SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MASS-ANIMATING CHARACTERS IN ANIMATED SEQUENCES
Implementations of the present disclosure are directed to a method, a system, and an article for animating characters in a virtual environment. An example computer-implemented method can include: (a) generating a plurality of snapshots of a 3D mesh in an animation sequence, wherein each snapshot includes the 3D mesh in a distinct frame of the animation sequence, and wherein the animation sequence includes a loop; (b) assigning each frame of the animation sequence to one of a plurality of 3D virtual objects corresponding to the 3D mesh; (c) rendering a graphical image including the plurality of 3D virtual objects according to the assigned frames; (d) incrementing the assigned frame for each 3D virtual object to a next frame in the loop; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d).
1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
(a) generating a plurality of snapshots of a 3D mesh in an animation sequence, each snapshot comprising the 3D mesh in a distinct frame of the animation sequence, the animation sequence comprising a loop;
(b) assigning each frame of the animation sequence to one of a plurality of 3D virtual objects corresponding to the 3D mesh;
(c) rendering a graphical image comprising the plurality of 3D virtual objects according to the assigned frames;
(d) incrementing the assigned frame for each 3D virtual object to a next frame in the loop; and
(e) repeating steps (c) and (d).
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the 3D virtual object comprises at least one of a virtual animal and a virtual person.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the loop comprises a cycle of a repetitive movement.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises:
performing a draw call.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises:
providing a vertex buffer; and
storing, in the vertex buffer, vertex locations for the 3D mesh for each frame in the loop.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises:
assigning each frame to a distinct 3D virtual object from the plurality of 3D virtual objects.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a number of snapshots in the plurality of snapshots is equal to a number of 3D virtual objects in the plurality of 3D virtual objects.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises:
determining a position and an orientation for each 3D virtual object; and
drawing each 3D virtual object in the graphical image according to the position and the orientation.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) comprises:
applying at least one texture to the 3D mesh.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein step (e) comprises:
repeating steps (c) and (d) until each frame in the loop has been assigned to each 3D virtual object.
11 . A system, comprising:
one or more computer processors programmed to perform operations comprising:
(a) generating a plurality of snapshots of a 3D mesh in an animation sequence, each snapshot comprising the 3D mesh in a distinct frame of the animation sequence, the animation sequence comprising a loop;
(b) assigning each frame of the animation sequence to one of a plurality of 3D virtual objects corresponding to the 3D mesh;
(c) rendering a graphical image comprising the plurality of 3D virtual objects according to the assigned frames;
(d) incrementing the assigned frame for each 3D virtual object to a next frame in the loop; and
(e) repeating steps (c) and (d).
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the loop comprises a cycle of a repetitive movement.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein step (a) comprises:
performing a draw call.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein step (a) comprises:
providing a vertex buffer; and
storing, in the vertex buffer, vertex locations for the 3D mesh for each frame in the loop.
15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein step (b) comprises:
assigning each frame to a distinct 3D virtual object from the plurality of 3D virtual objects.
16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a number of snapshots in the plurality of snapshots is equal to a number of 3D virtual objects in the plurality of 3D virtual objects.
17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein step (c) comprises:
determining a position and an orientation for each 3D virtual object; and
drawing each 3D virtual object in the graphical image according to the position and the orientation.
18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein step (c) comprises:
applying at least one texture to the 3D mesh.
19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein step (e) comprises:
repeating steps (c) and (d) until each frame in the loop has been assigned to each 3D virtual object.
20 . An article, comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more computer processors, cause the computer processors to perform operations comprising:
(a) generating a plurality of snapshots of a 3D mesh in an animation sequence, each snapshot comprising the 3D mesh in a distinct frame of the animation sequence, the animation sequence comprising a loop;
(b) assigning each frame of the animation sequence to one of a plurality of 3D virtual objects corresponding to the 3D mesh;
(c) rendering a graphical image comprising the plurality of 3D virtual objects according to the assigned frames;
(d) incrementing the assigned frame for each 3D virtual object to a next frame in the loop; and
(e) repeating steps (c) and (d).