Medusa: Final - 'A' Stage

What I Did This Week 

    This week, I received the most complete, fully functional rig yet, so I wanted to expand what the original  animations did in subtle ways while also taking some of the feedback I got last week into account. I finally had finger controls to work with, so I employed them in ways that added expressive detail to the animations, such a fist clenches on certain actions. My main focus this week, however, was on the snakes on Medusa's head, which received criticism in the class before. I wanted to make them more life like, but I didn't quite know how to apply that to snakes spawning out of a scalp. I looked at references from other depictions of the character throughout media, particularly from the Percy Jackson films. With that, I was able apply more realistic snake motion to all of the animations I had made.

Before:

 After:

 Animations:

 

Perforce:

 

Medusa: First Bake - 'B' Stage

 What I Did:

    This week, I had to focus on polishing up my animations based on the feedback I got last week, alongside helping my team better implement the assets into engine and finishing up various tasks. I really wanted to focus on my idle animation this week, as I tried to de-emphasize some movements based on the criticism I received the week prior. I also wanted to make it longer, as well as adding an extra movement later on in the animation to break up the repetition, with Medusa standing and looking side-to-side. I also had to create an extra torch-holder asset to help complete the in-engine scene. My last task was to finish texturing some assets that were still blank so the finished game has a polished look.

Animation 

 

Texturing

  

 

Modeling 

Perforce

 

Medusa: High Res Meshing - 'C' Stage

    What I Did:

    For this week's phase, I was given an a much more polished rig, so I was able to remake all of my animations. Now that I had more time, I was able to polish them a lot more, adding a lot more extra detail and playing with the timing and overlap a lot more. I made the movements a lot more smooth and less janky, as well. as making them loop. This rig also allowed me to properly animate the snakes on the top of the head, which was definitely a challenge. However, it was really interesting to simulate and experiment with how the snakes would move in tandem with her movement. In the end, I pushed all of my FBX's into Perforce for my other group mates to implement. 

Idle

Stare

Walk

Run

Perforce Upload

 

Medusa Animations

What I Did This Week:

        In the time I had, I was able to complete the first passes of animation. Although they were not finished, I was able to create a solid basis to expand upon in the coming weeks, particularly as the rig was able to improve. I wanted to capture a swaying movement with Medusa's idle animation. For the running and walking, I wanted them to contrast each other by capturing different levels of intention behind her actions. The stare animation was meant to represent an attack, so it needed to come out quickly while also having the appropriate amount of buildup. After completing them, I playblasted them and posted them to the blog. 

Idle

 Walk

 Run

 Stare

 Perforce

 

 

Medusa Key Poses

What I Did This Week:

    This was the start of the animation process for Medusa, and so, the first step creating an initial pose for each animation that we needed. For the idle, I wanted something casual while also accentuating Medusa's personality. The walk needed to give off a carefree attitude, whilst the run needed to emphasize a sense of urgency. The stare needed to represent the height of the action, the moment her powers turn you to stone. After finishing the poses in the short time I had, I put them in a lighting engine, took the screenshots, and sent them over.

Idle

 Walk

Run

 

 

 Perforce

 

 

Demo Reel - Industry Review #1

Animation State Machines

Character in Engine  

Character Blueprint

Animation Blueprint

 Graph

 Perforce