 5: Double bounce walk cycle:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTk3PYTTrJw

Figure 6: Double bounce walk cycle