Walking loop hooks ?

[Ami]

Hi!
Is it possible to make hooks to a walking cycle? I want to animate the walking loop to be at the same place and then do something to be able to move the character across the screen. I have used Toonz before and there was this "hooks" -ability where you defined the place of heel and got the same effect. (And the feet didn't slide at all)

Ami

[Elodie]

Hi Ami !

Create a new layer (and give it a duration by stretching the instance) and use the Keyframer :

FX => Motion => Keyframer

Then, in the render tab (1), choose as a source (2) the layer with your animation or an animated custom brush (select all your frames with the walk in loop, then use the custom brush cutter to cut your character => you will have a window, asking you if you agree to cut an animated custom brush => hit "Yes").

Always in the Keyframer parameters, don't forget to change the "Pre behavior" (3) and the "Post behavior" (3) in loop.

Then, on the little black triangle between "Keyframer" and "Bin FX" (4), click and choose "create a key" (don't forget to be at the begining of your layer).

fx-keyframer.png (39.01 KiB) Viewed 19927 times

Now go at the end of the layer and move manually your animation.

Each time you will modify the position, a key will be created.

So, if you want the character walks in loop in the middle of the screen, then it crosses the screen, I advise you to have a the start pose at the begining of your layer, then go at the frame X to create the same key again, then go at the end of your layer and move manually your character to make him leave the screen.

Of course, don't forget to select all your frames and apply the FX ! =)

For more informations, read the user guide =)

[Ami]

Thanks!
I'll study the instructions and get back if I don't get it!
Ami

[Elodie]

Okay, don't hesitate if you need anything =)

[BenEcosse]

I think 'hooks' keeps the feet from sliding.
I can't see a way of using the Keyframer to move a walk cycle across the screen without it looking like sliding/floating feet.
This is why I just draw each frame - am I missing something?

[Elodie]

It's not wrong, that's why it's good to well calculate, in order to avoid this sliding effects.

The keyframer is useful when you need a quickly way to animate a walk across the screen, without drawing again your positions, in particular for series (time is money ^^)

Whatever, you can also cut your animation as a custom brush and place your self each position with the feet. =)

[malcooning]

I can't see a way of using the Keyframer to move a walk cycle across the screen without it looking like sliding/floating feet.

why not?
if you draw your cycle right, you place the the feet properly.
You need to take notice to keep sliding the feet on the ground, like in a moonwalk.
the siding back of the still feet is compensated by the forward motion in the keyframer.
If the speed of the keyframer is matched to the distances between the feet, you get non-sliding feet.

I'm not in the habit of doing walk cycles (don't really like them), but here's a quick example (please ignore the limp and other nooks. i'm not in practice):
EDIT: it seems the elongated GIF file don't play here so just click on it to view the animation.

[BenEcosse]

If the speed of the keyframer is matched to the distances between the feet, you get non-sliding feet.

I think it was this I wasn't managing to set correctly. Maybe I didn't play about with the distance of the position keys enough (the start and end position).
I think I prefer the anim cutbrush better cos you can use the Lighttable with that function.
Unless there is a way to use the lighttable in the Keyframer before you commit to APPLY FX STACK?

[Elodie]

Unless there is a way to use the lighttable in the Keyframer before you commit to APPLY FX STACK?

Nope, because the light table needs to have something applied on the drawing space.

But You can mention it in the feature request. =)

[BenEcosse]

I realise where i was going wrong now. I was using a source layer (my cycle) that was made up of 8 instances of 2 exposures each.
So when I used the Keyframer it was moving over the exposures...if that makes sense.

[Elodie]

Haha, in that case, it's normal if you are a "sliding feet" ^^