MotionSampler

Introduction 15

How does MotionSampler Work? 15

System Requirements 15

Building a Model for MotionSampler 16

Initial Model Position 18

Standard Biped Joint Orientations 18

Joint Rotation Values 19

Launching MotionSampler 22

File Formats 23

Preference Variables 25

Environment Variables 25

File Menu 29

Scene Menu 36

Pipeline Menu 39

Talents Menu 41

Audio Menu 43

Display Menu 48

Capture Menu 54

Playback Menu 58

Performance Stats (Rate) Menu 60

Help Menu 62

Shuttle Bank 63

Using the Time Display 66

Sampling Buttons 66

View/Edit Area and Toolbox Mode Buttons 68

Single View Mode 69

Four View Mode 70

Pipeline Editor Mode 75

Module Options Menu 78

Plugin Module Library 79

How to Build a Pipeline 80

Pipeline File Format 82

Talent Editor Mode 84

Adding a new Talent Entry 86

Changing Talent Information 87

Deleting a Talent's Database Entry 87

Talent File Format 88

Motion Sampling Systems 91

Setting Up a Facility for Motion Sampling 91

Data Transmission 93

Constructing a Harness for a Biped 94

Managing the Cables and Preparing for Motion Sampling 104

Calibration of the Motion Sampling 104

Body Scaling 112

Refining The Motion 113

Plugins, Modules, and Classes 115

Programming a Loadable Plugin 116

Adding a Plugin Factory 117

Programming Modules 119

Managing Inlets and Outlet 121

Reading and Writing Parameter Settings 122

Module Widget Interfaces 124

Utility Methods and Error Handling 126

Module Sampling and Recording 126

Transition from Off to Sampling 127

Transition from Sampling to Recording 128

Transition from Recording to Sampling or Off 129

Taking a Snapshot During Sampling 129

Auto Recording 129

Capture Calculating 129

Common Module Methods 130

Tutorial 1: Sampling, Dataflow, and Pipelines

Tutorial 2: Using the Biped2 Filter

Tutorial 3 : Sampling in Real Time

Tutorial 4 : Special Effects and Other Tricks

Introduction

MotionSampler is a stand-alone program used to capture animation data in real time and to apply it to models for use with Alias PowerAnimator.

How does MotionSampler Work?

Traditional computer animation is done by defining motion paths and applying those paths to a model. The paths are often described as a series of keyframes. The art of animation is in how the paths are defined and timed-much like traditional cel animation. A good sense of timing, weight, and exaggeration are key to bringing a scene to life and creating believable characters.

Motion capture challenges the established methods of computer animation. A data source (of any kind) provides dense keyframe information. Human motion capture records weight and timing parameters in the data. Other data sources (such as MIDI) can be used to trigger events or to control virtually any parameter in the animation.

MotionSampler samples data describing the motion of a source. It then processes the sampled data through a dataflow network to refine it into a form suitable for animation. The animation data is then imported to the animated channels of PowerAnimator models and displayed in 3D using the fast rendering capabilities of OpenGL.

All of this happens repeatedly and quickly, so that you can observe the captured motion acting on the model as it happens. Recorded animation is stored in Alias wire files and can be immediately loaded into PowerAnimator for further animation and rendering.