Walk Cycle Crit

stryker

Creating a walk cycle. Turning around and walking isn't so easy I found out. The walk cycle looks stiff, almost like he limps while he turns. This video shows him at full speed, then in half time.

http://vimeo.com/31622996

Would anyone give me some principles to achieve more fluid results?

Thanks in advance!

joshzaite

No expert here but to me it looks like you may benefit by acting out the action a few times and break up the motion a bit. Everything seems to be sharing keys and there is no anticipation, just motion. Maybe lead with the head and upper body harder, then move the leg and make sure the whole body isnt stiffly moving all on the same key. Edit: Also try to think about what you're muscle memory may do if you were that character. You probably wouldnt leave your arms idle by your side as you took a few steps between tasks.

GL!

monster

I think it's great that you can see there is a problem.

I know you posted it at half speed, but don't do that. It would be easier to crit if you just looped the action a few times at full speed. Also, don't move the camera when your asking for animation critiques.

Taking it a step further than acting it out, record yourself doing the action then use it as reference.

I think the first step is a little slow, but the rest of the timing is good. Other than that, everything is just too stiff, especially the spine and arms.

Great start though. Get this piece finished!

stryker

Thanks for the reply. I took some reference footage in a manufacturing environment and based my animation on how it looked. The people I filmed didn't have a whole lot of bounce in their step, they shuffled more than walked. They also did seem to absentmindedly move about without much drive or motivation. Perhaps fatigue from standing all day and moving heavy parts.

I guess putting it in those terms it was sort of stiff in the reference, but not as stiff as it turned out in my animation. The operators also did not limp. Working on that. Not easy to turn almost 180° without looking like the model is ice skating.

Need to figure out how to convey a more believable fatigued / non-motivated look without appearing so stiff and mechanical...

James9475

The core thing you need to address is the balance. Basically, where you put his hips in relation to his legs. I would completely forget worrying about the torso and arms until that's done. At any given frame, take a look at whether he is balanced, and if he's not, then it needs to be for a reason (e.g. his footfall is about to catch him). And yeah, for crits do it at full speed, looped quite a few times, and with a static camera.

keep going!