3dsm biped + prop question

VPrime

Hey guys I have a question about an animation I am trying to do.

I am very new to animating, but I think I have a basic idea of how to work with a biped (I have created a few walk cycles using the foot step mode then modifying in free form).

Any way, I have a model of a man with a breifcase (see my pnp thread -Lowpoly spy) the man and the briefcase are 2 separate objects.. I have a biped with a prop for the briefcase, physique modifer on the man.
I then linked the briefcase to the prop. so when I move the arm the briefcase mesh moves as well (or if I move the briefcase prop)

So now that you get an idea of my scene, here is what I am trying to do...
I want to animate the model to be able to put the briefcase down and do something else (in this case put his arms in the air as he just got caught doing something.)
I can move the prop and make it look like it has been dropped to the ground. BUT once I move the bone for the arm the prop follows.
Is there any way I can make the prop separate (or not follow the arm) on a certain frame?

Sorry for all the text, just trying to get all the information that may be needed out there.

Eric Chadwick

One way, use an Attachment Constraint on the briefcase and animate the attachment to go from Hand to World when he lets go. Probably won't export to a game though.

VPrime

Hmm, it is for a game though.. Any other ideas?

Thanks.

Mezz

Ahhh... I have a similar animation I'm working on, but I think I might be doing basically what Eric suggested.

I created a dummy object, and parented it to my box. I linked it to the world, then the biped hand when I needed to, then back to the world when I was done.

Not sure if this amounts to the same thing as suggested, and therefore won't work in-game... but worked for me :P

Mark Dygert

VPrime wrote: »

Hmm, it is for a game though.. Any other ideas?

Thanks.

In that case its more dependent on the engine and whoever is going to implement it as to what they'll need to get that job done. There are a lot of what-if's and they're all engine specific, and not all engines are the same... =/

VPrime

I will be using Unity3D.. And doing the coding my self (not there yet....... But one step at a time )

I guess I will have to play around with it... One thing I was thinking is to just remove the briefcase completely, then attach it to the character in game with code. But I don't think it will give me the results I am looking for.

Eric Chadwick

If you want the briefcase to move in a particular way when attached, then add an extra bone linked to the hand bone, then use Unity to attach/unattach the briefcase to that bone. This is how most games do it, a "weapons" bone.