Do you guys offset the whole anim curve when working on a cycle?

AGoodFella

Hi,

So say I'm working on a walk cycle and I want to offset the spine curves so they're don't all move at the same time or I want offset the up and down from the side to side, would you offset the whole curve?

I ask because it would mean you your first and last frame are no longer the same and it would extend your cycle by however many frames you offset. Or do you just offset the most high's and low's of the curve/

Cheers.

kwyjibo

assuming this is for a game engine. You can offset an entire animation curve in which case you should set the curve to loop pre and post infinity (beyond first and last frame). offset the curve but don't adjust the playback range. When you export keys will be baked for the playback range and keys outside will not be exported.

AGoodFella

Hmm, so the fact that your first and last frame on cycle will be different isn't an issue?

kwyjibo

If the curves are set to loop before and after the first frame, then the first and last frame of your cycle should still be identical. For example, if your animation is 100 frames long, with frame 0 and 100 being identical. Any curve that has identical start and end keys, is 100 frames long, and is set to loop can be offset in its entirety by any amount and the animation will still cycle and have identical start and end poses as long as the length of the curve is equal to the length of the animation or a factor of it (eg. a looping 30 frame curve in a 90 animation can also be offset by any amount).

AGoodFella

Thanks, I did some quick tests and it works out. Maybe, I did something wrong before and messed with the curve too much. I'll keep this in mind going forward. 

Thanks for the help.