Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
Still, remember that the idea here is that this yields dividends by having
joints that are oriented in ways that make the animation cleaner with
fewer axes needing to be rotated for any movement. Further, this makes it
so the joints can be returned to this neutral position by entering 0 in the
Rotate X, Y, and Z input fields of the Channel box.
Step 53:
Swap to Object Mode and mirror from the clavicle down. Select
AC_L_Clavicle and choose Animation>Skeleton>Mirror Joint.
Tips and Tricks
The settings from last time this was done should still be there (the mirror
axis along YZ and the instructions to replace L_ with R_), although if the
results are not as anticipated, undo and check the Mirror Joint options.
Facial Rig
Unfortunately, out of the box, Unity does not support blendshapes (often
the preferred method of rigging the face for animation). However, if you're
familiar with Maya, you know that there are several camps when it comes to
facial rigs; one fairly persuasive group argues that rigging the face with joints
is a flexible and powerful solution.
In Unity, this is the only solution; however, an extensive facial rig can become
both a performance and time killer. If you're playing a first-person shooter and
are spending a lot of time examining facial expressions, there's something
wrong with the game. If you're playing a third-person game, the majority of
the time is spent looking at the character's back, so again, an extensive facial
rig is not called for.
Of course, in cinematic-cut scenes a good facial rig can really be valuable.
And in fact, great strides are being made in facial animation in games as of
late (take a look at the work coming out of Rockstar Games' L. A. Noire, for
example). However, in this case, our budget doesn't allow for good voice
talent (and animators and programmers hardly ever provide acceptable
performances) so there is no need for a very complex facial rig.
However, a bit of facial movement, especially in the jaw and eyes can help
a character have a bit of life so they don't feel quite so much like a walking
mannequin. So in the coming steps we will create a very simple face rig that
will provide some facial articulation but keep the joint count low.
Step 54:
Create a two-joint chain for the jaw. Do this from the side view
and build the chain from the AC_Head_Base joint. Create the first joint just
in front of the ear (the hinge of the mandible) and put the second down at
the end of the chin (
Figure 10.27
). Be sure to press Enter after creating the
joint at the chin to exit the tool.
Step 55:
Create an eye joint. Do not grow this joint out of any extant
joints (we want it to be facing straight forward), but in the side-view panel
activate the Joint tool again and create one joint (click and then press
Enter) in the center of the eye. In the front-view panel, adjust its location
to be in the center of the eye (
Figure 10.28
). Rename the joint AC_L_Eye.
