3ds scatters some jitters into my Skyrim animation

[fore]

I'm trying to modify some Skyrim animations (making breathing idles) using Maxscript. I read the rotation values for the upperbody bones and add some offsets to create the desired effect. That works quite well. Except for a few short key sequences (3-4 keys), where 3DS changes my modified rotations, creating said jitters.

 

Although I change all spines and the neck as well, this only happens to the UpperArms. Maybe this has something to do with the 180 degrees barrier for the y rotation, where those bones come very close, although not passing it. This effect is annoying, although I'm able to manually change the values so they work (3DS and in-game).

 

But now I have a situation which I cannot handle at all. The jitter happens in BETWEEN 2 frames. And I can see it in the viewer when play the animation, but not when I manually advance the animation frame by frame. The only way to freeze the jitter situation was by moving the slider so I was able to stop the animation at a tick somewhere in between 2 frame keys. But at this point 3ds does not allow to change rotation, or insert an additional key.

 

And the strange thing is, I can see the jitter in-game as well.

 

Does anyone have an idea, what can cause this effect? Maybe one of the Inverse Kinematics parameters?

[GomuGomu64]

Sounds like a strange CPU/GPU error thing-a-mahjigger. Have you tried the usuals (Reinstalling, closing all possible background programs, etc.)?

 

Perhaps you could upload said animations so that others may see if it happens to them? Could just happen to you.

 

Try enabling VSync in your GPU controls :3

[fore]

Sounds like a strange CPU/GPU error thing-a-mahjigger. Have you tried the usuals (Reinstalling, closing all possible background programs, etc.)?

 

Perhaps you could upload said animations so that others may see if it happens to them? Could just happen to you.

 

Try enabling VSync in your GPU controls :3

Thanks for trying to help me, Gomu. But although I'm a beginner with 3DS, I dare to say that this is not a GPU thing. It's rather a problem 3DS and the game engine have with my animation. From the way how the calculate those movements.

 

I know the effect from Blender. When you animate 2 distant keys, and let Blender/engine interpolate the path inbetween it's possible that a bone will make unexpected rotations when rotating from A to B. Then I simply had to set one ore more keys inbetween, sometimes to the point where I had to set a key on every frame. That's the way those curve functions sometimes work. Especially around 180° rotations.

 

Here in 3DS it seems to be the same. Except for the fact, that for my 2nd problem (jitter in between 2 adjacent frames) both frame keys are shown correctly, but IN BETWEEN those keys (where those little "ticks" come into action) the bone starts moving back and forth.

 

Right now my assumption is that I have to define a BEZIER controller. The help says that they handle interpolation between 2 keys. But I just can't figure out how to use those suckers. :confused:

[Isilmeriel]

How do you make skyrim animations? Is there a tutorial that I wasn't able to find somewhere?

[fore]

How do you make skyrim animations? Is there a tutorial that I wasn't able to find somewhere?

No tutorial. You have to find your way through the right threads. See CHSBHC Body, Breast and Butt Physics Mod and [REL] Havok Animation Converter. In the latter there is a link in Saidenstorm's post on page 3 (07 January 2012 - 08:26 AM) where he provides a setup which I use.

 

But it's all still a pain in the bottom right now. :dry:

[Isilmeriel]

Aww looks still quite technical and convoluted. I'd love to make something with new animations but am technically challenged :( Hopefully I can port over some of my oblivion animation stuff at some point Edited January 23, 2012 by Isilmeriel

[fore]

Ok, I solved my problem. I simply had to click the "key mode toggle" button, which allowed me to set a key on a tick in between 2 frames. This way I was able to force rotation to stay on the positive side of the 180 degree barrier, and this prevented the jitter. :wallbash:

 

Aww looks still quite technical and convoluted. I'd love to make something with new animations but am technically challenged :( Hopefully I can port over some of my oblivion animation stuff at some point

I hope that you are not restricted to Blender, because then it doesn't look too promising.

[xp32]

Ok, I solved my problem. I simply had to click the "key mode toggle" button, which allowed me to set a key on a tick in between 2 frames. This way I was able to force rotation to stay on the positive side of the 180 degree barrier, and this prevented the jitter. :wallbash:

 

I hope that you are not restricted to Blender, because then it doesn't look too promising.

 

I am using 3DS too and facing the same problem, I still have jitter about 1-2 frames eventhough I set keys as many as I could. Could You type in specific where you put "a key on a tick in between 2 frames"

 

This problem really bugging since I mod my character animation (mt_runforward.hkx). Every last step I make becamu "jumpy" or laggy or whatever.

I hope got the reply soon

[fore]

I am using 3DS too and facing the same problem, I still have jitter about 1-2 frames eventhough I set keys as many as I could. Could You type in specific where you put "a key on a tick in between 2 frames"

 

This problem really bugging since I mod my character animation (mt_runforward.hkx). Every last step I make becamu "jumpy" or laggy or whatever.

I hope got the reply soon

3DS has a unit below the frame: ticks. 160 ticks are one frame. And it seems to be possible to set a key on each of those ticks.

 

So when you have selected one single bone, you can manually enter a tick in the little field on the bottom left of the window. Just enter something like "3:80" (which is in the middle between frame 3 and 4), then enter the appropriate rotations you expect there, and set key.

 

I don't know if this has helped me (I'm no expert at all), but I also set the default tangent (little button left of "Key filters ...") to linear (only option with one straight line).

[Ghogiel]

^does the niftools exporter even export curves properly anyway? I remember at one time it didn't ,I don't think it can do some things with curves and complex transforms ...because wouldn't it need be a NiBSplineData? afaik niftools will only export NitranformData, I guess it'll either come out a hard edged, I don't think it will add keys you didn't add.. :unsure: