Making a game character move: Animation and motion capture for video games
Brusi, Piia (2021)
Brusi, Piia
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021052812238
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021052812238
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this thesis was to serve as an introduction and overview of video game animation; how the interactive nature of games differentiates game animation from cinematic animation, what the process of producing game animations is like, what goes into making good game animations and what animation methods and tools are available.
The thesis briefly covered other game design principles most relevant to game animators: game design, character design, modelling and rigging and how they relate to game animation. The text mainly focused on animation theory and practices based on commentary and viewpoints provided by industry professionals. Additionally, the thesis described various 3D animation and motion capture systems and software in detail, including how motion capture footage is shot and processed for games. The thesis ended on a step-by-step description of the author’s motion capture cleanup project, where a jog loop was created out of raw motion capture data.
As the topic of game animation is vast, the thesis could not cover topics such as facial motion capture and procedural animation in detail. Technologies such as motion matching, machine learning and range imaging were also suggested as topics worth covering in the future.
The thesis briefly covered other game design principles most relevant to game animators: game design, character design, modelling and rigging and how they relate to game animation. The text mainly focused on animation theory and practices based on commentary and viewpoints provided by industry professionals. Additionally, the thesis described various 3D animation and motion capture systems and software in detail, including how motion capture footage is shot and processed for games. The thesis ended on a step-by-step description of the author’s motion capture cleanup project, where a jog loop was created out of raw motion capture data.
As the topic of game animation is vast, the thesis could not cover topics such as facial motion capture and procedural animation in detail. Technologies such as motion matching, machine learning and range imaging were also suggested as topics worth covering in the future.