DGM 3660 Advanced Rigging and Animation

Studies the creation of rigs, and the motion of characters and objects in games and animation. Includes full character, muscle, facial, and dynamic rigs. Also reinforces principles of animation, such as movement, weight, etc.

Development
Planning, Design and Implementation of character deformations, articulation and controls

Rigging
Concepts of rigging Bipeds, Quadrupeds, Mono-Peds, Winged, (Mechanical, Full Facial, Multi-ped, Hybrid rigs)

Scripting
Understand scripting and tool development, and how to improve workflow, and interfaces

Problem Solving & Research
Look for creative ways to resolve issues in rigging, using uncommon or alternative tools, and methods.

Animation
Final animation of rigged characters, demonstrating range of motion, and principles of animation

Resources
Title : Animators Survival Kit
Author : Richard Williams
Publisher : Faber & Faber
ISBN : 0571202284
Type : Required resource

Title : The Alchemy of Animation: Making an Animated Film in the Modern Age
Author : Don Hahn
Publisher : Disney Editions
ISBN-13: 978-1423104766
Type : Required resource

Title : Digital Tutors Training
Author : Digital Tutors
Additional information : http://www.digital-tutors.com
Type : Required resource

Section Information: DGM-3650-001
Course Name : 3D Production and Rendering
Course Description : 3D Production and Rendering

Course: Materials
1. Sketchbook — 9 x 12 100 pages. 50 lb. +
2. Notepad
3. Pencils
4. External drive
5. CD-R or DVD-R Discs for back up
6. Dropbox.com account for assignments

Policies: Back-up
Be sure to always back-up your files on a regular basis. Unfinished or lost projects due to data loss, or mismanagement will not be accepted.

Policies: Feedback
The work you do will be assets prior to grading using feedback.
1. Self evaluation
2. Peer evaluation
3. Instructor evaluation

Once feedback has been given students my revise their work prior to grading. After grading no further feedback will be given.

Policies: Assessment
Students will meet with instructor to discuss work and grades one on one at midterm, and 2 week prior to final. This is the only time grades will be discussed, unless requested by the student.

Policies: Grading

The class grade will be earned in two parts, 50% for the mid-term and 50% for the final. For both mid-term and final a demo reel will be produced. Each reel must display an implementation of all previous assignments and lectures. The mid-term reel will be no longer than 2 minutes and the final will be no longer than 1 minute. Each reel will be evaluated by the following criteria.

Objective : Measurable advancement, without bias or opinion: 50% of grade

1. Technical aspects and concepts

2. Understanding of the toolset and software

Subjective : Based on the industry and instructor knowledge and opinions: 50% of grade

3. Design aspects and Concepts

4. Project Aesthetics, and overall polish

Grading Breakdown:

Mid-term = 50% of overall grade = 25% Objective + 25% Subjective

Final = 50% of overall grade = 25% Objective + 25% Subjective

Extra Credit = 1% bonus to overall grade per tool completed

Policies: Extra Credit

Tools will be created via the student to help them complete their assignments far more efficiently. Additionally the student will be rewarded with 1% of grade point for each tool completed. For example, an overall grade of 89 would be raised to a 90 for the completion of one tool. Points for tools will be awarded per tool, all or nothing.

Policies: Assignments

Students will be responsible for all lecture material and assignments. All assignments MUST be completed on time because assignments will build on each other.

Policies: Attendance

Attendance is mandatory, 3 unexcused absences will end in an automatic failure. Obtaining material missed due to an absence will the student’s responsibility, only under extraneous circumstances will the student receive accommodation from the instructor.

Discussions will build in each student a thorough understanding of the process, an ability to think outside the box and troubleshoot.

Schedule:

1) Week 01/09/12: Skeleton

a) Lecture: Joint Placement, Orientation, Rotation Order and Limit Setting

b) Assignment: Place Joints and first pass at skin.

c) Discussion: Cartoon vs. Realistic Placement and Helper Joints

d) Tools: Shelf Buttons-Orient Joints Manually but Quick

2) Week 01/16/12: Skinning

a) Lecture: Skinning Methods and Anatomy

b) Assignment: Finalize Skinning

c) Discussion: Muscles and PSD (Pose Space Deformers)

d) Tools: Combine Use of Paint Select-Vertex with Weight Hammer and Animated Bones

3) Week 01/23/12: Body and Facial Rig Design, Handles and Visibility

a) Lecture: The Rig UI-Simple Complexity and Naming Conventions

b) Assignment: Create Rig Controls

i) Easy to select.

ii) Easy to turn off.

iii) Cannot be distracting.

iv) Communicate clearly.

c) Discussion: Speed vs. Options- Are both possible.

d) Tools: Create a Controls Library.

4) Week 01/30/12: Rig Types

a) Lecture: Rig Organization/Grouping

b) Assignment: Puppet Rigging-Arms and Legs

c) Discussion: Animation Puppet vs. Render Rig vs. Motion Capture Rig

d) Tools: Creating Hotkeys, Marking Menus and Custom Attributes

5) Week 02/06/12: Utility Nodes

a) Lecture: Controlling the flow of information

b) Assignment: Puppet Rigging-Hands & Feet

c) Discussion: Node Inputs and Outputs and there connect ability

d) Tools: Accessing Node Attribute Information

6) Week 02/13/12: Squash and Stretch

a) Lecture: Deformers and Input Order

b) Assignment: Puppet Rigging-The Ribbon for Spine, Neck and Head

c) Discussion: Mastering Constraints

d) Tools: An Almost PSD

7) Week 03/05/12: Facial Rigging Part 1 Mouth

a) Lecture: Blend shape or Procedural

b) Assignment: Puppet Rigging-Mouth and Jaw

c) Discussion: Joint Placement for Functionality

d) Tools: Zero Transforms

8) Week 03/12/12: Facial Rigging Part 2 Eyes

a) Lecture: Eyes, Lids and Brows

b) Assignment: Puppet Rigging- Eyes, Lids and Brows

c) Discussion: Wire, Cluster and Lattice Deformer

d) Tools: Transfer Weighting

9) Week 03/19/12: Facial Rigging Part 3 The rest of the head

a) Lecture: Cheeks, nose, ears and head

b) Assignment: Finish the head and face rigging and UI

c) Discussion: Using Distance to drive Shapes

d) Tools: Distance between Points

10) Week 02/20/12: Overlapping Action and Simulation

a) Lecture: Cloth and Hair

b) Assignment: Puppet Rigging-Bendbows

c) Discussion: Places where simulation can be used

d) Tools: Rigging Bits Library