Methods and systems for generating an animation control rig
An aspect provides a computer-implemented method for generating an animation control rig configured to manipulate a skeleton of an animated character. The method comprises associating 502 a plurality of animation control points to an animated skeleton; traversing ( 504, 512 ) a node graph representing the plurality of animation control points of the animated skeleton; analyzing 506 the hierarchical node graph to determine which nodes of the hierarchical node graph are inversely solvable; analyzing 508 the hierarchical node graph to determine which other nodes of the hierarchical node graph are solvable with at least one solution that violates a constraint of the animated skeleton; and modifying 510 an operation of at least one node of the other nodes that violates a constraint to approximate the constraint within a tolerance level.
1. A computer-implemented method for generating an animation control rig configured to manipulate a digital character, the method comprising:
associating a plurality of animation control points with the digital character;
traversing a hierarchical node graph representing the plurality of animation control points;
accepting a signal from a user input control to move a handle to specify a new pose for the digital character;
identifying a plurality of nodes that are implicated in moving the digital character to the new pose;
analyzing the hierarchical node graph to determine which of the implicated nodes of the hierarchical node graph are inversely solvable;
analyzing the hierarchical node graph to determine which other nodes of the implicated nodes in the hierarchical node graph are solvable with at least one solution that violates a predefined constraint; and
modifying an operation of at least one node of the other nodes that violates a constraint to approximate the new pose within a tolerance level relative to the violated constraint.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital character includes a skeleton, wherein the skeleton includes multiple members, wherein one or more control points are associated to at least two members.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the constraint includes a physics-based constraint based on the operation of a physical skeleton.
4. The method claim 1 , wherein modifying at least one node comprises:
recursively solving the operation of a node that limits the operation of the node to within the tolerance.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a stress level of a component of the digital character resulting from movement toward the new pose; and
displaying an indicator to visually indicate the stress level.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the visual indicator includes a color.
7. A computer system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a non-transient storage medium including instructions executable by the one or more processors for generating an animation control rig configured to manipulate a digital character by performing the following acts:
associating a plurality of animation control points with the digital character;
traversing a hierarchical node graph representing the plurality of animation control points;
accepting a signal from a user input control to move a handle to specify a new pose for the digital character;
identifying a plurality of nodes that are implicated in moving the digital character to the new pose;
analyzing the hierarchical node graph to determine which of the implicated nodes of the hierarchical node graph are inversely solvable;
analyzing the hierarchical node graph to determine which other nodes of the implicated nodes in the hierarchical node graph are solvable with at least one solution that violates a predefined constraint; and
modifying an operation of at least one node of the other nodes that violates a constraint to approximate the new pose within a tolerance level relative to the violated constraint.
8. The non-transient storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the digital character includes a skeleton, wherein the skeleton includes multiple members, wherein one or more control points are associated to at least two members.
9. The non-transient storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the constraint includes a physics-based constraint based on the operation of a physical skeleton.
10. The non-transient storage medium of claim 7 , wherein modifying at least one node comprises:
recursively solving the operation of a node that limits the operation of the node to within the tolerance.
11. The non-transient storage medium of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining a stress level of a component of the digital character resulting from movement toward the new pose; and
displaying an indicator to visually indicate the stress level.
12. The non-transient storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the visual indicator includes a color.
13. A computer-readable non-transient medium including instructions for generating an animation control rig configured to manipulate a digital character, which when executed by at least one processor, perform:
associating a plurality of animation control points with the digital character;
traversing a hierarchical node graph representing the plurality of animation control points;
accepting a signal from a user input control to move a handle to specify a new pose for the digital character;
identifying a plurality of nodes that are implicated in moving the digital character to the new pose;
analyzing the hierarchical node graph to determine which of the implicated nodes of the hierarchical node graph are inversely solvable;
analyzing the hierarchical node graph to determine which other nodes of the implicated nodes in the hierarchical node graph are solvable with at least one solution that violates a predefined constraint; and
modifying an operation of at least one node of the other nodes that violates a constraint to approximate the new pose within a tolerance level relative to the violated constraint.
14. The computer-readable non-transient medium of claim 13 , wherein the digital character includes a skeleton, wherein the skeleton includes multiple members, wherein one or more control points are associated to at least two members.
15. The computer-readable non-transient medium of claim 13 , wherein the constraint includes a physics-based constraint based on the operation of a physical skeleton.
16. The computer-readable non-transient medium of claim 13 , wherein modifying at least one node comprises:
recursively solving the operation of a node that limits the operation of the node to within the tolerance.
17. The computer-readable non-transient medium of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining a stress level of a component of the digital character resulting from movement toward the new pose; and
displaying an indicator to visually indicate the stress level.
18. The computer-readable non-transient medium of claim 17 , wherein the visual indicator includes a color.