MA 3D Computer Animation Blog

Author: Anis Ghebache

Categories
3D Computer Animation Fundamentals Immersion

Week 2 Unreal Engine – Worldbuilding

In this lesson we learned about key aspects of the creation of a project in UE5, with a focus on understanding said core elements and preparing for upcoming, more advanced, classes.

  • File structure: UE files use distinct formats such as .uasset for assets like textures and .umap for maps, this makes file transfers between softwares not so straightforward, since assets need to be processed and migrated into UE.
  • The structure in which projects are produced is quite layered, allowing for larger projects to be more manageable.

  • When setting up a project, you are met with the choice of using either Blueprints of C++. I will be using blueprints since the logic is something I’m more used to, having utilised elements of node programming in Cinema 4D’s espresso feature.
  • Render settings: these settings are optional and I don’t see myself using them for the time being, but can be tweaked for enhanced rendering for those who need it.

  • Level Management: levels are essentially containers for scene elements, this makes shifting from day to night, for example, more manageable. I can have one project with multiple variations that can be switched with ease.
  • Actors: sounds, meshes, animations, blueprints etc are all considered “actors”, and can all be used in tandem to build an interactive environment

  • Starter templates and marketplace samples are resources that can be leveraged to streamline the development process, releasing the pressure of having to create a lot of things from scratch.

I’m fairly used to this concept, having used Sketchfab’s plugin in Cinema 4D. The marketplace on quixel/ fab seems quite expansive – and there is a wide variety of free assets at my disposal.

At this moment in time, I am relatively inexperienced in UV texturing and modeling in general. I’ve been relying on easy and inefficient shortcuts when using C4D because everything can be hidden or changed in post. Learning more reliable techniques will elevate my work to the next level.

Categories
3D Computer Animation Fundamentals Animation

Week 2 Animation – Pendulum

This week, we covered pendulums and how applying essential animation principles like overlapping action, counteraction, drag and breaking of joints can produce a convincing pendulum animation. This exercise helped drill in the importance of timing between moving parts and how it reveals complexity in an otherwise simple concept.

I began by focusing on overlapping action, having different parts of an object moving at staggered intervals. First, I selected all the joints and rotated them so that they moved in unison.

Then, I experimented by just shifting the keyframes accordingly to give a clean, yet oversimplified look. The main principle here is that the motion of each pendulum ball or joint doesn’t stop simultaneously but rather follows a hierarchy. This staggered approach, drawn from the Animator’s Survival Kit, makes the motion more feel organic and dynamic.

Counteraction was another principle that I wanted to apply in order to maintain balance and realism in the animation, the ball is weighted and therefore will act on the joints in a way that cannot be replicated purely by artificially staggering keyframes. I used this reference below so that I can understand this better, being that the root of the pendulum is moving, as is the animation I want to produce.

This clip also features a pendulum with 3 moving parts, a great reference for my animation.

My first attempt was intentionally completely done frame-by-frame, ensuring that I don’t rely on oversimplification and applying the breaking of joints principle to a higher standard. The main crits were that the waves were inconsistent and unnatural. I intended to do this by eye and not to rely too heavily on animation principles, apply constructive feedback, and adjust my perspective accordingly in order to produce a better product.

By further analysing the reference video and applying feedback, I improved and finalised the animation. Ensuring I utilised all the appropriate principles and engaging critically both on a micro and macro scale.

By starting with a study of animation principles, analyzing reference videos, and instinctively trying to capture the right feel, I began to understand what makes animation effective. Incorporating feedback and applying these principles more rigorously helped me close the gap between my perception of good animation and what good animation truly is. These first weeks in the MA 3D Computer Animation program have been valuable in helping me identify how I learn best and in developing a structured approach to improve my skills.

Categories
3D Computer Animation Fundamentals Immersion

Week 1 Unreal Engine – Environments

This week we were introduced to the game engine Unreal Engine 5, this is my first time interacting with this program as a Cinema 4D user. The difference in workflow was both familiar and so different, the nature of UE’s parent-child relationships is pervasive throughout every aspect of the development process introducing an element of structure and complexity.

The blueprint-based scripting and general management of every component was novel but a welcome change. The customization allowed by such a structure, and the ability to create from a variety of different approaches is something I enjoy, having used multiple software in tandem with C4D. It feels like UE5 is a mix of so many different programs in one, which is both daunting and exciting.

We were introduced to the project brief in this lesson, which has a strong emphasis on research, experimentation and leverage of key aspects of fundamentals that dictate the overall “-ness” of an experience.

These are the design process aspects from how I understand them:

Imagination and research: draw understanding from everything I experience, searching for aspects I can use – or adapt into ideas that can propel my projects to the next level. I will do this by understanding research dynamically.

Deconstruction and Reconstruction: correctly identify every single aspect of every single component. This will require for me to learn deeply about how everything has been intentionally placed and how/ why they interact together.

Proportion: an environment essentially lives and dies through proportion, this is shown in the animation we saw in the first week with the elf walking through the forest. Everything is relative to the main focus of a scene, and the way an environment and the focus interact can essentially dictate the feelings evoked from the audience.

Materiality: we as people are influenced by how much control we have over the world around us, are we in a static unchanging unfeeling world or in a dynamic world that can bend to our will? Can I grant ability to a viewer and take it away to create a feeling of helpnessness, or bring them from a sense of helpnessness to a state of control? This is important to think about as I aim to create horror experiences.

Movement Qualities: How things move can change one’s perspective of them, the difference between a static and a moving object can sometimes make a world of difference. I wish to explore the dynamic this can create in depth.

Categories
3D Computer Animation Fundamentals Animation

Week 1 Animation – Bouncing Ball

In today’s animation session we studied the 12 principles of animation, where aspects of good animation were isolated and expanded upon. Today’s session was primarily focused on Squash and Stretch, Timing, Arcs and Weight. The goal was to create a realistic bouncing ball animation.

Maya’s motion trail feature made it easier to visualize the animation at a glance, more closely resembling the planning I did on paper.

By observing real life references, I was able to strengthen the knowledge I already had on the nature of a bouncing ball. George, our tutor, clarified that he was looking for a ball with the same or similar properties of a tennis ball.

In my initial experiment, I opted to create an animation where I used my knowledge of how balls have behaved in the past, interacting with an imperfect surface, having imperfect and erratic bounces and rotations. This was in order to attempt to expand on my animation experience, but proved somewhat challenging.

I then kept it simple (the miraculous KISS principle) and, by using knowledge garnered from references and other bouncing ball animations, created a simple yet effective short clip.

Adjusting curves and manually key-framing allowed for meticulous control over the animation, emphasizing the realistic feel I wanted to convey in this exercise. In the tutorial, we were encouraged to introduce rotation, with the ball spinning 180 degrees on each bounce, I thought this to be fairly unrealistic so I chose to have it rotate 90 degrees instead, but this was challenging due to the nature of the ball rig. It’s possible to do so, however, by stretching instead of squashing and vice versa, since the rig maintained its volume.

Bouncing Ball:

So, initially I followed instructions. I found a reference online and drew up a small plan.

  • The X and Y axis were mapped out
  • The X axis is essentially the number of frames, labeling the frame number at notable parts of the movement
I used this video to familiarize myself with the dynamics of a tennis ball.
I used this video to familiarize myself with the dynamics of a tennis ball.
I used this video to familiarize myself with the dynamics of a tennis ball.